Ramu Iyer

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14 weeks 5 days

Bio

Some history

In my consulting work as a Project Manager, I am actively learning (on my own, in an adhoc manner!) how to act as an "owner's rep" (a prominent role typical in the construction industry) which includes the ability to play several roles including:
* psychologist,
* information manager,
* leader,
* designated truth-teller,
* facilitator,
* change agent,
* accountability nag and
* lightning rod.

Why is the "owner's rep" role important? We live in a "liquid environment" which is fluid and continually changing form and adapting to shifting parameters. I have come to realize that in order to shift the paradigm from a world of places (silos, state of denial, etc) to a world of purpose (shared vision, commitment, seeking to understand and be understood, bias for shared action) the owner's rep role is akin to a clinical psychologist. There is a need to establish a calm centre and ensure that thoughtfulness and clarity are not compromised in a liquid world (real or perceived).

 

I share the belief that solution-focused management (SFM) and psychodrama can be powerful methods for enhancing my personal growth. That said, I am still a student of SFM and psychodrama. My value during corporate consulting is often based on my display of personal leadership and my ability to change the culture of the work teams I have advised, which is often not an instanteous process. I want to be aligned with adage that "practice makes perfect" which means that there is an opportunity to understand and leverage SFM and psychodrama to become a better person, both at work and in my personal life.

 

In order to fit in and stand out in social networks, there is an increasing recognition and emphasis on soft skills: “Keep a winning attitude; be a team player; communicate effectively; exude confidence; hone your creative skills; accept and learn from criticism; motivate yourself & lead others; multitask and prioritise your to-do list; see the big picture.”

 

However, often I encounter project team members often settled comfortably behind their laptops (or other handheld devices) and indirectly display a reluctance to shift their attention (one hundred percent) in favor of a face-to-face dialogue with another human being. I completely agree that this is a new social reality that consultants and other working professionals must reckon with and there is a definitely a compelling opportunity to use a blending of therapeutic approaches (SFM, others) to change the paradigm of engagement so that there is more EQ (emotional intelligence quotient) and TQ (tenacity quotient) during divergence (brainstorming process) and convergence (meeting agenda driven) of ideas so that we can increase the social network's spontaneity and creativity.  In the absence of such spontaneity and creativity, I feel like I am communicating via instant messaging to a colocated person in an online setting whereby only the "emotICONal intelligence" is increasing and the conversation has not reached its true potential.

 

Where am I going with this train of thought one might wonder? I am searching for learning material from SFM as well as mentors who can help me become an effective executive coach so that I can effectively work between senior management to build inclusive and authentic leadership for an organization.

Contact Info

Full Name

Ramu Iyer

Country - State

USA - Washington

City

Sammamish

Skype Username

ramu_atm

You? Now?

Your excitement

Elimination of conversations by triangulation. Eliminate PowerPoint slidedecks and use straight talk with mindmaps to have energetic, divergent and convergent conversations. Stop window dressing and speak the truth without footnotes.