I think the most important concept I learned from this class is that methodology is key. I must admit, it is seems simple to say, but this was a huge gap for me. In my experience, I had grown cynical of “methodology”, as I thought it was a way for consultants to charge more. It seemed like the more experienced and sophisticated the consultant, the more intricate the methodology, which translated into more time and resources, which ultimately meant higher cost. I would be that executive sponsor that would want a consultant to go past the methodology and just validate what I already suspected were the issues.

Now that I have taken the class and really studied the different methodologies, and used one first hand, I must admit, I feel like I get it, and also am eating some crow. I know understand that the better the rigor to the methodology, the more enriched and complete the assessment will be, and the likelihood of success increases.

After having finished performing the needs assessment for Lesson 11, I feel much more aware and able to answer the question regarding my strengths and weaknesses.

In terms of my weaknesses, the biggest issue I found was my need to solve the problems quickly, which led me to want to skip certain portions of the process or come to early conclusions. One of my strengths is the ability to synthesize data, but if I use that skill too early, then I will likely come to incomplete conclusions and recommendations.

My strengths are that I bring to the table the ability to listen and to be able to put others at ease. As a result, it appears others felt very comfortable sharing their thoughts and feelings in an open environment. I think this proves to be a great advantage during a needs assessment.

In terms of leveraging my strengths, I think it will be important to make sure when coming up with the methodologies and work plans, to make sure to use interviews as part of the data collection plan, so I have an opportunity to listen to individuals.

Franz Gilbert

Blog #5

In my previous blog, I shared one of the competencies that I need to continue to work on for personal improvement is written communication. In terms of individuals, there are two that come to mind that are good role models. The first is a CIO that I used to work with, who I watched many times, ask me to pause before we started a meeting, so he could finish an email. He would then read the email out loud to make sure he had written it correctly. It was a great example of how everyone is capable and needs to pause and study one’s writing. The second person is C.S. Lewis who showed that a writer can use many different styles of writing ranging from fiction, non-fiction, and satirical – and all of which can have powerful impact. C.S. Lewis said that, “ You can make anything by writing.” This quote inspires me to put in the effort to write effectively.