At the POLIMI GSOM Graduate School of Business, I served as the project leader responsible for supporting the team of students tasked with organizing the fourth edition of the \"POLIMI GSOM Business Game,\" an event created by students for students that has a mission to bridge the gap between students and corporate organizations in Italy. It addresses the common challenge where post-graduation students often find themselves uncertain about where to begin their professional careers. Furthermore, university classes sometimes fall short in providing practical examples that enable students to simulate the world of work and the challenges that business managers face, all within a risk-free environment. In this context, the event hosts an annual edition where every year 100 top-tier students are divided into teams to tackle real-life business problems presented by corporate partners participating in the event. Simultaneously, the event offers various networking opportunities, including workshops, coffee chats, and one-on-one interviews, creating a comprehensive 360-degree experience for both students and companies. During my summer internship, I worked closely with the event coordinator, assisting in the overall project coordination. Under the direct supervision of Sergio Terzi, associate dean of the business school, I had the responsibility of overseeing every aspect of the organization. These responsibilities encompassed developing the overall business case and project planning, leading a team of approximately 20 members, and negotiating with interested firms to secure the necessary funding for the event's financing. My leadership role within the POLIMI GSOM Business Game team provided a platform for me to apply and further develop the skills I had acquired during my initial months at CBS. First and foremost, as the project leader, the team members looked to me for guidance on how to effectively navigate their respective areas of responsibility. Managing a team of 20 members meant that right from the outset, I needed to master the art of conducting multiple simultaneous conversations across various domains (such as partnerships, marketing, and operations). This required me to be a problem solver across multiple fronts rather than a bottleneck in the decision-making process. Additionally, given my greater seniority compared to the students on the team, I had the opportunity to leverage my negotiation and communication skills. These capabilities proved invaluable in securing contracts with companies and vendors interested in participating in the event, thus ensuring the necessary capital for the event's execution. Lastly, the third pivotal skill that came to the forefront during this experience was project planning. The team initially lacked a structured and well-organized plan, complete with clear timelines and milestones to meet in preparation for the event. Consequently, I played a significant role in developing the event's business plan and associated Gantt chart, identifying KPIs for each aspect of the event to gauge our progress effectively. This strategic planning ensured that we were well-prepared for the event's successful execution. Typically, the month of August in Italy poses some challenges for conducting business. Many companies close for vacation, and operations tend to slow down during this period. Nevertheless, we received an excellent response from all the stakeholders involved in the event, which enabled us to achieve significant milestones in confirming the event's realization. Furthermore, leading a team of 20 students in just one month was no easy feat, especially given that most of our activities were conducted remotely. In this challenging environment, I had to put in significant effort to quickly earn the team's trust and become a dependable point of contact for all organizational matters. This experience pushed me to go beyond the basic requirements of my role. I actively sought to establish meaningful connections with each team member, engaging in conversations beyond the scope of the event itself. Building these relationships not only enriched my understanding of their perspectives but also allowed me to contribute to their professional development. This experience has been incredibly enriching for me on multiple fronts. Firstly, due to its limited duration, it taught me the art of quickly immersing myself in a subject matter, even if it was one I was already familiar with, and immediately adding value from day one. Perhaps most significantly, this opportunity marked the first time that a team of 20 individuals regarded me as their leader and relied on me as a pivotal reference point for progress. This role was not only inspiring but also a substantial challenge. I aimed to contribute meaningfully every day, serving as a valuable sounding board and collaborator for each team member. Right from the outset, my focus was on those 3-4 crucial overarching tasks that I had identified as essential to ensuring the successful launch of the event. In this regard, this experience played a pivotal role in my leadership development. I had often recognized, both in my work at McKinsey and during the LEAD exam at CBS, that one of my significant areas for improvement was the ability to delegate non-critical tasks and prioritize the most important activities. The POLIMI GSOM Business Game provided me with the ideal opportunity, at precisely the right moment, to assess whether I had made improvements in this aspect of my leadership style. It served as a valuable sanity check, confirming my growth in this crucial leadership skill.