OGL 482 Pro-Seminar II

Module 6 Assignment:
Career Plan Template
Section 1: Creating your BHAG
Following the information in the “Good to Great Connections” PowerPoint presentation and all
of the additional information provided under the Module 4 content area, and taking your Personal
Mission Statement development efforts into consideration, carefully develop your own personal
long term BHAG (***one amazingly HUGE, your world changing goal***). The timeframe for
your BHAG is 10-25 years out, however it will depend upon your age. For example, a 55 year
old person might be closer to the 10 year BHAG, whereas a 30 year old or younger person
should be considering a BHAG 25 years out. This BHAG may be related to your overall
life/lifestyle aspirations, or it could be related to some organizational, protean, or
entrepreneurial vision you have for the future. Dig deep and go beyond the job. That is up to you.
What it needs to be is BIG! HUGE! REALLY HAIRY! STRETCH YOURSELF! LOOK
BEYOND GRADUATE DEGREE! LOOK BEYOND A JOB! HOW WILL YOU MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD???? I RECOMMEND WE MEET TO DISCUSS IT TO
ENSURE ITS HUGENESS.
Answer the following:

1. What is your BHAG (***one amazingly HUGE, your world changing goal***)?

My BHAG is to become Chairwoman for the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Tribal Council.
It is a 3 year elected position. My goal is to achieve this within the next 10-15 years. To
date, there has not yet been a chairwoman on the Pokagon Band Tribal Council, I hope I
will not be the first by that time, but would be honored to be the first.

1. Why is this your BHAG?

Becoming Tribal Chairwoman is my BHAG because I feel that the Pokagon Band Tribal
council is lacking in female leadership. I have been becoming more involved in Tribal
Politics over the last year and have observed behaviors in current leadership that I do not
like. I do not feel like they communicate effectively, and a lot of times not even
respectfully. The citizens of the Pokagon Band deserve to be heard and spoken to
respectfully. I want to change how the tribal citizens view Tribal Council. I want to reform
the tribal council to return as our advocates, not our adversaries. As elected officials, tribal
 council should be working for the greater good of our tribe as a whole, which largely, I
think they do, however, it is very apparent from the outside looking in that many of them
look out for their own agendas first and foremost. I want to change that stigma. I want to
make it clear that the future tribal council will make it obvious that the tribe and its citizens
as a whole are priorities. I will make sure that how money flows will be communicated to
citizens, while maintaining any necessary confidentialities.

1. How does your BHAG align with your vision statement from Module 4?

I strive to be a positive example to my daughter. I will show her this by continuing to grow
into the person who I am supposed to be.
My BHAG does tie into my vision. My daughter watches my every move. She sees my
successes and also more mistakes than I like to admit. But she has also watched me make
great recoveries from those mistakes. Showing her that it is okay to fall down, as long as you
get back up and keep moving forward. As I move forward in my career and my life, she will
know that while mistakes are inevitable and roadblocks will always be there. We keep moving
forward and improving ourselves every day. I always strive to be a better person than I was
the day before, as well as constantly improve the work that I do. Achieving my BHAG will
show her that she can do anything she sets her mind to.

1. How does your BHAG align with your mission statement from Module 4?

I strive to reduce stress and anxiety by focusing on things that I enjoy, such as spending
time with my family, practicing Potawatomi language & culture, and helping people in my
community with the work that I do.
My BHAG ties into my mission statement as half of it directly ties into the Potawatomi
community. Being able to manage my stress and anxiety will help me through the difficult
& stressful role as a chairwoman of the Pokagon Band. Learning more Potawatomi
language & culture will show citizen's my dedication to the tribe and how I live as a
nishnabe kwe (original people woman). It is important to me to learn all that I can as I was
not raised in the Native community, and am an adult learner. I feel that I have more to
prove and I feel that those on tribal council should have more than a basic knowledge of
Potawatomi language & culture.

