I learned something new about myself after the fifth residency. One of my classmates suggested that since we were ahead of others in our cohort in completing the research work that we should reach out to our cohort and see how they are doing and help them in whatever way we could. I learned two things. One is emotional and the other is intellectual.
The emotional learning has two parts. First, I cared for everyone in my cohort. I want everyone in the cohort to succeed and we were willing to do whatever we could to help for anyone who wanted help. Second, helping our classmates is a good thing. I could have sat on the sidelines content that I had my stuff done. What I really learned was something far more emotional than the rational analysis above. I found that I felt good helping others.
Upon reflection, what I found we were doing is very much in line with Boyatzis'el al 2006 theory on emotional sustainment through coaching and compassion. His idea is that by listening and helping others, we literally feel better, in a real sense get our batteries recharged.
More than all this was the recognition of what it means that we are a cohort and that we learn from each other. I suppose we interpret "learn from each other" in different ways. What I have learned so far from my cohort also has an intellectual side. For me, learning from each other means that by being observant or mindful, things become clear in my mind. For example, I am aware of what is hindering some of my cohorts from grasping and using some of the key benefits of the program.
I feel that the cohort relationship has really changed for the better in the second semester compared to the first semester. This second semester is a quicker pace and I think that has let us realize we are all in the same boat. It is sink or swim time and I want to do whatever I can do to keep classmates from sinking.
Adrian Wolfberg
DM Class of 2013
DM Class of 2013
