A Little Self-Assessment

Now WHY didn't I listen to myself back in December when I posted this (or did I?):

What kind of work do I love to do?

• Sheparding projects (programs, products) from inception to completion


• Mentoring people and inspiring teams (Yes, I'm a "people person")


• Organizing tasks (but only if they make sense to me, not "just because")


• Working in the education arena, preferably with kids (from pre-school to high school... love 'em all!)


• Writing/expressing, designing and creating


• Work that does good and changes the world in some small, but real way

What am I indifferent about?

• Budgets (though I have plenty of experience with them)


• Technology (Yes, this is true... even though most of my products have been "high-tech," my inspiration has come from the content more than the format. I'm more "teachy" than techy and more people than programming-oriented)


• Things. Put me with people, not with things!

What work would I refuse to do?

• Work that forces me to go against my values and ideals


• Work that includes large amounts of math (other than basic budgets and timelines)


• Work with mean or persistently negative people


• Illegal stuff

What do I excel at?

• Communication -- via writing, dialoging, team-building, mentoring


• Left-brained endeavors that are creative, subjective, and inspiring


• Product design and development -- from curriculum design to media production to character development to peripheral development


• Planning and carrying through

What am I mediocre at?

• Mediocrity! (Once I start something, I almost always do it with full passion and commitment)


• Paperwork and busywork (Mindless crap)


• 8 - 5


• I'd probably be a mediocre sales person -- unless it was for something I really believe in -- and then I'd ROCK!

What do I suck at?

• Work that I see no purpose to


• Isolation


• Science, math and engineering

This is all still true, which is actually heartening. And if I were to go back to my job offer in December and how this position was presented to me (both verbally and in a written job description), I'd still accept it. It sounded just perfect -- working with non-profits to improve education, leading a team, making a difference. I knew there was very little creativity to the position, but I was able to reconcile that with the balance of mentoring a team in work that matters, which is something else I love. Unfortunately, there was no way to know back then that this job would include some things that I had said I wouldn't want to do. And ultimately, I think it's largely those things that led to this point.

So there's the positive take on this whole thing: I remain true to myself, to my ideals and to my goals. And I won't compromise them, no matter what. I am Carol, hear me roar...