Execution Management Services: An Educational Journey

 “The act of turning conversation into something visual, so everyone can understand a client space, is a little bit like magic. The final product is truly beautiful to behold.”

“Shani’s Change Management course helped open up a whole world for me!”

These are the reactions of MPS consultants to their experience in the first cohort of our Execution Management Services (EMS) program. Of the group who started the program in August last year, four are graduating.

The mission of the program is to hone hard and soft consulting skills, and classes are open to all MPS consultants on an a la carte basis. But to receive a certificate, participants must complete coursework for all eight after-hours classes, covering topics such as Business Process Improvement, Customer Service, and Project Portfolio Performance Improvement Techniques. They must also acquire or maintain a recognized professional certification; write a white paper or give a presentation that illuminates a facet, an approach, or a personal philosophy of consulting; take the CliftonStrengths assessment, with attendant coaching sessions; and participate in one of MPS’ corporate roles.

Congratulations to the graduating four: Shani Nyandemoh and Rizwan Oskoui, who at this writing have successfully completed all the rigorous requirements, and Ben Eden and Melissa Farzin, who are nearing the finish line. Rizwan said the program was hard work, but definitely worth it. “It requires solid time management to maintain a work-life balance. The awkward silver lining of the pandemic was that I was mostly at home anyway!” Besides her EMS certificate, she is also now a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

 Shani, who became a certified Change Practitioner, was subsequently invited to teach Change Management Fundamentals to the group. It is now a required course in the curriculum.

Of the other two members, Ben is currently pursuing multiple certifications in Tableau Desktop to enhance his Data Science/Visualization capabilities, so he can more clearly communicate with clients and stakeholders. His favorite class? Change Management, taught by Shani!

Melissa, whose white paper, “Protect This House,” was an exhortation to her fellow consultants to regard their work and their clients as if they were members of their own household, is in the process of obtaining her PMP certification.

All four felt that the chemistry of the program was special – excellent rapport with the instructors, as well as their fellow participants. An added benefit was the fact that they are all working on different contracts. This allowed for greater insight into how situations can be approached differently in different environments. Melissa noted, “My favorite part of this program was getting to know Shani, Riz and Ben. It was wonderful to be part of a learning journey with brilliant colleagues and now friends.” According to Shani, “It brought insight to the ‘MPS magic,’ and how the organization serves and succeeds with mission focus.”  

Now, with the second cohort well underway, we continue to tweak the coursework and requirements, to keep EMS up-to-date and relevant.