I am struck by Peter Block’s stress of being authentic. As someone who is trying to start my own business, I often find myself in a place where being inauthentic seems like the best way to get the job or the contract. I am often torn between being authentic and being the person that the client needs or wants. When I go to the place of being the person that gets the job instead of myself, it doesn’t feel very good. And, it hasn’t worked!
Just to dig a little deeper, I looked up authentic. Here are some of the key words I found – not false or copied, genuine, real, verified, reliable, trustworthy. It’s kind of a big duh! when I think about it in this framework. The consultant I would ever want to work with would fit this description. Otherwise, wouldn’t they fall into a category not unlike a stereotypical used car salesman. I need to trust myself more… Then, that authenticity will come out.
Consulting skills is one of the classes that I have been looking forward to the most! I am really looking forward finding my own ways to flawless consulting. I had no idea over a year ago when I applied to this program, that I would be trying to start my own business and that I would be taking this class. Once again, I am amazed at the timliness of events of my life.
1 response so far ↓
1
Jonathan
// Sep 14, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Hey Aaron Paula,
Yes, the authenticity thing seems quite loaded and deep. For me, it seems like a continuous dis-covering of the onion layers on this topic. It’s one of those ‘of course’ or ‘duh’ things when you read it, but I think it’s another thing to put into practice. Having some road markers like Block gives really helps to plan the trip. However, when I get out on the road and am traveling at 45, 55, 65… mph, I can’t read the map and drive at the same time, so I will probably miss some road signs for exits or speed limits or who knows what. I guess this is where what Block says is that we can also learn, even if we make some errors.
Some of the things in consulting seem quite like common sense, but then I may not have heard it put in such a way and so it’s a new way of looking at things. For me I think it will take ongoing practice/experience/reflection/study/plan/experience… before some of this becomes integrated and therefore readily accessible in the moment of need.
Is this what they call life-long learning???
I do find the material in Block and Schein very relevant and am looking forward to get deeper insight and experience in using it.
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