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Leadership Portrait Assignment

Name: Frank Huang

Student ID: 007977144

Executive Summary

In this Leadership Portrait Assignment, I embarked on a journey to assess and understand

my strengths as a leader, compare them to insights provided by individuals from all
aspects of my life, and identify the enabling conditions that have shaped my leadership
development, and develop a personal action plan for continued growth:

 Strengths: Based on reflection and feedback from various groups, my leadership

strengths include the effective problem solver and empathetic team collaborator.
Effective problem solver means being able to dissect complex challenges, design
innovative solutions, and solve unexpected problems. Stories shared by
colleagues and friends validate my ability to solve complex problems and develop
creative solutions in both professional and personal settings. And the power of
empathetic teamwork is rooted in cultivating inclusive and supportive team
dynamics. Narratives provided by people who know me highlight my ability to
understand the emotions and concerns of team members, contributing to cohesive
teamwork and positive outcomes.
 Comparison: This exercise has reaffirmed the alignment between my self-
appraisal and external perspectives, validating the authenticity of my self-
perceived strengths. It has also provided nuanced insights. While my self-
assessment anticipated collaboration as a strength, the stories unveiled the depth
of my empathetic team collaboration and its profound impact on team dynamics.
Moreover, effective problem-solving skills have been acknowledged more
extensively than expected, shedding light on how these strengths can be further
leveraged for leadership impact.
 Enabling Conditions: Enabling conditions played a significant role in shaping my
leadership journey. My educational background, EY professional experience,
support from colleagues and family, and personal experiences have combined to
develop and refine my leadership skills. These conditions created an environment
where I could thrive as a leader.
 Personal Action Plan: With a deeper understanding of my leadership strengths and
the insights of others, I develop a personal action plan. The program includes
ongoing self-improvement with a focus on strengthening my leadership skills in
areas. Additionally, I am committed to mentoring and supporting emerging
leaders in my network in return for the guidance and encouragement I receive.
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Leadership Strength Summary

Leadership Strength 1: Effective Problem Solver

Definition: Being an effective problem solver requires the ability to analyze complex
situations, identify challenges, and develop innovative solutions that lead to positive
outcomes. This strength goes beyond solving routine problems and instead delves into
solving unique or unexpected problems with creativity and resourcefulness.
In my stories: This power of effective problem solving comes from multiple stories and
examples from my professional experience. For example, on a particularly challenging
audit engagement at Ernst & Young, my team encountered unexpected financial
discrepancies. Using my analytical skills, I carefully reviewed financial records,
identified the root cause, and developed a comprehensive corrective plan. This proactive
approach not only solves the immediate problem but also prevents future disparities.
Likewise, in a personal context, when a close friend is faced with a complex life decision,
I provide guidance by breaking down the situation, offering multiple perspectives, and
assisting in finding a solution that is consistent with their values.

Leadership Strength 2: Empathic Team Player

Definition: An empathetic team player is someone who creates a supportive and inclusive
team environment by understanding the feelings, needs, and concerns of team members.
Such strengths include active listening, providing emotional support, and promoting
cohesion within the team.
In my stories: In the story of my professional and personal life, the power of being an
empathetic team player is evident. In a work environment, during a high-pressure audit
project, I realized that team members were feeling overwhelmed. I proactively listen to
their concerns, offer support, and encourage open communication. This created a more
comfortable and collaborative atmosphere, which ultimately led to the success of the
project. In a personal story, I was involved in a community service project where I
facilitated teamwork among diverse individuals. By understanding their unique
perspectives and challenges, I create a harmonious and productive team that achieves
goals while maintaining strong relationships.

