Day 4: Sunday, June 19th

In our opening circle, we each uttered a one-word reflection:

• breakfast
• eye-opening
• enlightening
• speechless
• emotional
• confusing
• revealing
• relevant
• 180 degrees
• cool
• challenging
• powerful
• growth
• long
• accomplishing
• uncomfortable

Next we starting talking about the front team, we had elected. The front team consists of Marta, Curtis, Janet, Kim and Deborah. Deborah got the team leader job because she is so organized. They are five very good people with great experience, who are very humble about the job ahead.

Now came the learning. I'm impressed with how the trainers set us up to learn with a real-life experience. Much better than just reading a book.

Phadra asked us: "Which is more important; getting the job done or the process itself (i.e. including all voices in the decision-making process). Phadra told us a story to illustrate. A

local needed help, but no "entry and contracting" was done. Instead, the consultant met with the prez, VP and membership chair at the state level. But it was the local that was truly the client.  Things fell apart. Phadra says "go slow to go fast"; that is, take it slow, build relationships and the rest will fall into place.

Pre-entry: consultant has expertise and is charged with a certain task; an assessment is done of "self" and the client; info is gathered. Regarding the assessment, it is really important to evaluate yourself and see what you bring to the table as a consultant. The consultant may bring motivation, excitement and friendlines, but s/he may also bring a sense of inadequacy or bossiness or a desire to run the show. It's important to really know what you, as a consultant bring to the table, the good, the bad and the ugly. Secondly, you must know and understand your colleagues' strenghths and weaknesses so that you can rely on them for stuff that you are not good at doing.