Spontaneity

My group presented to our client last Thursday evening and it went MUCH better than expected.  Going into our final task, we were not sure who would be showing up with regards to our client…or if anyone would show up at all!  It had been somewhat of a struggle over the semester to collect data and really engage with the client.  But, we learned from these barriers and were able to draw information in a more creative way through observations.  We had a wonderful, authentic conversation on Thursday…which was a bit nerve-racking in the beginning, but as time went on you could definitely feel that they were genuinely interested in what we had to say.  It so good that our efforts seemed to pay off…and we are very confident that they will use some of our information, and not just throw our presentation binder into the bottom drawer!  It was a wonderful experience overall and we were able to learn so much.  Now, my time is coming to an end for this master’s program and it is a bittersweet feeling.  I will miss our classes and discussions, but will continue the learning process as I implement my new knowledge in the workplace.  Thanks to everyone for your support and wisdom over the last few years…and best of luck to you all!

I am sitting here…in from of my computer…trying to figure out: WHERE ON EARTH DO I BEGIN when reflecting on my entire experience here at VCU, while pursuing (and obtaining very soon) my Master’s Degree in Adult Education?! It has been such a wonderful experience over the last three years, which went by incredibly fast. I guess time does fly when you are having fun…or maybe it’s due to the fact that I was incredibly busy with school, work, or traveling! Speaking of, during my first year Dr. Carter always thought I needed to settle down with a nice girl since I apparently traveled too much. Well, not only am I graduating this summer with a Master’s degree, but I will be getting married in August! So, a quick recap over the last 3 years during this program = 3 promotions, completing my M.Ed, and getting married to a wonderful gal! I mean, need I say more?! I will though

In the beginning, I was a little intimidated with my course load on top of my full time position in career services. I had not been in school for about 5 years, so it was a little difficult to manage everything. But, fortunately I had a great professor (Dr. Carter) who made everyone feel so welcome…and gave me the confidence that I would succeed in the program. Learning (again) was so much fun! I actually looked forward to class every week, which is something that couldn’t really be said for a majority of my undergrad courses – I honestly couldn’t wait to graduate. Yet, here I find myself a little bummed out that graduation is next month. Don’t get me wrong…I am SUPER excited that the time is near and it is such a great accomplishment. But, I will miss so much from the program – so it is a bittersweet ending. I have had the chance to meet some great people, most of which will be graduating along with me in May. Everyone hailed from different backgrounds, which made the learning experience so much more valuable each and every semester. When I first thought of a master’s degree in education, I never imagined I would have classes with people who held the following positions (to name a few and I might not mention them in perfect detail): VP of Human Resources, Head of the VCU Dental School Training Program, Teacher, Post Office Employee, Medical Lab worker, Project Manager, Social Worker, and the list goes on. There was no one from my background…and that held true for pretty much everyone else. Such a diverse group…such a diverse learning environment…and such a rich experience.

Speaking of the experience…another great part was the fact that I cold transfer my learning directly to my own place of work. I developed a great training program for the career services department, which was implemented last year via SharePoint. I was also able to introduce various training methods into our annual meeting to encourage transfer of learning. Furthermore, I took on an open systems approach within our own campus and the group dynamics have strengthened immensely. Our management practices have improved and you can feel it and see it throughout our campus. These are only small examples of what I have been able to accomplish at work, while learning strategies in school. Currently, I have been practicing “action learning” with my own teams in career services and I believe everyone has benefited from this process…including myself. Instead of telling people how things are done, I am asking good questions to see what they think…and decisions are made together. They are all a part of the learning process and motivation is very high right now. Both campuses in Richmond were ranked #1 and #2 among ALL ECPI campuses (Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina) for placement percentages last month. We hope to stay on top and I believe the success has been a result of what I have learned in this master’s program. Even the students reap the rewards of my education…and their enthusiasm to succeed says it all!

Of course, everything was not as easy as it sounds. I had to learn how to seriously manage my time each semester in order to accomplish my goals for each class. Many classes involved group work, which always resulted in huge learning opportunities. Even when the group process did not go so well, we were still able to gather valuable knowledge from the experience itself. Furthermore, we were asked to do a lot of research throughout the course of this program, supplementing our class discussions our required readings. The research process was SOOOO valuable to me. At first, I thought I would get a little burned out…but instead, I found myself wanting more and more! I would stay up until 3am sometimes to research processes, strategies, etc. related to HRD and wouldn’t even miss the time that went by. I was totally submersed in my learning…that to me is HUGE piece of evidence that this program was completely worth the effort. I enjoyed every bit of it so much and hope to continue this journey. I am now in a position in which people will be depending on me for their own career development and I believe that this program has prepared me for that endeavor. As for my formal education, my goal is to obtain my doctorate degree…but a few years off may be in order!

