As I have stated, this fellowship has placed me outside of my comfort zone. My prior work experiences have been externally oriented. I interacted directly with customers or constituents, and examined public policy issues while identifying possible solutions. My current role at Local Matters has pushed me to look internally at the issues within an organization and work with those around me to address them. As my final product nears completion, I am satisfied with the progress I have made and excited to see how this experience has shaped my personal and professional development. 

This week, I began wrapping up my first draft of the operations manual. I have had to come to terms with the fact that sometimes a first draft is called a rough draft for a reason. There are still holes in the manual and areas that need a great deal of expansion, but sharing my current progress with my team will allow them to provide new input and feedback on what additions are necessary. On Wednesday, I provided updates to the organization during our all-staff meeting. The CEO of Local Matters then spoke with me and gave me great pointers on how to reorient my current work to better suit what is needed. She also asked me to give a presentation at the staff meeting next Wednesday, which is my last week in-person. While getting feedback on the general direction of the project is nerve wracking when a deadline is rapidly approaching, the CEO’s help definitely gave me the assurance I need to create a strong manual. 

After the staff meeting, I implored a new tactics to get feedback from my team members. Rather than soliciting input from them in a formal capacity (through surveys or interviews), I simply sat in the kitchen space with them and conversed with them on a casual level. I eventually asked what they think I should add to the manual, which helped me add a few more points to the processes and procedures section. I also connected with them all personally by discussing our personal lives and interests, which was great. Though I am still working laboriously to complete a presentable draft of the manual I enjoyed taking a step back to learn about all of my team members.