1. List your top five (5) obstacles in order from number 5 being least difficult and
number 1 being most difficult you need to overcome in order to obtain your BHAG
and explain the relevance of each one.
My biggest obstacle to getting there is self-confidence. I have always struggled with
confidence, which is why I have rarely followed through with goals or desires I set for
myself. I wanted to go to college for music when I was in high school. I took extra violin
lessons to prepare me for the audition. I didn’t even sign up for the audition. I signed up for
general studies courses instead. I have a serious fear of not being good enough, and my
previous life experiences have helped solidify those fears. To overcome this obstacle, I will
surround myself with people who make me feel confident. I will work hard to change how I
think about myself and my capabilities.

My second obstacle to getting there is public speaking. I actually do not have a big fear of
public speaking beforehand. I am fine with it right up until I open my mouth to speak. I
used to be terrified of public speaking in high school. Public speaking was a requirement at
Indiana University when I was beginning my college career. That class was so relaxed, I
didn’t feel like I was giving presentations, and I often volunteered to be one of the first to
present. It was partly because I wanted to get it out of the way and also because I was
freshly practiced. I also took the Dale Carnegie course at work when I was young. I learned
a lot about public speaking and gained some self confidence. A lot has happened since then
but I still have my books and materials, so I can read over those to remind myself of
everything I learned about storytelling and speaking to a group of people.

The next obstacle is persuading people to vote. We have a nepotism issue in Indian Nation
(this is applicable to probably most tribes, if not all) because the families are large, and we
are all family. There’s no real way to avoid it. I work in a department with 2 of my cousins.
My aunt’s office is behind mine, and I have at least one cousin working in each department.
The issue is persuading people to vote for morals versus family. The same few people keep
getting voted in because they come from large families who make up a large portion of the
voting pool. People who don’t live in the service area (10 counties between Indiana &
Michigan) aren’t as likely to vote as those who live in the service area and receive services.
The only time voters turn up at numbers over 500 (of 4500 legal aged voters) is when
something is on the ballot that has to do with money in their pockets. I need to be able to
persuade those who do not vote to vote because everyone wants change. There will be no
change until the leaders change, and that of course, means the voters need to show up.

The fourth obstacle is networking. I have plenty of networking opportunities through my

work and community events, but that isn’t my issue. My issue is that I switch from
extrovert to introvert very quickly depending on mood fluctuations and whatever situation
caused the moods. I may decide not to go to an event if I am feeling introverted, unless I
 am required. If I am not required and do decide to go, I may not be in the mood to network
with anyone outside, or sometimes even inside, my own circle. Or, on some occasions I
push myself to go and make an effort to distract myself. Going forward, I will work on
following through with going to the community events that interest me and being around
other people, instead of staying in my head by myself. I will also not pass up volunteer
opportunities through Pokagon Band or my daughter’s dance team, or any future team she
may do in the future.

The final obstacle is to save money to do the campaign. While no one currently goes all out
for tribal campaigns, many have been doing yard signs lately. As the tribe grows in
numbers as time goes on, it is perfectly reasonable to assume that tribal campaigns for our
tribe may be a little more than modest at that point. I want to be prepared financially for
anything that comes my way when the time comes. To do this, I will save money from my
personal income and possibly organize fundraisers, if necessary.

Section 2: Career Vision

Consider your long-term vision for your career. Respond to the following questions, and make
connections to your personal mission statement, your BHAG(s), the themes you developed in
Module 4, and the textbook/supplemental readings (as applicable).

Answer the following:

1. Analyze the type of career you want to have, in terms of an organizational career or
a protean career, make sure it is clear you understand the concepts as outlined in the
textbook. Why?

Tribal Chairperson would be a protean career. There are required weekly meetings, but the
rest of the duties can be done just about anywhere at any time. I would definitely carve out
office hours each week so that I would not be labeled as elusive by government employees
and citizens. I want to be available for comments, concerns, and questions. I will also enjoy
the aspect of being able to get things done when I need to. Knowing that the weekly
meetings are on the same days and times every week makes scheduling other appointments
and conflicts around them easier.
1. Analyze your career with an explanation as one that moves you up the organization
or one you develop seeking alternative career paths. If you see yourself taking an
alternative career path, which one(s) sound the most likely? Why?

