Weekly Report 4: Research, More Research, and a Topic Proposal

Kurt Lewin once said “No research without action, no action without research,” but I have to admit that doing hours of research can be a little bit overwhelming. At the same time, It is so interesting because it is over the topic that I visualize myself having a career in. The past two weeks have been filled with scouring the internet, annotating articles, and putting my thoughts into paragraphs as I compiled all my information for my topic proposal. 

The research has also been rather affirming because the more I read about consulting, the more confident I feel that I would be successful in the field. I notice the authors mentioning skills like dedication, logical thinking, time management, communication, and quick thinking, all of which I pride myself on. That said, I am still learning so much from these articles. I now know that I need to be okay with future clients disagreeing with or not implementing my suggestions. In addition, I understood that being a leader is not about always being praised or being the best, rather it is about motivating others and being the strong foundation that the whole group balances on. 

As I wrote my topic proposal, I thought I had narrowed my focus down from business to management consulting, but after chatting with Mrs. Russell, I realized that it is still a very broad idea. There is just so much I want to learn about consulting that it is hard to choose a specific sector to pursue. For now, I am just going to look at consulting as a whole, and slowly narrow down to a more specific area which I can base my original works on. 

Looking forward, I cannot wait for the Symposium on Wednesday. It is going to be an incredible chance to network and get professional advice on my résumé and interview skills. Although I hope to find a consultant or two, I am just excited to expand my connections and speak to the diverse range of people I will be around.