I believe this is my last night of reading for this class! I’m on the couch, reading tomorrow’s homework and catching up on any readings I missed over the semester… I’ve really enjoyed Block’s book this semester. It has spoken to me both professionally and personally. I find that a lot of what he says is applicable to me just as ME: a person, not a consultant.
I’ll share a silly but relevant anecdote that is somewhat personal, but I have a feeling I’m safe here on my blog! Over the weekend, I had a date. It was a 2nd date with a very lovely person. However, I was pretty sure going into this date that I was not really “connecting” with this person. The evening was fairly awkward, and while we chatted and had a nice time, there was definitely no sign that this relationship was going anywhere. Later in the evening, we joined some of my friends at a holiday party. My date left separately, and my friends immediately began asking me what I was thinking dating this guy, since he was clearly not a good match for me. I gave some excuses and defenses, some of which were just sort of funny quips (due to my need to relieve stress after a long, awkward date!)
Enough of my personal life folks! The point of the story is that I spent the whole evening (and the evening of the 1st date as well) feeling VERY inauthentic. I wasn’t myself, I couldn’t quite say what I wanted to say. What bothered me more about my behavior was that when questioned by my friends, I wish I’d been more authentic then. While my quips about my date weren’t mean-spirited, they didn’t reflect what I really felt, which was this was a very nice man who simply is not right for me.
I feel very silly writing a blog post about this! But, this is probably my last “What I’m Learning” blog post, and Block gets a bit sentimental in his last chapters too. He makes an excellent point that consulting requires both the head and the heart. Flawless consulting is authentic. It requires doing the right things. It requires peeling the onion, discovering the real issues and being of service to others. I see so much parallel between his advice and just being a decent human being. I think the book will stick in my head for a long time… I mean, if I was thinking about Block while on a date, then it’s definitely made an imprint!
This has been a busy semester. In my personal life, it’s been a long year, and a bit of a stressful one. I am happy to finish up this semester and relax while enjoying the holidays with my family. I’m looking forward to 2009…. I was thinking about New Years’ resolutions earlier today, and I have a feeling that I’ll be basing some of mine on what I’ve learned from Block and in class this semester. Wish me luck…
