As I consider these successes though, I am forced to consider some areas of weakness which have become more evident to me. In doing so, I would also note that many of these are areas in which I anticipate achieving improvement through Aston's course program, content and general induction into a positive learning environment and metropolitan community. To this point, I am caused to consider the course description for the Strategic Management module, which promises to instruct MBA participants such that the "course develops your strategic awareness and strategy skills, making you critically aware of the factors that contribute to successful business strategies - in the context of global economic and political forces, and new information technology." Again, the incorporation of specific areas of study with relevance to the changing frontier in modern business is of interest here. However, the focus for me concerns strategic awareness and 'the factors that contribute to successful business strategies.' I anticipate that having such skills will help to give me pause and positive reflection when I encounter some of my own personal roadblocks.

Among them, I have already noted that my desire to succeed causes me to work almost to a fault in some contexts. To the point, I am extremely competitive and while I do like to be a good sport, as it were, I sorely dislike losing. Therefore, though I always find time to reflect and learn from my mistakes, I can be very aggressive in the pursuit of my immediate goals. I anticipate that with the educational maturation which I will achieve at Aston, I will learn how to channel these instincts positively so as not to alienate or attempt to best those business associates and fellow team members whom I must regard as my allies.

The instinct to always achieve victory, to ascend to recognition and to better my own personal high marks can strike others as egoistic, especially when this occurs in the organizational setting. Therefore, it seems only appropriate that a greater grasp on both organizational psychology and the strategic management theories here explored would provide me with a greater insight on how to funnel this intensity into greater organizational commitment. Of course, I also believe that at least within the reason provided by business ethics -- another Aston core module area where study is of value to all future business leaders -- a certain degree of ruthlessness is necessary in order to survive in a tough business world. The Aston MBA program holds the promise that I can sharpen these instincts so that they are of use to achieving organizational goals rather than simply serving as a demonstration of my emotional investment in effectively achieving these goals.

Another area of deficiency that I expect I will spend some effort undoing is that concerning my patience. As with many competitive,...

As a result of these generally positive ambitions, I can sometimes be extremely impatient. When I, for instance, am not in a position to complete an assigned task according to the deadline either through the intervention of others, through the occurrence of unpreventable external incidence or through my own cause, I can become very frustrated. I must often work hard to restrain the instinct to lose patience, and to keep matters in perspective.
Indeed, one of the consequences of this disposition is that, in the face of a time crunch, I work with a determination and tenacity that prevents me from taking proper breaks, from pacing my work and from perhaps stopping to think about the most optimal ways to do things. When working within the context of an organization, where others are directly impacted by my behaviours, it is certainly not an option to work myself to the point of diminishing my own skills, judgments and capabilities. Therefore, with the insights provided by the strategic management courses offered at Aston, I anticipate gaining the refinement of theoretical knowledge to rethink this instinct toward lost patience. I expect that I will develop outlets through which my intensity can be of far greater use to a team or organization.

A final weakness that I am particularly keen on addressing is that relating to public speaking. This is an area where I have always been capable of holding my own. However, if front of large groups, I must contend with a nervousness that I find limits my excellence in this area. As I am possessed of the self-confidence addressed throughout this account, I know that this is an issue which I can conquer fully. I expect that the Leadership Development module will be instructive in this area, primarily as it course activities related thereto will place me in a position where communication with large groups will often be necessary. The experience and practice alone should be sufficient to help me overcome this adrenaline instinct.

In a large part, I would make the argument that most of my weakness actually have the potential to be catalogued along with the strengths that make me such a well-suited candidate for the scholarship in question. Indeed, with acceptance to the scholarship program, I could place myself directly on a path toward improving those areas where I am already strong and toward addressing those areas where I have lacked strength in the past. Just as I am now ideally suited for the Aston MBA program based on an existing set of skills, I believe that participation in the full program will render me ideally suited for success in the greater world of business thereafter. I thank you so much for your consideration.