by Jared Goralnick
Some times there’s just the right confluence of factors for a perfect week. That was last week for me–at the twentieth annual Consultants’ Camp in Mt. Crested Butte, Colorado. This was my first year in attendance and it will most certainly not be the last.
Consultants’ Camp is a group of people who gather to share lessons-learned, goals, and challenges in an open setting. Everyone is both a presenter and a participant in this unconference where some of the sharpest management consultants, CMMI appraisers, team facilitators, and entrepreneurs gather.
(Camp Photos) (Crested Butte, CO Photos)
There were specific lessons I learned, such as how to use Planning Poker, how to ask Context-free questions, and the values of storytelling while presenting. But more than that I recognized what the light at the end of the tunnel might be from people years ahead of me, both in terms of how they conduct their businesses and where they are in life. It was enlightening and motivating.
It also brings up a point that is often glossed over–it’s often not the skills we learn from the people around us, but their presence that drives us to execution. All the skills in the world are nothing without action…and the presence of those who have done it, who offer by example what it’s like, are the best impetus for making things happen.
To those of you I met this week–thank you. To those of you who have not yet found a community that fosters personal and professional growth, I encourage you to seek it out in the form of conferences, trade groups, online forums, and mentors. One can never underestimate the value of having the right people in your life. Thank you, Hillel Glazer, for an invitation to this year’s camp.
–Update: September 11, 2007:
To those who attended camp and would like to see some videos, the password is five letters long, lowercase, and, as requested, wasn’t in any of the photos <grin>:
- Brian, conclusion of Quality Bubbles
- Judah, conclusion of Blame Allocation
- Karen, from Storytelling, "Risk Analysis"
- Karen, from Storytelling, "Working for Free"
- Payson, from Storytelling, "The New Hire"
- Rick, from Storytelling, "So What?"
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You’re welcome, Jared. You were a valued addition to Camp and look forward to the invitations you put forth for next year. I hope to increase the number of younger-generation Campers and broaden the field of expertise as well.