Stanford University – Stanford Graduate School of Business
Full-time MBA program – LOR Prompts
Stories about your behaviors, impact, and personal qualities told by others play an essential role in our evaluation of your application. Your letters of reference should provide specific examples and anecdotes that illustrate your ability and desire to make a difference in the world.
Two letters of reference:
- One reference from your current direct supervisor (or next best alternative) at work.
- Your choice of either one additional supervisor reference or one peer reference. The strongest references typically come from your workplace. You may select a reference from your professional, community, or extracurricular experiences.
Prompts
- How does the applicant’s performance compare to that of other well-qualified individuals in similar roles? Please provide specific examples. (E.g. what are the applicant’s principal strengths?) Up to 500 words
- Describe the most important piece of constructive feedback you have given the applicant. Please detail the circumstances and the applicant’s response. Up to 500 words
- (Optional) Is there anything else we should know? Please be concise.
In addition to your qualitative responses, referees will be asked to assess some of the candidate’s character traits and competencies that contribute to successful leadership.
| Skill/ Quality | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | No basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results Orientation | Fulfills assigned tasks | Overcomes obstacles to achieve goals | Exceeds goals and raises effectiveness of organization | Introduces incremental improvements to enhance business performance using robust analysis | Invents and delivers best-in-class standards and performance | |
| Strategic Orientation | Understands immediate issues of work or analysis | Identifies opportunities for improvement within area of responsibility | Develops insights or recommendations that have improved business performance | Develops insights or recommendations that have shaped team or department strategy | Implements a successful strategy that challenges other parts of the company or other players in the industry | |
| Team Leadership | Avoids leadership responsibilities; does not provide direction to team | Assigns tasks to team members | Solicits ideas and perspectives from the team; holds members accountable | Actively engages the team to develop plans and resolve issues through collaboration; shows how work fits in with what others are doing | Recruits others into duties or roles based on insight into individual abilities; rewards those who exceed expectations | |
| Influence and Collaboration | Accepts input from others | Engages others in problem solving | Generates support from others for ideas and initiatives | Brings others together across boundaries to achieve results and share best practices | Builds enduring partnerships within and outside of organization to improve effectiveness, even at shortterm personal cost | |
| Communicating | Sometimes rambles or is occasionally unfocused | Is generally to the point and organized | Presents views clearly and in a wellstructured manner | Presents views clearly and demonstrates understanding of the response of others | Presents views clearly; solicits opinions and concerns; discusses them openly | |
| Information Seeking | Asks direct questions about problem at hand to those individuals immediately available | Personally investigates problems by going directly to sources of information | Asks a series of probing questions to get at the root of a situation or a problem | Does research by making a systematic effort over a limited period of time to obtain needed data or feedback | Involves others who would not normally be involved including experts or outside organizations; may get them to seek out information | |
| Developing Others | Focuses primarily on own abilities | Points out mistakes to support the development of others | Gives specific positive and negative behavioral feedback to support the development of others | Gives specific positive and negative behavioral feedback and provides unfailing support | Inspires and motivates others to develop by providing feedback and identifying new growth opportunities as well as supporting their efforts to change | |
| Change Leadership | Accepts status quo; does not see the need for change | Challenges status quo and identifies what needs to change | Defines positive direction for change and persuades others to support it | Promotes change and mobilizes individuals to change behavior | Builds coalition of supporters and coordinates change across multiple individuals; may create champions who will mobilize others to change | |
| Respect for Others | Is sometimes selfabsorbed or overly self-interested | Generally treats others with respect; usually shares praise and credit | Is humble and respectful to all | Is respectful to all and generous with praise; ensures other opinions are heard | Uses understanding of others and self to resolve conflicts and foster mutual respect | |
| Trustworthiness | Shows occasional lapses in trustworthy behavior | Generally acts consistently with stated intentions | Acts consistently with stated intentions even in difficult circumstances | Is reliable and authentic even at some personal cost; acts as a role model for the values of the organization | Is reliable and authentic even at some personal cost; works to ensure all members of the organization operate with integrity |
Based on your professional experience, how do you rate this candidate compared to her/his peer group?
Overall, I
this candidate to Stanford.
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