| Only about 10% of all applicants get accepted to | | | | But, Harvard Business School did - through his |
| Harvard Business School. And until recently all but the | | | | application. They probably thought, "How many |
| top 20% of those accepted got in without an | | | | people in the world could have done that? And this |
| interview. | | | | applicant did it when he was 22. |
| However, this average guy with a very average | | | | This applicant told them exactly what he did next. He |
| background got in, and got in without an interview. | | | | told them how later in his life he lived in the inner city |
| It's a story about how a former UPS package handler | | | | of Chicago while working for a well-known company. |
| with mediocre grades and an average background | | | | He shared how as a tall "white" guy he mentored |
| used to get into Harvard Business School...shocking his | | | | dozens of African-American teenagers that lived on |
| friends in the process. | | | | his block. |
| This applicant did not go to an Ivy League school. He | | | | He talked about how he was a role model, a leader |
| did not work for a major investment bank. He did | | | | really, that helped the kids on his block steer their |
| not work for a major consulting firm. | | | | lives away from drugs and violence. He showed |
| He had a 2.9 GPA when he attended Idaho State | | | | Harvard Business School how he did all this even |
| University and started off his career as a $8/hour | | | | after working all day at his "day job". |
| UPS package handler. Just an average guy by most | | | | He discussed what happened to the neighborhood |
| definitions. | | | | kids when he moved out of Chicago. These |
| At the time, this applicant was not very familiar with | | | | teenagers had become leaders themselves. These |
| Harvard Business School. | | | | teenagers took over where this person left off... by |
| Yet, by sheer dumb luck he ended up following the | | | | getting their friends to stay away from drugs and |
| same proven principles and strategies used by | | | | violence. |
| hundreds of other successful Harvard Business School | | | | This applicant demonstrated his success in one of the |
| applicants... | | | | toughest leadership challenges -- creating leaders. |
| One of the fundamental flaws this applicant made | | | | This applicant showed Harvard Business School how |
| early on was he focused on his weaknesses - instead | | | | he was a leader, how he is a leader, and how he will |
| of his strengths. Like all of us, he had some | | | | continue to be a leader. He showed Harvard Business |
| self-doubt. He kept thinking to himself, "Maybe I'm | | | | School how he had a great leadership trajectory - |
| not Harvard Business School material ." | | | | the key to getting into Harvard Business School. |
| Fortunately, he shifted his mindset away from why | | | | Harvard Business School saw in his application |
| he didn't belong at Harvard Business School... and | | | | someone who was going to be a leader in whatever |
| focused on why he did ... and more importantly he | | | | he did in his life. Despite his weaknesses, they saw |
| communicated this in his application. | | | | his potential... his trajectory... and they wanted him as |
| So instead of getting hung up on the fact that he | | | | an alumnus. |
| started his career as a UPS package handler, he | | | | How badly did they want him? |
| talked about how within months he ended up leading | | | | He got in without an interview. In his year, Harvard |
| a team of 50 package handlers. | | | | Business School accepted around 10% of all |
| He explained how the 50 people he inherited were | | | | applicants and interviewed all but the top 20% of |
| constantly bickering and fighting amongst each other. | | | | those admitted. He was in the top 2% of all |
| He discussed how he figured out the cause of the | | | | applicants. |
| real problem, what he thought to himself at the time, | | | | Pretty impressive for someone who was just a "UPS |
| and what he did about it. | | | | Guy" and didn't think he was Harvard Business School |
| Finally, he talked about the results he achieved... how | | | | material. |
| within 90 days it was one of the best running teams | | | | The moral of the story? The best way to convince |
| in the sorting facility. He did all this when he was only | | | | people (Harvard evaluators are people, too, you |
| 22 years old. | | | | know) of your leadership potential is knowing how to |
| To his friends at the time, he was the "UPS Guy." | | | | write all the little leadership experiences you have had |
| They would have never suspected he would be | | | | when you were still a student, a fresh graduate, a |
| Harvard Business School material because they could | | | | rookie employee, a junior executive, and so on.. |
| not hear what was going on in this leader's head. | | | | |