One of the main factors to my success in this program was the instruction received from such great professors. They all gave us so much enthusiasm to succeed in our careers utilizing the knowledge gained from the various classes of this program. Also, when I thought I was getting in over my head…my professors were able to put everything in perspective, getting me back on a good path. This was very apparent in my final class of the program – the capstone (ADLT 636). I managed to land in a wonderful group, all of whom I knew from previous classes. But, the client turned out to be a little more difficult than we (and Dr. Carter) anticipated. We grew very frustrated at times since things were not going smoothly. Since this was our first time consulting as a group using all of the techniques we had gathered over the years…it was a little disappointing that things did not go a little more according to plan (flawless consulting!). Yet, Dr. Carter eased the tension and helped us see the overall value of the experience. She also taught us unique ways to express our observations and setbacks in the client meeting so that they (the client) would benefit the most. Now, we are confident that our experience will net positive outcomes after our final presentation…and our time spent will be well worth it. It is kind of a good thing that we were able to work with a diverse client, in which things did not go as planned. We now have this experience under our belt and will be better prepared for unforeseen barriers in the future. That is one thing that this program has taught us: be flexible and expect the unexpected!

My reflections for many of the classes within this program can be found on the portfolio section of my blog. I could go on and on about each class, but it seems a lot easier to just make a reference those reflective essays! You can also view some of my best work from each class…giving you an excellent idea of what I was able to accomplish. Once I graduated from Miami University with my Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Statistics, I never thought I would go back for a Master’s Degree…especially in Adult Education. I also never thought I would be in an education-related career, but here I am…happy as can be! My grandparents really wanted me to pursue my master’s degree and I owe them all the credit in the world for staying on me. There were times when motivation to come back to school was low, but they gave me the push I needed. Once I finally met with Dr. Carter in the summer of 2006…I was immediately sold and couldn’t believe what the program actually entailed. My eyes were opened, indeed…and my interest to continue my education rose with every class I took. I know I said earlier that I may need a break from school after this endeavor, but after a few weeks away from such a rich learning environment I don’t see how I could stay away for more than a summer

It has been a while since I have written on this – not even sure who is still “watching” out there, but I thought it could use some new words of wisdom!  This semester is my last and I am only taking one class – the capstone course.  It has definitely been a roller coaster ride from the get go!  We are working with a local independent radio station as our client and have found that consulting is not as easy as it seems in class!  The client approached us with what they thought was the problem – committed listenership – which was defined as people who both listen and donate to the station.  Well, after some further investigation it seems there is an underlying problem of communication and management.  Unfortunately, we have not had much access to volunteers, management, or listeners…so we have had to be very creative with our data gathering.  Yet, it is amazing how much we have learned from simple observations regarding interaction between us and the client, interaction among station members, listening to the station, and viewing the website.  We have also collected some research from outside sources and even managed to gather data from other similar radio stations in Colorado, Nebraska, and New Jersey.

There have been multiple points in which we (my team) were extremely frustrated, and it seems that a lot of it has to do with poor timing!  It is also very difficult to track members of the station down since the are volunteers themselves and have other jobs, responsibilities, etc.  But, we have pulled together in a strong way and feel we have plenty to offer in our final presentation to the client.  We hope they take our findings to heart and use it to benefit the station in some way, shape, or form.  The most important thing, though, is how much we have all learned from this process.  We have all grown stronger in multiple facets and continue to develop as HRD practitioners.

I will follow up in about 3 weeks with a full blog recapping the entire process in detail, along with our final presentation success

Wow…what an interesting and successful semester!  I never imagined that I would learn as much as I have over the last few months.  Many of us have had ups and downs throughout the course of the semester, and we were all able to learn from those experiences.  I have recently been told of my promotion that I have been after for quite some time, and I can’t wait to incorporate the strategies I have gathered throughout this program.  The new year will indeed bring many new challenges for me and my department…and I welcome them all with open arms.  Chatting with you all throughout the semester has given more confidence in my own abilities.  The blogging over the last few months has been a wonderful experience, and I hope to continue the process.  It really helps me put things in perspective.  Furthermore, the Cmap exercise was extremely helpful and I have actually referenced it many times.  It is amazing how much we incorporated into the map…and how BIG that thing got!  I am very interested to see how this course goes next year using the Cmap technology.  I think it is a very useful tool…and hope to incorporate it here at work for our own learning purposes.

Another semester down…and only ONE MORE TO GO!  I really can’t believe how fast these last few years have passed by.  We have all learned so much from our instructors, but more importantly – from each other.  I will really miss that aspect each week when I complete this program in April.  Everyone of you have truly inspired me…and I hope I had a similar affect on you all.  Have a great holiday break and to those that are in the capstone class – see you in January!  To Vanessa – CONGRATULATIONS AND STAY IN TOUCH!  To the rest of you – thanks for your support, contribution, and authenticity throughout the semester…it is greatly appreciated and best of luck to you!

And above all…thanks, Dr. Carter, for all you do!  