Considering that my BHAG is the top elected position on the Tribal Council it is an
alternative career path. There is no direct path to take, but there are plenty of opportunities
to expand my experience to prepare me for the role. First, is to complete my Organizational
Leadership degree with the submission of this assignment. Next, as I feel the
Organizational Leadership degree is very broad and applicable to tribal governance, I want
to close the gap, and take courses specific to tribal leadership. The Pokagon Band of
Potawatomi and Southwestern Michigan College have a Tribal Leadership Certificate
program. This takes approximately 1 year to complete. While taking these courses, I will
apply for leadership opportunities in the government in which I would be a qualified
applicant. I feel it may be important to take positions in different departments across the
government to identify needs of the government and its citizens, as well as familiarize
myself with the rules and regulations of tribal funded programs and grant funded programs.
Understanding these policies and communicating them to those who are invested in the day
to day operations of the tribe I feel is something key that is lacking with our current
administration. Then, I will apply for leadership opportunities in the government in which I
would be a qualified applicant such as supervisor, manager, or director of certain
departments. Next, I will be pursuing elected positions on the tribal council, such as
Member-at-Large or Secretary. I do not feel like I will have a hard time gaining support, as
I am a well-known, well-liked employee of the government. I do feel that I will have a hard
time gaining enough support as one large family has a bit of a monopoly of votes. Even
though I also come from one of the largest families, I am unsure it would be enough unless
I take these steps to prepare myself to be the change I feel we need.

1. Discuss and explain if you see yourself working an alternative or flexible work
schedule/arrangement? If so, which ones and why?

I prefer flexible work schedules. On Tribal Council, while there are set dates/times for
required meetings, where I would work and when would be up to me. I could work in my
office on site, or I could work at home. I prefer flexible work schedules because I like to be
able to fit my schedule around the schedules of my family.

1. Research and post current, or past, job postings from your local area, across the
country, or from around the world which illustrate how you might reach your
BHAG. Be sure to provide the Job Title, a small description and why it supports
your BHAG when you provide the URL. Websites such as CareerBuilder, Monster,
or Indeed might be a good place to begin. Also, career-specific websites such as
SHRM.org or AICPA.org often have job postings. Provide 2 listings for each of the
following time periods:
a. 2 years from today
i. Gaming Inspector Pokagon Band of Potawatomi
1. Under the supervision of a Senior Gaming Inspector and
general direction of the Chief Gaming Inspector, the Gaming
Inspector will ensure enforcement and compliance of the
compact between the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians
and the State of Michigan, Gaming Regulatory Act, the
National Indian Gaming Commission Minimum Internal
Control Standards, and the Regulations. The Gaming
Inspector will observe the operation of the casino activities
including, but not limited to, casino layout, casino games,
casino equipment, casino personnel, patrons and other
areas of the facility relating to casino operations. The
Gaming Inspector will monitor the operation of the casino’s
online gaming activity, including Internet Gaming and
Internet Sport Wagering.
ii. As it stands now, Tribal Council acts as a dual role of tribal
governance as well as the Pokagon Band Gaming Authority which
oversees the operations of the Pokagon Band’s casinos. While I
already have a good understanding of casino operations after 7
years in Surveillance as an Operator & Shift Lead, becoming a
Gaming Inspector for the Gaming Commission will give me even
more insight into what I will be looking for on the Gaming Authority.

https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html
?cid=0528a983-eff0-40d1-9539-1ae4fdee6aff&ccId=19000101_000001&type=MP&l
ang=en_US&selectedMenuKey=CurrentOpenings

i. Human Resources Benefits Manager - Match-E-Be-Nash-E-Wish (Gun

Lake) Band of Potawatomi
1. The Benefits Manager is responsible for the planning,
implementation and administration of all Gun Lake Tribe’s
employee benefits, wellness and leave programs. This position
is also responsible for evaluating employee benefit policies and
ensuring they are current, compliant, competitive, and legal.
Responsible for the distribution of benefits information to
employees and provide assistance with access to programs.
 ii. I think that experience in Human Resources is important to
understanding the organizational operations of tribal governments. I
meet most of the essential duties of the position except for actual
human resources experience, I have done most of the other essential
functions. Data collection and analysis is an essential function in my
current position, and I meet the supervisory requirements. I do have
unofficial knowledge of benefits and insurance as my mother worked
in insurance and she has taught me things over the years.

