Discuss a situation, preferably work related, where you have taken a significant leadership role. How does this event demonstrate your managerial potential?

In my current job as a field engineer I have become accustomed to pressure, but more importantly I have learned the effects of calm confidence under fire, a skill essential to a manager. Two years ago, I was a 23 year old with little knowledge of Portuguese in charge of explosive operations in Brazil and facing a scenario beyond my control. Not only was I the youngest person at a remote wellsite, but I was also managing people decades older who spoke no English. My first time at the wellsite without an experienced engineer beside me, I was confronted with a technician who was not following safety guidelines--guidelines that, if broken, could cause explosives to detonate, leaving ten families without fathers. When I protested, the technician scowled. I was dealing with extremely sleep-deprived workers who wanted nothing but to go home. Despite the fact that finding the source of the problem could take hours, I could not compromise my standards. I drew up scenarios and explained the potential outcomes and then communicated how to solve the problem systematically. Finally, we began eliminating factors until the problem was corrected, and it was safe to proceed. Following the operation we were exhausted, but we were returning home safely.

This story demonstrates my strength in dealing with high-pressure situations in a calm and logical manner. I have been trained to be firm in the face of team opposition, and I’m not afraid to be unpopular if it means doing the right thing. Moreover, this incident reveals my attitude toward leadership. I lead by example--never compromising my personal beliefs, no matter the circumstance.