What went well?

This week I finished making the georeferenced map of the farm. I also conducted a detailed field walk through all the farm to register the limits of the different plots to proceed with the design of a Field Maps App for reporting. Further, I trained farm staff in the use of the drone for imaging of other plots in the future. Additionally, during the weekend I participated in a trip to Monumento Nacional Guayabo, an archeological site where I learned and connected with the ancestral history of the site I’m working at and the importance of cacao for local indigenous cultures.

What could have been done differently?

Processing times for the map took a long time and I made some technical errors that delayed the process significantly. Also, I did not organize my schedule effectively to take advantage of the processing times doing other activities that did not require my laptop. Further, in retrospective, I should have done the detailed field walk a long time ago, even prior to beginning mapping, as part of my familiarization with the farm.

What did I learn about myself when working with others?

I learned that I value the connections I build during my projects. I might not initially be the most outgoing person, but I try to slowly build rapport and trust with the people I work with. This ends up being an asset for my endeavors and very fulfilling in my professional and academic journey.

What did I learn about leadership?

I learned the importance of connecting with your team outside of the work environment, particularly in small organizations like the one I’m working with. Now that I am nearing the end of my LiA, I have been able to build strong connections with farm staff. It is not just a matter of getting along with your team but actually caring about them and understanding where they come from. It nourishes you and helps you to know how to better deal with situations together. This does not mean you have to be friends with the people you are working with or leading, but rather to always bear in mind that they are human beings before anything else.  

What do I want to develop or focus on next?

I am a bit behind schedule given the delays in processing, so I have to catch up. I’ll be developing the Field Maps App this week and introducing it to farm staff for its use and hopefully be able to make any necessary adjustments for better accessibility. Also, I have to do the final wrap-up with farm staff to present my final result and the steps ahead to ensure the solution is useful for the long-term, as well as discussing further applications of my product such as 3D-modelling.