https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html
?cid=92b306d5-183d-4451-b6d6-7d08e1169b24&ccId=19000101_000001&typ
e=MP&lang=en_US&utm_source=Job+Description+Opt+In+-+11.29.18&utm_
campaign=4a8e45397b-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_06_15_12_47_COPY_01
&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_ce1ebf2a3a-4a8e45397b-&selectedMenu
Key=CareerCenter

a. 5 years from today

i. Grant Writer - Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa
1. The Grant Writer will work with the Compliance Coordinator to
support all program development and grant procurement activity in
all Tribal departments. This position will also assist with
department-specific strategic planning and evaluation to help
define Tribal needs, gaps and overlap in services, and program and
policy strengths and areas for improvement.
ii. While completing the Tribal Leadership degree, a grant writing course will
be taken. Earlier this year, I bought two books to teach myself how to
write grants. Grant writing is an important skill in tribal governance.
Being able to write grants will make me an even more valuable asset to the
tribe.

https://gtbindians.com/JobPosting/GrantWriter.pdf

i. Internal Auditor - Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa

1. The person in this position reports directly to the Internal Audit
Manager. Will assist in monitoring LTBB Gaming and Hotel
operations for compliance with the National Indian Gaming
Commission requirements, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa
Indians Tribal Minimum Internal Control Standards, Little
Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians/State of Michigan Compact,
policy and procedures, and all other applicable standards with
respect to the operations. Also, conduct audits of the Gaming
 Operations and assess effectiveness of controls, accuracy of
financial records, and efficiency of operations.
ii. Being an auditor for the casino operations of LTBB of Odawa, I will gain
essential knowledge of the auditing process for casino operations, which
will expand my knowledge of Indian Gaming for me to be an essential
member of the Pokagon Band Gaming Authority.

https://ltbbodawa-nsn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Internal-Auditor-REPO
STED-04.14.2021.pdf

a. 10 years from today

i. Tribal Council Member-At-Large
1. Each Tribal Council person shall:
a. Shall be responsible for being informed in tribal law and
procedures and in issues before the Council
b. Shall make a good-faith effort to attend all Council
meetings
c. Shall vote for each matter up for vote while in attendance at
a Council meeting, except when a conflict of interest arises
d. Each Council member serving as a member of a committee
or as a representative of the Council or the Band is
responsible for keeping the Tribal Council appropriately
informed
e. Shall abide by the conflict-of-interest provisions and the
Code of Ethics mandated by Article XVII of the
Constitution
2. Tribal Council Member At Large
a. Represent the Band’s membership
b. Perform such other duties as may be specified by the
Constitution, by tribal code, or as required by the Tribal
Council

https://www.pokagonband-nsn.gov/government/tribal-council
Note: Links to tribal council job descriptions are only available to Pokagon
Band citizens. Job descriptions were pulled from this year’s election packet.

i. Tribal Council Secretary

1. Each Tribal Council person shall:
a. Shall be responsible for being informed in tribal law and
procedures and in issues before the Council
 b. Shall make a good-faith effort to attend all Council
meetings
c. Shall vote for each matter up for vote while in attendance at
a Council meeting, except when a conflict of interest arises
d. Each Council member serving as a member of a committee
or as a representative of the Council or the Band is
responsible for keeping the Tribal Council appropriately
informed
e. Shall abide by the conflict-of-interest provisions and the
Code of Ethics mandated by Article XVII of the
Constitution
2. Tribal Council Secretary
a. Represent the Band’s membership
b. Ensure that a report of the minutes of all Tribal Council and
Tribal Council Membership Meetings are recorded,
maintained, and submitted to the Tribal Council
c. Ensure that a record of all votes of the Tribal Council,
accepting motions regarding routine procedural matters of a
closed session, is submitted for inclusion in a Tribal
monthly publication.
d. Be responsible for the maintenance and protection of Tribal
Council records and minutes for the records of all other
instrumentalities under Tribal Council’s oversight, and for
the maintenance and protection of the Tribal Seal.
e. Perform such other duties as may be specified by this
Constitution, by tribal code, or as required by the Tribal
Council.