The two leadership strengths of effective problem solving and empathetic teamwork are
not only precise, but deeply rooted in the stories and examples I collected. They reflect
my ability to handle complex challenges and support others in professional and personal
settings.
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Comparison

When comparing my self-assessment to insights gleaned from stories and experiences,

several important findings revealed my self-understanding. One notable aspect is the
consistency between my self-evaluation and external perspectives. Stories and examples
shared by colleagues, friends, and family confirmed my self-perceived strengths,
including effective problem solving and empathetic teamwork. This consistency enhances
the authenticity of my self-assessment.
However, the exercise also revealed subtle nuances and surprises. For example, while I
hope my self-assessment reflects my collaborative nature, these stories highlight the
depth of my empathetic teamwork. These stories highlight how my ability to understand
the feelings and concerns of my team members translates into tangible impact on
teamwork and results, an aspect that I am not yet fully aware of. Additionally, these
stories reveal the extent to which my ability to effectively problem-solve was recognized
and appreciated in different situations. This external validation gave me a deeper
understanding of my leadership strengths.
Interestingly, while I expected feedback on my strong communication skills, the focus
was more on my ability to create a supportive and inclusive team environment. This
prompted me to consider how I could further leverage these strengths to have a greater
leadership impact.

Conditions

In order to maximize the impact of the strengths I have identified, specific conditions and
circumstances need to be in place. Effective problem solving thrives in dynamic and
complex organizational environments, especially when dealing with unexpected
challenges or uncertainty. These advantages are most apparent when working on
unconventional projects that require innovative solutions. An organizational environment
that encourages creative problem solving and values individual initiative is ideal for me
to take full advantage of this strength.
Empathetic teamwork is most effective in environments where teamwork and
collaboration are critical. Organizations that value psychological safety and open
communication create the best conditions for this power to unfold. Resources and
support, such as coaching and training in emotional intelligence, can further enhance my
ability to build trusting, long-term relationships within my team.
In summary, conditions for achieving optimal leadership impact based on my strengths
include a dynamic and complex organizational environment for effective problem solving
and a psychologically safe and collaborative environment for empathetic teamwork.
Supporting in the form of coaching and emotional intelligence training can be extremely
valuable in further building on these strengths.
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Personal Development Plan

Strength 1: Effective Problem Solver:

 Seek Challenging Projects: I will actively seek out and volunteer for challenging
projects or work assignments that require innovative solutions. By proactively
positioning myself in dynamic and complex tasks, I can continually exercise and
refine my problem-solving skills.
 Advanced Problems Solving Training: I will attend an advanced problems solving
course or workshop within the next 18 months to further refine and expand my
problems solving skills. This will expose me to a variety of problem-solving
approaches and real-world case studies, thereby enhancing my ability to tackle
complex challenges.
Strength 2: Empathetic Team Collaborator:
 Emotional Intelligence Training: I should invest in an emotional intelligence
training program, workshop, or self-help resource to enhance my understanding of
human emotions and interpersonal dynamics. This will help me connect with my
team members on a deeper level.
 Promote Psychological Safety: I am going to actively work to create a
psychologically safe environment within my team or organization. Encouraging
open and honest communication and accepting team members’ concerns will
foster trust and collaboration.
 Mentor Emerging Leaders: I ought to provide guidance and support to emerging
leaders in my network. Sharing my insights into empathetic teamwork could help
others develop this strength while strengthening and refining my own skills.

By focusing on these specific and actionable steps, I aim to invest in and develop my
strengths in effective problem solving and empathetic teamwork. These steps are directly
related to the identified strengths and will provide me with the necessary exposure and
experience to maximize their impact in a variety of organizational settings.
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Managing Weaknesses

Through feedback from others, I believe one of my weaknesses is being too focused on
details, sometimes at the expense of the broader strategic vision. I may become focused
on the details of a project, which may slow down decision-making and cause me to lose
sight of the larger goal.
To compensate for this weakness, I can use my strengths:
Effective Problem Solver: I can use my problem-solving skills to develop effective
systems and processes to manage details. By creating a structured problem-solving
framework, I can ensure important details are addressed while maintaining a clear view
of strategic goals.
Empathetic Team Collaborator: I can seek input and feedback from team members and
colleagues who are skilled in strategic thinking. Working with someone with a broader
perspective complements my detail-oriented approach and helps me balance my focus.
By actively incorporating these strategies, I can compensate for my tendency to dwell too
much on details and ensure that my strengths contribute to more effective decision-
making.

