Hello, Everyone! My name is Helen McKinley and I am a senior attending Randolph-Macon College. As I entered college for the first time, I had an unwavering goal to major in Biology and become a doctor. In my first 2 years of being a Biology student, I took rigorous math and science classes, but I also worked hard in my school’s Information Technology (IT) department, improving both my computer and customer skills. I quickly developed a knack for observing executive-employee dynamics, communication challenges and best practices between colleagues, exchanges amongst coworkers and clients, and how I personally fit in amidst it all.
While working in the IT department, I analyzed how certain interactions between the workflow, clients, and fellow employees can either help or hinder progress within the workplace. After witnessing a business consultant give advice to help improve such interactions in our department, I soon realized that I loved working with people more than working in a lab. By the end of my second year, I switched my major from Biology to Psychology with an emphasis in Industrial/Organizational.
As a new Psych major, I took classes that emphasized the biological, social, and directional aspects of understanding the human psyche. I was very interested in the Leadership course that I attended, as it gave me insight on the different leadership styles (Directional, Servant, Charismatic/Transformational, etc.) and how they can work hand-in-hand. This class was helpful in allowing me to realize not only others’ skillsets, but my own as well. I knew from there that I wanted to aide companies through business consulting. I wanted to intern at a place where I could shadow professionals in the consulting field, and so my college professor connected me with Floricane.
My goal is to learn from Floricane’s experts on improving companies’ leadership and workflows, while having tons of fun in the process! It has been exactly one month since I’ve started my internship here at Floricane and I can honestly say, that in a short amount of time, I’ve learned a great deal about what Floricane does and the company’s goals.
I obtained the most knowledge by observing John and Kathy’s Insights workshops. I had the chance to meet and observe staff at various companies who utilized the Insights profiles, and I watched as they learned how to improve communication and workflow between their coworkers by understanding each other’s personalities.
One of the most important things I’ve learned so far is that there isn’t a singular personality type that is “better” than the rest in a work setting; instead, all personalities are complementary to each other, and balancing the different traits to effectively complete daily tasks is key. As my time at Floricane continues, I know I will learn even more about valuable leadership strategies that will help me in directing teams in the future to come.