Darden strives to identify and cultivate responsible leaders who follow their purpose. Please provide an example of a situation in which you have made a meaningful impact.

As a project lead in Missouri, I was challenged to unite a talented but diverse team of 4; the Troublemaker, the Veteran, the Protégé, and the Newbie. There was turmoil in the beginning as personalities clashed.

The Troublemaker often tested my authority. I noticed he responded well to being a role model, so asked him to mentor the Newbie. As I was young leader, the Veteran resented taking directions from me. To remedy this, I asked him to become our Subject Matter Expert, allowing him to contribute in a unique way. I personally took on coaching the Protégé, a new engineer, making sure he was exposed to all aspects of the job.

The small but important role changes I implemented led to a significant change in our team dynamic. The Troublemaker strove to show leadership. Our Veteran was consulted on issues and included in client meetings, so he no longer begrudged me. Under my guidance the new engineer quickly became adept and would eventually lead the project.

Our cohesive team shortened the project timeline by four months, saving nearly ten percent of the budget, but the development of each person was a far more of a meaningful impact.