What A Senior Manager Organizational Development At Global Entertainment Company Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Consulting Industry
Elizabeth, a Senior Manager in Organizational Development, advises aspiring consultants to cultivate strong self-motivation, as the role lacks consistent managerial feedback. The work offers moments of fulfillment from grateful teams, but the individual must "give yourself the gold star" and proactively seek out developmental feedback to maintain momentum and motivation across self-contained projects.
Self-Motivation, Project Management, Resilience, Leadership, Workplace Dynamics
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Elizabeth DeVeny
Sr Manager, Org. Development
Global Entertainment Company
Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo
Hult Intl Business School, Master's International Business
Communications
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Human Resources (HR)
Worked 20+ Hours in School, LGBTQ
Video Highlights
1. The consulting industry is not always filled with consistent positive feedback; you need to self-motivate and give yourself credit for accomplishments.
2. It's crucial to actively seek out feedback and support from others to stay motivated and develop professionally.
3. Each project often functions as a self-contained unit, so you must build your own sense of fulfillment and achievement from each project experience.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you entered the industry?
A lot of people who get into consulting are the type A, good students who like a gold star. They like that feeling of an A++ and being told they did a great job.
You definitely have moments where you get that validation during project work. You'll have teams that are really grateful for what you've accomplished, and that's amazing.
However, you won't always have that external validation. I don't have a manager who consistently works on the same projects as I do; I pop into different groups and help different leaders.
Without that consistent thread, you need a lot of self-motivation. You have to be able to give yourself the gold star and feel proud of your work.
There isn't someone consistently present to say, "You're doing great. I've seen your growth." Each project interaction is its own self-contained bubble.
So, part of it is about how to keep your motivation fresh and recognize when you need to ask for help. It's also important to engage others for developmental feedback or that outside cheerleader effect.
Ultimately, you will have those moments of fulfillment, but you also need to create some of that for yourself.