Georgia Terry MBA Recommendation Questions

The University of Georgia Terry College of Business full-time MBA program application for the fall 2026 intake is now open, so you and your referees can find the Georgia Terry MBA recommendation questions here.

Georgia Terry requires two recommendations. The Admissions Committee prefers that one recommendation be from a direct supervisor, but this is not a requirement. It is advised to choose individuals who can speak directly and specifically to your professional performance and future potential, someone who knows you from a leadership role. Georgia Terry accepts the Common Letter of Recommendation (LOR).

2025-2026 Georgia Terry MBA Recommendation Questions

Section 1: Recommender Information

Context of Relationship:

• Current Employer
• Previous Employer
• University/Academic
• Extra Curricular/Community
• Other

Relationship to applicant:

• Direct Supervisor
• Other Supervisor
• Advisor/Mentor
• Colleague/Peer
• Direct Report
• Indirect Report
• Client/Customer
• Business Partner/Investor
• Vendor
• Professor/Instructor
• Other

How long have you known the applicant?

During which period of time have you had the most frequent contact with the applicant?

If you are affiliated with the Terry College of Business or University of Georgia, please select the option that most closely matches:

• Faculty
• UCLA Anderson Graduate
• UCLA Graduate
• Staff
• Not affiliated
• Other

Section 2: Competency Ratings

In this section, you will find 16 competencies and character traits that contribute to successful leadership. The competencies and character traits are grouped into five categories:

• Achievement
• Influence
• People
• Personal Qualities
• Cognitive Abilities

For each competency, please select the one button that corresponds to the behavior that you have seen the applicant most consistently exhibit. We acknowledge that all applicants have both areas of strength and areas of development. Your candid and honest appraisal will assist in evaluation of the applicant.  Please assume that each level builds upon behaviors of the previous level.

Achievement

1. Initiative: Acts ahead of need/anticipates problems

• No basis for judgment
• Reluctant to take on new tasks; waits to be told what to do; defers to others
• Willing to step in and take charge when required to do so
• Takes charge spontaneously when problem needs attention
• Volunteers for new work challenges; proactively puts in extra effort to accomplish critical or difficult tasks
• Proactively seeks high-impact projects; steps up to challenges even when things are not going well

2. Results Orientation: Focuses on and drives toward delivering on goals, objectives, and performance improvement

• No basis for judgment
• Focuses on fulfilling activities at hand; unsure how work relates to goals
• Takes actions to overcome obstacles to achieve goals
• Independently acts to exceed goals and plans for contingencies
• Documents activities and outcomes to learn from past; introduces incremental improvements to raise the effectiveness of team
• Invents new approaches with measurably better results; works to deliver best-in-class performance improvements

Influence

3. Communication: Delivers messages and ideas in a way that they can be easily heard and accepted and can engage an audience; uses listening and other attending behaviors to create a shared understanding of topic

• No basis for judgment
• Gets point across; responds to explicit concerns when asked
• Stays on topic; reframes statements when necessary to make them clearer; organizes content so that it is easily understood; takes time to listen
• Present views clearly and structures content to present views in a way that is logical and easily followed by a broad audience; acknowledges audience feedback
• Explicitly structures content to engage specific audience segments; uses tailored language and examples that appeal to specific groups; asks pertinent questions; restates or paraphrases what others have said to check for understanding
• Structures content for senior-level meetings and presentations and maintains composure when challenged; solicits opinions and concerns and incorporates them “in the moment;” discusses them openly and adjusts communication

4. Influence and Collaboration: Engages and works with people over whom one has no direct control

• No basis for judgment
• Does not seek input and perspective of others
• Accepts input from others and engages them in problem solving
• Seeks first to understand perspectives of others; takes actions to gain their support for ideas and initiatives
• Uses tailored approaches to connect with others, influence, and achieve results
• Uses tailored influence approaches to create and leverage a network of strategically chosen individuals to improve collective outcomes

5. Professional Impression, Poise and Presence: Maintains self-control and positive external response even in time of crisis or conflict; manages impression made on others

• No basis for judgment
• Speaks politely, demonstrates generally accepted manners; expresses desire to make a positive impression
• Remains measured in a variety of situations; works to manage impression and prepares for situations to appear confident
• When emotions are aroused, actively restrains from expressing them; leaves a positive and professional impression; responds confidently to situation or circumstance
• Channels strong emotion into positive action; comes across as confident and strong, responds rapidly and strongly to crisis
• When in strong conflict, restrains emotional response (grace under pressure); takes positive action to respond and engage with all stakeholders; has strong presence (‘gravitas’) and charisma; mobilizes followership to take action in times of crisis

People

6. Respect for Others: Acknowledges the value of others’ views and actions

• No basis for judgment
• Unwilling to acknowledge others’ points of view
• Open to considering others’ views when confronted or offered
• Invites input from others because of expressed respect for them and their views
• Praises people publicly for their good actions; ensures that others’ opinions are heard before their own
• Uses empathy and personal experience to resolve conflicts and foster mutual respect; reinforces respect with public praise when individuals solicit and use input from others

7. Team Leadership: Manages and empowers a team of formal or informal direct reports, including virtual teams

• No basis for judgment
• Struggles to delegate effectively (e.g. micromanages); does not organize activities or provide appropriate information to complete tasks
• Assigns tasks and tells people what to do; checks when they are done
• Solicits ideas and perspectives from the team; structures activities; holds members accountable
• Actively engages the team to develop plans and resolve issues through collaboration; shows the impact of individual/team contributions
• Recruits others into duties or roles based on insight into individual abilities; rewards those who exceed expectations; provides strong organizational support

8. Developing Others: Helps people develop their performance and ability over time

• No basis for judgment
• Focuses only on one’s own growth; critical of others’ efforts to develop
• Encourages people to develop; points out mistakes to help people develop and praises them for improvements
• Gives specific positive and negative behavioral feedback to support the development of others
• Provides overarching practical guiding principles and recommendations that are applicable in multiple situations to direct or focus efforts on specific areas of development
• Identifies potential in others; inspires others to develop by providing feedback, mentoring/coaching, and identifying new growth opportunities as well as supporting their effort to change

9. Change Leadership: Energizes and aligns groups of people to participate in organizational change

• No basis for judgment
• Encourages people to go along with change
• Challenges status quo and identifies what needs to change
• Defines positive direction for change and persuades others to support it by providing compelling reasons and vision
• Mobilizes individuals to change behavior by using a range of tailored appeals to motives
• Builds coalition of supporters and coordinates change across multiple individuals; creates champions who will mobilize others to change