Career Path

My career path, including an audit background and a finance and accounting track,
provided a strong foundation to fully leverage my leadership strengths. In these roles, the
ability to solve complex problems and facilitate effective teamwork is critical.
In the medium to long term, I envision positioning myself in a role where I can leverage
these strengths to have the greatest impact. This may involve looking for project
management, financial analysis or even leadership positions, where a combination of
problem-solving skills and teamwork can drive organizational success.
To prepare for these long-term career decisions, my short-term action plan will be
helpful. Investing in advanced problem-solving training and emotional intelligence
development will enhance my capabilities and provide a solid foundation for career
advancement. In addition, my mentorship focuses on strengthening my own skills and
supporting emerging leaders will expand my professional network and open doors to
roles that align with my strengths.
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APPENDIX: STORIES

Story 1 from my former colleague, Julie Zhou:

In this story, a significant financial discrepancy was encountered during an audit
engagement with EY. I proactively and meticulously reviewed financial records to
identify root causes and developed comprehensive corrective plans. This proactive
approach resolved issues and prevents future discrepancies. This experience left a deep
impression on my colleague.
Story 2 from a community committee member, Aunt Zhang:
In a community service project, I facilitated teamwork among diverse individuals. By
understanding their unique perspectives and challenges, I created a harmonious and
productive team that achieved goals while maintaining strong relationships. Although
Aunt Zhang gave me a lot of help, she was very impressed with my performance.
Story 3 from a junior high school classmate, Box Zhang:
In a personal context, this close friend and classmate of mine was faced with a complex
life decision. I did this by breaking down situations, providing multiple perspectives, and
assisting in finding solutions that align with his values. He was grateful for that.
Story 4 from my subordinate, Phoebe Wang:
This story revolves around my coaching of an emerging leader who had just been
promoted. By sharing my insights and experiences related to working with empathetic
teams, I aimed to provide support to emerging leaders while refining my own skills in
this area.
Story 5 from my parents:
My tragic childhood made my parents feel guilty for me. But my kind and compassionate
qualities made my parents grateful for me. This may also be the reason for my leadership
strengths.
Story 6 from my childhood playmate, Ruochen Wang:
Even though I cannot remember, I had a serious conflict with a childhood friend. He did
terrible things to me, but I still forgave him a few months later. He was impressed by my
tolerance and generosity.
Story 7 from my previous manager, Stephanie Zhang:
My previous manager is very impressed with my performance working for him. She
thinks that I am team-minded, hard-working, honest and kind, and have the ability to
solve problems. But she also pointed out that I sometimes pay too much attention to
details or other things that are not work-related, resulting in inefficiency.
Story 8 from my current MBA classmate, Keling Liu:
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Story 9 from my grandparents:

I grew up with my grandparents. They often recalled my childhood days. In their
impression, I was a loyal, honest, diligent, compassionate and kind child. They also
thought that I would have the same qualities as a child when I grow up.
Story 10 from an international colleague, Jack:
In a cross-cultural setting, I participated in a collaborative project with international
colleagues. I successfully navigated cultural differences, fostering a harmonious work
environment and ensuring the project’s success. This experience demonstrated my
adaptability and interpersonal skills.
Story 11 from a previous client, Mr. Lu:
During my time at EY, I managed a challenging client relationship. By actively listening
to the client's concerns, building trust, and demonstrating a deep understanding of their
needs, I transformed a strained partnership into a productive and long-lasting business
relationship. The client was impressed by our previous interactions, and he expressed a
favorable opinion of me.
Story 12 from a church member:
A church member and I once attended a church activity, and our team participated in a
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challenging missionary task. By demonstrating empathy and communicating effectively, I

created a cohesive environment that led to ultimate success and positively influenced a
fellow seeker.