@kriti87: What's the space/word limit?
Do you know and/or admire any leaders? Make a list. What field/industry/genre do they belong to?
Step 1: Unpack the question.
Discuss how and why a global event that occurred in the past two years has influenced or impacted the way you think about leadership.
They're trying to get a sense of whether or not you're up to date with global events and to gauge the depth of your analysis.
This is a tricky question because oftentimes people are oblivious and/or apathetic to developments taking place in the world. You want
Step 2: Research
You need to look up some of the major events that have taken place within the last ~2 years. A lot of people are going to focus on the 'Arab Uprising' and on the 'Sovereign debt crisis' that is engulfing Europe. See if you can find a topic that hasn't received as much media coverage but has, at the same time, had significant impact on global economic/business/political/policy trends.
Step 3: Look onto what decisive players have to say. Quoting their ideas shows that you've done your homework.
Step 4: Write. Don't worry (too much) about spatial or aesthetic constraints at this stage.
Step 5: Work within the limits and refine your draft to answer the question.
Major points that should be reflected through your essay:
A. The global event. Don't expand on this. Mention it and write about what/why you think about it and how it has created a need for an innovative way to think about the larger issues surrounding it.
B. What you think/how you feel about the issue. Remember, you have to express your thoughts in a manner that is connected to the question at hand.
C. Leadership. What does leadership mean to you?What are (some of ) the contentious ideas about leadership?
D. What would you do?
You could tackle a company issue (e.g. Olympus), a political issue (e.g. Burma/Myanmar), an economic issue (e.g. China's statements on why they should not 'bail out' the EU), or another issue that resonates with you.
They're asking you not only about your global issues knowledge, but also about your level of introspection. Don't plagiarize from news/analysis articles; think about the issue and formulate your own ideas. Keep it concise and effective.
Hope this helps.
