In this final required blog
entry for this class I want to spend a little time reflecting on the value of
the presentations of my fellow students this week. In my section, I was able to listen in on 20
other change projects that focused on sustainable issues. Part of the value of this manifests itself in
the inspiration for new ideas to bring to your own organization. I heard so many terrific ideas shared by the
group. It was literally one after
another of great ideas, projects, and outcomes.
I hope to steal and implement as many of these ideas as possible for my
new sustainability team to evaluate for our own purposes. The second part that made these class
presentations so valuable was clearly the inspiration. I hate to generalize, but I got the sense
that nearly everyone participating was growing and feeding off of each other’s
enthusiasm. It was just an absolute
terrific peer learning session and for me was the highlight of the class.
For the class as a whole, the
presentation session was not the only highlight. There were many memorable other experiences
that I feel were worthwhile and deserve special note. My second favorite activity was the cost – benefit
analysis with the light bulb exercise.
The cost – benefit calculator was amazing and really eye opening as to
how in depth dedicated individuals can take a great idea. I’d love to see that calculator shared as an
open source type of project and see what a team of developers / sustainability
experts could come up with over the course of a year. A tool like that is truly powerful and has so
much potential. The guest speakers were
also great, the reading helpful, and the collaborative set up really all helped
to make this class great. If someone
decides to take this class and doesn’t become engaged, then they are just
trying not to be.
If I were able to make any
suggestions for this class moving forward, I would say to focus on two main
points. First, the more hands on tool
type exercises like the cost – benefit calculator, the better. Anything hands on such as that just really
serves to drive home the points of the readings and lectures. Second, I might suggest for the PODs to work
on one change project collectively.
Working with the POD was a fantastic experience and helped me to learn
more. I think the collaboration forces
one to step up their game. Everyone in
this program has so much value to bring to the table and I really felt
compelled to step up to everyone else’s level.
A chance to work on a change project with a group would also allow for
some great synergistic idea development and the potential for the sum of the
PODs actions to become more than its parts.
Moving on from this class I
plan to continue on in my journey as a change agent. I’ll be taking the ideas and concept that I
learned from the lectures and especially the great ideas shared by my
classmates, and will be looking to implement many of them in my own
organizations. I’m very excited at the
prospect of my work organization’s newly revamped environmental team and can’t
wait to share what I’ve learned and start to put it all into practice. Most of all, I’m excited and eager to share
my enthusiasm with others. The key for
us all is to help to inspire change in others as well. The change we can create on our own is good,
but the change we can create with others working together is great.
Best of luck to all of my
PODmates in their future change endeavors.
Hopefully we’ll be able to work together again.
