Optional Information entry - MIT Sloan R2 2017

1. Illustrations by Anirudh Bajaj
This is me.
As you review my candidacy, I wish to share the story
of how I have grown as a person over the years and
how I have come to be the person I am today

2. My greatest childhood inspiration was
my grandfather, a modest mining
engineer who rose to the top of Coal
India Ltd., the largest coal producer in
India
His management practices turned
around the loss-making business and
hurtled the surrounding villages into
economic and environmental prosperity
His example first sparked my interest
in the energy industry and filled me
with a belief that I could make the
world a better place if I worked
passionately towards solving a single
issue

3. As a dreamer with an active imagination
and a knack for solving brainteasers, I
spent my time coming up with my own
solutions of world issues
For example I’d wonder, “Why do we need
to burn gas? Why can’t we somehow
compress our waste along with plant
matter and burn that to run our vehicles?”
This natural curiosity pushed me towards a
degree in engineering, and I decided to
work in the field of energy to reduce our
energy-deficit.

4. As a shy introvert consumed in my own
thoughts, I often avoided social
interaction in my childhood
Soon I noticed it was very challenging
for me to express my thoughts and
opinions in front of others, or
understand what they were interested in
I realized that I would be unable to
implement my grand plans alone, and
that I need to communicate better to
align others with my vision

5. However it was my experience in
theatre in college that really
helped me improve my
communication and social skills
Amidst my performances in front of
large groups, I gained the confidence to
express myself better even under
pressure
As an actor, I became more
conscious of my feelings and
simultaneously more perceptive to
other’s emotions
I tried several methods communicate
my thoughts and ideas in a way that
people would appreciate – through
art, music and writing

6. As I joined Schlumberger to
understand the workings of the energy
industry, I worked with a diverse set of
people with different ethnicities and
age groups in remote locations
Some older co-workers were
especially difficult to work with, and
later supervise, as they believed I was
not qualified to lead them since I had
not faced the hardships they had

7. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING
OVERTIME FOR SEVERAL DAYS
NOW! THE CLIENT ASKS US TO
WORK AT NIGHT AND OUR
SUPERVISOR ALWAYS AGREED
WITH HIM.. I AM SO TIRED!
I UNDERSTAND .. I WILL
SEE WHAT I CAN DO
I leaned on my experience in
theatre to empathize with my crew
and understand their viewpoint
Soon they started trusting me to
communicate their issues and
concerns with our clients and
upper management

8. As I developed my ability to understand
others, I was slowly able to influence them and
motivate them by giving them what they really
wanted
YOU KNOW OUR CREW IS
DEMOTIVATED RIGHT?
THEY ARE WORKING
OVERTIME EVERYDAY
ON SOME DAYS THE CLIENT
HAS SOME VERY
IMPORTANT WORK AT
NIGHT.. SINCE WE HAVE
ONLY ONE TEAM, WE HAVE
TO ADJUST. I DON’T KNOW
HOW TO SAY NO TO HIM!
I used my natural analytical ability and improved
communication skills to provide creative solutions
and solve my crew’s and client’s problems. I
discovered I was effective at resolving conflicts as I
found solutions to satisfy both parties
SIR, OUR CREW IS FATIGUED DUE TO
WORKING OVERTIME CONTINUOSLY.
I HAVE A SUGGESTION- HOW ABOUT WE
SPLIT THE CREW IN HALF ON THE DAYS
YOU REQUIRE EXTRA WORK, SO EACH
HALF WILL BE WELL RESTED AND MORE
PRODUCTIVE?
NOT A BAD IDEA
ANIRUDH! I HAVE NO
ISSUES WITH THIS PLAN

9. Having come a long way from my
introverted tendencies as a child, I was
immensely satisfied to have developed
a sense of camaraderie with my crew
Moreover my success resolving problems
working in teams boosted both my own
and my management’s confidence in my
leadership ability. I was now able to
confidently express the ideas I had
For example, I suggested plans for a new
base for an upcoming project in Barmer,
Rajasthan in 2015. Management was
impressed with my enthusiasm
They made me the Engineer-in-Charge for
this project, and I was selected as the team
leader to set up the new Barmer base, 1 of
only 4 bases for Schlumberger in India

10. I wish to continue using my creative problem-
solving abilities to help my clients overcome
their issues by working in teams in a top
management consulting company
I believe the world is at the brink of an energy
revolution, and there is a multinational effort to shift
the global energy system away from fossil fuels. I
hope to one day use my breadth of knowledge and
expertise to guide companies and governments
making high-level strategy decisions in this exciting
period of time, and hopefully play a role in facilitating
the transition to clean sources of energy
I believe MIT Sloan, with its analytical, team-based
culture, will provide me the perfect platform to realize
my vision. The closeness to the scientific community at
MIT campus is an added bonus, as it will keep me in
touch with the latest technological developments in my
chosen sector