My chosen activity to answer Question I as part of my application to the IE International MBA program

1. Show us an activity you enjoy doing. Tell us how you think it
contributes to your personal and professional development.
Express Yourself:Selected Question

2. | Football:The Beautiful Game |

3. I love playing, watching, reading or talking about Football. An activity
that is a universal language, it unites people all over the world,
something I found to be true when I first moved to England
Some of the first new friends I made were met having a kick-about on
the university pitches or watching the premier league in the common
room
The camaraderie, the competition & the excitement are all reasons I
love to be involved in the sport, but there are many benefits to be had
through involvement in this activity

4. | Teamwork |

5. Football is first and foremost a TEAM
sport, and is a great microcosm of
what working alongside different
colleagues (both teams) to deliver for
a client (crowd) in an office is like
I’ve played 2 games a week for over 10 years with different people for
recreation and local competition
Doing this, I have developed an understanding of the importance of
communicating efficiently, working together with a clear plan and
playing to your strengths (while addressing any areas for improvement)
All the above directly translate off the pitch and into the work
environment

6. | Leadership&Inspiration |

7. The outcome of any match is also highly dependent upon how well a
team is LEAD
The leader isn’t always the captain. He or she is a source of inspiration
for team-mates. That could be by
Scoring vital goals | Achieving stretch targets
Last ditch tackles | Rescuing a sinking project
Or simply working harder and harrying the opponents to deny them any
opportunity to win
I always try my best to be that kind of person on the field & feel this
translates into my professional life, where just as in football, I am seen
as dependable and someone you turn to for help

8. | Networking |

9. Football is also a great opportunity to NETWORK and connect with
different people, some of whom who you might not meet in normal
circumstances
You make a great bunch of friends who you meet regularly and socialise
with in personal time, an aspect of this activity I really enjoy
Additionally, these connections can prove to be invaluable in
professional life too
There are a few Jaguar Land Rover employees playing for some of the
teams in the league and I frequently utilise this network to get tasks
done quicker & with less hassle, reciprocating when asked

10. | MakingGreatDecisions |

11. Football also helps develop important life skills:
Decision making
Bravery in pressure situations
To call for a change in tactics while watching a match on TV and then see
the team’s manager do the very same is a satisfying vindication of my
skills in analysis
There are very few experiences more nerve racking than taking a
decisive penalty with all around watching on expectantly. If you can
keep your head when under such strain, few other situations will cause
much discomfort

12. | Extra-curricular Fun & Fitness |

13. A huge part of why I enjoy Football is the FUN and FITNESS factor
associated with the sport.
Whether this be playing matches, kicking back and watching the
matches on TV, or even post-match discussions about controversial
decisions & who did what – They are all enjoyable experiences.
I find going for jogs to be tedious and a high cardio sport
like football is a great substitute for this
Healthy body equals healthy mind & the confidence obtained from this
can be of immense importance
An iota of narcissism can do wonder and flows into every aspect of my
personal & professional life

14. | Success&Failure |

15. Football is about Winning & Losing
In experiencing either, you grow & learn more about yourself
Winning brings joy & teaches you to celebrate success
But also brings focus for the next match and
the larger picture
No space for Complacency
Losing is particularly hard but you learn to get back up from failure
How to deal with disappointments & learning from mistakes to get back
to winning ways

16. | SUMMARY|
PERSONAL
Fun
Fitness
Social
Dealing with Pressure
PROFESSIONAL
Leadership
Teamwork
Network
Decision Making
Communication

17. PRACTISE
does
make
PERFECT
In Football, as in most cases of Personal & Professional life :