https://www.pokagonband-nsn.gov/government/tribal-council

a. BHAG Achievement Year

i. Tribal Council Chairperson
1. Each Tribal Council person shall:
a. Shall be responsible for being informed in tribal law and
procedures and in issues before the Council
b. Shall make a good-faith effort to attend all Council
meetings
c. Shall vote for each matter up for vote while in attendance at
a Council meeting, except when a conflict of interest arises
 d. Each Council member serving as a member of a committee
or as a representative of the Council or the Band is
responsible for keeping the Tribal Council appropriately
informed
e. Shall abide by the conflict-of-interest provisions and the
Code of Ethics mandated by Article XVII of the
Constitution
2. Tribal Council Chairperson
a. Represent the Band’s membership
b. Preside at all meetings of the Tribal Council and general
membership except as otherwise provided for in this
Constitution
c. Represent the Tribal Council in its relations with others
d. Personally, or through a Council member designated by the
Chairperson, be an ex-officio, non-voting member of all
committees of the Tribal COuncil, with the right and
privilege of attending all committee meeting and access to
all information available to other committee members, or
alternatively to be appointed as a Tribal Council member of
any committee, with full voting rights.
e. Call special meetings of the Tribal Council and any
committee of the COuncil, in accordance with this
Constitution and the rules and procedures of the Tribal
Council.
f. Receive reports of all committees and deliver such reports
or cause such reports to be delivered to the Tribal Council.
g. Sign contracts authorized by the Tribal Council, unless
additional or other signatures are specified by the Tribal
Council
h. Perform such other duties as may be specified by this
Constitution, by tribal code, or as required by the Tribal
Council.

Except as authorised by the Tribal Council, the Chairperson

alone shall not take any action which under this
Constitution must be taken by the tribal Council.

https://www.pokagonband-nsn.gov/government/tribal-council
Section 3: Long-Term Strategy
Develop a strategy for moving toward your ideal future work/life situation and the realization of
your BHAG(s). Consider the timeframe for your BHAG(s). Provide a vivid description of life
“the way it will be” once your BHAG is realized.

1. Critically think about and then list out (not a narrative format) the interim steps or
milestones you have laid out for yourself that will aid you in reaching your BHAG
(you should have at least 10 to earn a rating of excellent and be referenced by time)
● Bachelor's Degree - 2021
● Tribal Leadership Certificate - 2022
● Fluent in Potawatomi language by 2023
● Learn about & participate in as many cultural ceremonies as possible and be
knowledgeable about most of them by 2024
● Be in a Tribal Leadership position by 2024
● Save $5000 for miscellaneous for Tribal Council election and maintain for future
elections
● Run for Member-At-Large or Secretary - 2030 election
● Run for Chairperson - 2033
● Maintain position for 3 consecutive 3-year terms
● Retire at age 58 - 2042

1. In addition to career-related roles, consider your other life roles in relation to your
career goals. Revisit your responses to the Identities Exercise that you completed in
Module 1 of the course. Based on your long-term strategy, what are the 3 most
precious things you are willing to sacrifice, besides time, to achieve your BHAG?
Why?

My first sacrifice would be missing some important events in the lives of my family and
friends. As my responsibilities in the tribe increase, there may be times when I have to
work instead of attend a kid’s game or attend a function or event for a close family or
friend. While I will never be happy about missing something important, I can take a little
comfort in knowing that my work within the tribe is important and does benefit my family
in many ways.
 The second sacrifice would be my location. I am happy in Southwestern Michigan, but to
get to the goal of Tribal Chairperson, I may need to be willing to relocate and work in other
Tribal Nations where jobs may be available for my next career move. I would rather not
move away from my family and support system. I will always make the best decisions for
my family, and if the right opportunity comes along, I would be willing to relocate.

The third sacrifice should be the easiest, but may actually be hardest because of the habit,
which is eliminating distracting activities such as games and scrolling Facebook on my
phone. While working on priority tasks, I will put my phone away or off to help me focus
on whatever duty or task that needs to be done to ensure that I do not waste what little time
I will have to do the things I enjoy, because as much as I play on my phone, I don’t really
enjoy it.

Section 4: The one to two year plan

Using a SMART goals-based approach, as well as project planning and management skill best
practices, create a detailed project plan for at least two specific goals. At least one must be
related to your long-term BHAG. The other may be related to some other aspect of your career
development or career-life integration. Both of these goals need to be things that you are
passionate about accomplishing.

