How do you measure success in your career?
"At this stage in my career, I measure success in three main ways. First, I measure my ability to lead my teams to create and deliver products successfully. I focus on making sure we are building the right products in the right ways. I know I am successful in this area when we meet our delivery schedule, when our sales goals are met, and when our time spent addressing support requests is low. I set aggressive goals in these areas for my teams and we have a consistent track record of meeting or exceeding them.
Second, I measure success by the impact I am able to have on the lives of those I lead. It is important to me to ensure they feel supported and challenged. It is important that I help them to grow professionally and meet their own goals. The eNPS scores for my teams are consistently high and we have the lowest turnover rate in the region.
Third, I measure success by my ability to grow. I have advanced consistently, but I have also had the opportunity to work within a variety of departments and roles. Additionally, I invest regularly in my education and I have several notable certifications. I view obtaining my MBA as a healthy next step to further my success in all three of these areas."
This question helps your interviewer get to know you better professionally. The interviewers at Stanford are invested in identifying candidates who are likely to get the most out of the programs offered. Understanding your perspective on professional success helps them ensure the time you spend working toward your MBA will contribute directly to a beneficial experience.
Let your interviewer know you are able to measure success in more than one way. For example, you might describe how you measure success as a leader and how you measure success in relation to business goals. Also, be sure to describe an aspect of measurement that can be applied directly to the work you will do at Stanford if selected.
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