6/26/16 Feedback
- To: Halley Davidson (HD) regarding her Intern Log Entry #5 June 3 – Research
- Constantine Faller (CF): AO IC – Operations Chief, (Basic Needs – Education), Internship Program Coordinator
- From: K. Jacobson (kj): BWH IC/AO Liaison/Mentor
Homework: reviewed Intern Information Pages, developed a synopsis and a review checklist, the checklist is currently embedded in the draft Project Collaboration 1 document. The following feedback is linked to the concepts, key words identified in the guidance documents.
After conversations with both Constantine and Kathy about the importance of knowing your stuff before beginning an experience, they asked me to take the time to define research, and to elaborate on the importance of reading the possible materials presented to you.To define research, I first thought of the countless research projects that I have encountered during my time as a student. It typically begins with an unknown topic or question of interest and the research is the solution to these unknown factors. For example, you are given the prompt “What event(s) lead to the beginning of the Cold War?” Your research would then try to answer this question by using history and author based writings that could answer the question fully.I think that as I have grown, research has acquired a larger definition than simply academic research. Answering basic questions, like “What, why, how?” may simply better your personal or team growth. Though it is not a direct question, taking the time to research a new city you are going to can prove invaluable. Or when you are starting a new job or project, making sure that you are well acquainted with the factors of that work makes your job easier and clearer.In Harry Potter, Hermione was always teased for reading. She spent the majority of her free time in the library, and had read all of their coursework before even attending a single class at Hogwarts. However, time and time again, this proved to be an extremely useful way for her to spend her time, because she always had happened to have read the perfect spell or potion while pandering about the library. Specifically, the night she was paralyzed, she had been sitting waiting with a mirror, knowing it would keep her from dying when the Basilisk came to hunt her down.I think this is a great metaphor for research, because without the information about a situation you’re in, you can be left without the power to control your portion in that situation. I think in regards to Athens’s Own, and especially as a future marketing professional, knowing your customer or who you’re working for gives you a leg up and a chance for you to impress them with your knowledge of their past. It’s like the saying that says you can’t decide where you are going without knowing where you’ve been. For Athens’ Own, if I don’t understand their mission and holistic goal, how can I possibly help them move forward with their mission?I think that this plays very well in to Holistic Management, and how taking the time for each individual to write their holistic goal, and then for others to take the time to read and learn what they can about teammates means that people will be able to work together to the best of their ability. Knowing who you are working with and each other’s individual goals sets you up for the success because you can work together to create an achievable team goals, and support each other in individual endeavors.