Your selected goals and SMART plan (see SMART goal information provided in the module)
should be structured based on a one to two-year timeline. It should include specific milestones,
action items, sub-tasks as well as task-related interdependencies as applicable. With respect to
each goal, critically think about what specifically are the things you will do in the next one to
two years to achieve these goals.

Develop a clear and detailed SMART plan, with facilitating goals and steps/actions required
to accomplish your selected goals. It should be evident, by looking at the format and structure
of your plan, that you have developed some significant skills with respect to project
management. Include Gantt charts (T) or other visual project representations as you see fit, and
be sure to address your approach to tracking/measuring your progress (M).
1. What is your #1 Goal? (at least one of the following must be related to your BHAG)

I will learn the Potawatomi Language within 2 years

Finally, provide a Gantt chart using the tools provided).

a. Specific (provide details about the goal)

i. Potawatomi Language classes are offered through the Pokagon Band
Language & culture department. We also have 6 chapters available on the
Mango Language app. The Language & Culture department also produces
videos and other materials to supplement language learning. I will take
advantage of all the resources available to me to aid my learning of the
language. I am currently at the intermediate level.
b. Measurable (explain how you’ll measure your progress or completion)
i. I will be able to measure my progress by participating in class activities
and conversing with others in the Potawatomi Language. If I struggle, I
ask for clarification. Sometimes the pronunciation is difficult. When
practicing conversational topics and there are vocabulary to choose from, I
choose the more difficult to pronounce words until I have it down.
c. Attainable (explain why this is possible)
i. Learning the Potawatomi language in 2 years is attainable as we have
fluent speakers teaching the classes and other resources available. I am
very confident in speaking what I do know of the language, and catch on
to what I am taught quickly. I also have family support and who want to
learn with me. In fact, we have a goal to speak only Potawatomi at home
in October 2021.
d. Relevant (explain why this matters to you)
i. This is relevant to me as a Potawatomi citizen and because I feel that
speaking and living Potawatomi Language & Culture is essential for
leadership in Potawatomi governance. Due to circumstances in Indian
Country beginning approximately 500 years ago, many Native cultures are
dying. Pokagon Band almost had to adopt the Ojibwe language to
compensate for our loss of language. I feel it is my duty to learn all I can
about Potawatomi Language and Culture to preserve it for future
generations.
e. Time-Based (provide the timeframe in which you’ll complete this goal)
i. I think it is completely reasonable to learn the Potawatomi language at an
advanced level within 2 years. I have been working at it for almost 2 years
and got the hang of it without too much effort. With even more effort (as I
will no longer have schoolwork as an obstacle) I will be able to learn at an
accelerated pace.
1. What is your #2 Goal? (at least one of these must be related to your BHAG)

Obtain Tribal Leadership Certificate within 2 years

a. S
i. The Pokagon Band has a partnership with Southwestern Michigan College
for a leadership certificate. Principles of Accounting I, American Indian
Studies and Policy, Marketing, Micro and Macroeconomics represent just
16 of the 28 total required credits. Pursuing this certificate customizes the
learning experience to knowledge needed in tribal governance.
b. M
i. This goal is measurable as the courses are graded and a certificate is
received at the end. I will participate in class to ensure that I understand
the materials being taught. This is also measurable by the skills and
knowledge I will obtain and implement by taking the courses.
c. A
i. This goal is attainable because I am intelligent and can complete
coursework at at least a satisfactory level, although, of course I strive for
higher. I ask for clarification when I do not understand. I will also be held
accountable to this as I work for the Department of Education currently at
the Pokagon Band and the certificate partnership belongs to us. I will
always be made an example as a face of the Department of Education.
d. R
i. This certificate is relevant for any job I do or work for any tribe, but it is
especially recognizable for leadership within the Pokagon Band. Having
this certificate, as well as my Organizational Leadership degree, gives me
the tools I need to succeed in tribal governance.
e. T
i. This certificate is attainable within 1 year. I might spread it out over the
course of two years depending on how many classes needed to be taken at
one time to be completed in 1 year. To have the best balance between
home, work, and professional development I will most likely only be able
to handle one course at a time.