Blog #2 — Project Goals
Based on both advice I’ve received and on my experience, I’ve found the best way to commit to a goal is to tell someone about it. In that vein, the purpose of this post is to share my goals for my Corporate Service Corps assignment.
#1) Learn about the world of IBM beyond Global Business Services (GBS) North America.
During our three months of pre-work, I have already learned so much about other parts of our organization. My CSC team consists of pricing managers, hardware developers, marketing specialists, HR partners, and much more. Even my fellow GBSers have very different day jobs than I do. One of my goals is to continue learning about and learning from my colleagues across our large organization. I hope to gain a deeper understanding of what they do, the skills they use to achieve success, and how their roles fit into the organization as a whole. I also hope to bring back an understanding of new ways to collaborate and tap into IBM’s wealth of resources when I return.
#2) Exercise patience with my team, my client, and myself.
Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I thrive in a fast-paced, quick moving environment. Based on my past experience as a student in Argentina, I anticipate that the work environment will be quite different from what I’m accustomed to. Not only is the culture much more laid back, but I will also be dealing with an under-resourced non-profit client, a brand new team, and a language barrier. Going in, I know the experience will push my limits from the perspective of patience. However, I also expect that being patient with every new experience (both personally and professionally) will generate better results, and will help me grow as well. This is a lifelong goal of mine, and I am looking forward to the challenge of building this skill through CSC.
#3) Add value for my client.
If I am being completely honest with myself, I’m a bit skeptical about how much of a difference I can make in four short weeks. Even the strategy projects I have delivered in the past have been much longer, and we still encountered challenges with the transition to client ownership and execution at the end. That being said, it’s never an all or nothing scenario. We will be proving four weeks of consulting services for clients who would otherwise be unable to afford support. As a result, my goal is to create the most value I can for our client in the limited time available. I may not be able to change the world in four weeks, but if I can make any meaningful difference for my client, I’ll consider the project to be a success. Not to mention, it’s an incredibly valuable mindset and skill to bring back with me after the assignment.
In addition to my professional goals, I have many personal goals as well. I hope to improve my Spanish, dive into the local culture, build lasting relationships with my team, and of course, make the most of this incredible opportunity. Stay tuned to see how it all goes… Next stop, Argentina!

