Suppose you had to choose three people- people alive now or people from another era- to travel with you on a cross-country automobile trip. Whow ould you choose and why? What would you hope to learn from them?

Sample One

Given my goal of making a lasting impact on an organization as a leader in a corporate finance role, I would choose three people who have been leaders in their own lives, professional and personal, to travel with me on a cross-country automobile trip. These three people are: Joe Smith, Director of Enterprise Applications at Company X, Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford Motor Company, and Bob Jones, my father.

Joe Smith is probably the most inspiring manager that I have worked for to date in my career. While working for him at the Department of Human Services, I noticed a manager who worked to build team morale by displaying a positive attitude and praising team members’ good work. Rather than micro-managing each of my tasks, Joe delegated responsibility, giving me the opportunity to apply my skills. This admiration continues to this day at Company X where Joe’s empowering style of management and contagious positive energy boosts team morale, and his ability to align individual strengths with the team’s shared vision and goals inspires teammates to exceed stakeholders’ expectations. By having Joe on this trip, I hope to learn how to not only balance stakeholders’ needs and project demands with team morale and spirit, but also inspire teammates to stretch their thinking by posing questions as opposed to lecturing.

The next person on this trip is someone that I have not had the opportunity to work for, but whose resilient and relentless style of management has given his organization the chance to be the lone survivor of the once known “Detroit Three”. In 2006, Alan Mulally was appointed the CEO of Ford Motor Company and charged with the daunting task of reversing the financial losses that had become synonymous with the organization under previous leadership. With the financial crisis of 2008, GM suffered the embarrassment of seeing the US Treasury Department's auto task force topple its CEO, Rick Wagoner, and Chrysler folded under bankruptcy; yet Ford has managed to stand tall as an independent company. Although Ford has a long way to go before it returns to its once held iconic status, Alan’s management style has kept Ford ahead in the fight for survival. From Alan, I hope to learn how a former aeronautical engineer in charge of developing the 777 airliner, and who once claimed that his Lexus was the finest car in the world – a complete outsider – can be the savior of Ford Motor Company.

The third person that I would choose for this cross-country trip is someone I never seemed to value when I was around him. Growing up as a kid, I always thought that my father was too strict. He would never let me play with my friends until I finished studying. Being an authoritative figure, my father always had a very ‘official’ relationship with me switching between the two ends of the spectrum. It was either “you are grounded” or “you did a good job,” rarely anything in between. When I left to pursue a college education in the US, I felt like I had been liberated from his command. But when I got to college, I soon realized why he was so demanding of me as a child. The feelings of resentment and frustration I had before soon turned into gratitude and thankfulness. He was making sure that I developed the same determination that he possessed. From my father, I hope to learn how one can succeed in life by working hard while never compromising one’s personal beliefs, no matter the circumstances.

With the uncertainty – be it job, financial or healthcare related – that stigmatizes the times we live in, every scandal in recent memory has involved leaders pushing financial impropriety to newer and higher levels. By interacting with these three men, I hope to get their viewpoints on how one can make organizational culture – the shared values, expectations and behaviors of what is considered right or wrong, workable or unworkable – more than just a few lines in a company handbook; how do you make it part of the identity of each employee within an organization? I hope to gain insight into this evolving issue while at Kelley and integrate it into my management and leadership style, thus becoming a leader who leads by example in his post-MBA career.

Sample Two

Aaron co-founded Worldwise in 1990, and since then the company has grown into one of the largest pet products suppliers with products in over 30,000 stores and revenues approaching $100 million. The company’s mission is to make sustainability an easier choice for consumers by creating affordable, attractive, and widely accessible products. Through his vision and innovation, endless energy,determination, and natural sales skills, Aaron has built multiple brands focused on sustainability and designed pet products made from recycled, reclaimed, renewable and organic materials. Hearing how he started a company with a sustainability mission and limited financial resources and grew it into the company that it is today will be beneficial for me as I embark on my brand management career with a commitment to sustainability and a goal of advancing to the executive level. Aaron also established strong relationships with executive management at Wal-Mart, which enabled the company to partner with Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club to develop FullCircle™, an innovative program in which Worldwise collects recyclable waste from domestic Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores, processes it, and then makes it into pet products to sell back to these retailers. This unique program has given Worldwise a competitive advantage, helped secure future business, and promoted its brands through nationwide publicity.

During the trip, we would discuss how to build a company and create brands with a sustainability mission, develop strong customer relationships, and provide innovative solutions for customers. To build upon my conversation with Aaron regarding Worldwise’s sales strategies and sustainability mission, Blake would offer insight on TOMS Shoes’ unique marketing strategies. TOMS Shoes is a for-profit business that donates a new pair of shoes to an impoverished child in a developing country for every pair of shoes purchased at retail. Blake wanted to contribute to society, so he created the sustainable One for One business model to avoid having to rely on monetary donations.

Unlike other shoe companies, TOMS Shoes relies on its customers to spread its mission through its interactive website and Facebook page, Style your Sole parties, Campus Clubs, One Day Without Shoes, and Shoe Drops instead of costly marketing and advertising campaigns. Since 2006, TOMS Shoes has donated over 1,000,000 pairs of shoes in 24 countries. I would discuss with Blake the value of creating alternative marketing strategies that will not only increase sales, but will also cost effectively increase cause awareness while simultaneously fostering the development of consumer brands.

Lastly, I would invite Emma because I can always depend on her for a good laugh and interesting conversation. Emma was my first friend, and we grew up carpooling to school for 10 years. Thus, I know we would not only be compatible travel companions, but that Emma would also be the glue binding our group together. Emma is a great conversationalist and has an extensive network of friends and acquaintances resulting from her many travels and large extended family. Consequently, she would be an asset to our trip as she would arrange for us to meet her contacts along the way, ensuring we would get a local perspective at each stop. Additionally, Emma has always been passionate about giving back and would share her experiences and continued commitment to socially responsible causes. She spent three months volunteering at a Tanzanian orphanage and also participated in a TOMS Shoe drop in Argentina. Having her field perspective as a volunteer would enrich our discussions on corporate sustainability and social responsibility practices.

I believe Aaron, Blake and Emma will be great company through those long stretches of highway as I learn from their experiences through our lively discussions. Aaron and Blake will provide me with meaningful insights for my future career by showing me the importance of thinking ahead of the curve, not compromising what you believe in, and that persistence and hard work can turn your mission into reality. In addition, I will learn how to build businesses, create unique sales and marketing strategies, and develop strong and lasting customer relationships. Finally, I will learn from Emma how to always be optimistic and handle life’s challenges positively.