What a Thanksgiving!!  Ate entirely too much…hung with the family…then drove back to Richmond for a great wedding and reception at The Jefferson Hotel…where, again, I ate entirely too much.  Now, we are all back to finish up the home stretch of coursework.  This has been a quick semester, but a very valuable one indeed.  Yesterday, I had a surprise visit from one of the directors from corporate and we had a nice chat about the position I have been interested in (executive director of career services).  We spoke of career services and how I envisioned the department in the future.  We both shared ideas…and strangely enough agreed on everything.  She is a great leader in her own regard and was fascinated with my ideas pulled from the Schein text…and other classes as well.  Mainly, we spoke of the communication aspect of a successful organization.  This is one portion of our department that needs help…which is where cultural leadership comes into play.  She also noticed an article I had on my desk, which spoke of appreciative inquiry.  After thinking about it more, this may be a wonderful method to evaluate our current processes in career services.  Anyway, it was a great meeting and I am hoping to move forward in the interview process so a decision can be made.  All of us have learned so much and I am SOOOOO eager to implement various strategies described by Schein, as well as others.  We have a strong department and remain a key aspect of student success, since their overall goal is to find a position in their field of study.  Yet, there is so much more we can do as a department…and I hope to be the one to lead us to the next level of success. 

If anyone happens to come across this before next week, have a great Thanksgiving feast and enjoy the time off work…and school!  I will be in Danville, VA with the family…but then coming back Friday for, you guessed it, ANOTHER wedding.  Fortunately, it will be the last until May 2009 – my sister’s.   I will also be working on my cultural analysis, which is nearly complete.  I found it very useful to summarize my findings, and then reference my notes from Schein from the applicable chapters.  I actually learned a bit more through the process, on top of what we have all digested during class discussions and the continued creation of our CMap!  See you next week. 

Wow…what a week I have had.  First of all, to any of those who read this – I am now ENGAGED!  Yup, Dr. Carter’s wish finally came true for me   Second, I successfully facilitated the first (of many) regional director’s meeting for career services at the Newport News campus last Wednesday.  We stuck to my objectives, accomplished the tasks, and walked away with more motivation than ever.  It is amazing how much can be accomplished in a group when principles of adult learning (HRD) are put in use.  We accomplished so much during a limited time frame (4 hours), and believe this is the beginning of something great for our department.  I will keep everyone posted!

I also wanted to comment on the chapters we were assigned for our next class (which related a bit to my recent endeavors at work).  Schein mentions the anxiety that is associated with change efforts.  I definitely agree and have been part of several change processes that elicited that very emotion.  Yet, when change is pushed forward at my campus…I get the psychological safety from my campus president.  He makes us all feel that the new processes are achievable and possible.  He gives us the comfort and motivation needed to overcome the anxiety aspect.  This actually has occurred recently with the change-over to SACS accreditation…BIG CHANGE!  I admire this aspect of our leader, and hope to have the same effect when I encourage change.  Another interesting question posed by Schein was whether or not organizations can make successful change without some sort of threat or crisis before people will be motivated to make the change.  In my experience, most people tend to make change when they can see it is necessary – basically, during a crisis such as employment percentages dropping off drastically or several people leaving important positions/roles.  I think many people have the “if it aint broke, don’t fix it” kind of attitude.  In my department, it is very difficult to encourage change at this point, since we have been very successful over the last few years.  Some advisers do not see the need to change anything, which is why our past annual meetings have been somewhat of a disappointment.  We spend so much time/effort gearing up for the event and proposing new “best practices”, but in the end…everyone resorts back to their old ways.  Well, after reading Schein and understanding the importance of the LEADER…along with cultural norms, assumptions, etc., I am very confident that I can motivate our department forward.  We have a great team in place…along with some great processes and ideas.  It is now my goal to expand upon our current successes and lead us into the next level…a higher level!

Since we do not have class this week, I will use this time to talk about the current BCS standings in college football and how this system is flawed!!!  HAHA…just kidding.  Maybe another time, but for now…I want to talk about a few things going on that relate to class.  First of all, I have run into a few “snags” during the process of gathering information for my cultural analysis.  Erica mentioned her own frustrations on the class wiki, and I must agree that lately, the people I need to speak to are either too busy or not available!  This is a very busy time at the college since we are approaching the end of the year – many of us have staff conferences and annual meetings over the next 3 weeks.  Furthermore, we must submit our annual reports along with accreditation reports for our new SACS approval.  Anyway, its a rough time to track down people…and get quality answers to my questions.  BUT…I will prevail!  I also wanted to talk about an experience I had last week during our advisory board event.  This was hosted at our Moorefield campus, which is only about 20 minues from my campus in Innsbrook.  Anyway, we have had many discussions about subcultures and this was an excellent example.  Even though both campuses work under the same mission and strive for the same goals, the atmosphere is so very different when comparing the two.  This experience of mine might be better served during class in order to elicit a discussion.  It truly was an eventful experience…

During the last class, we were discussing chapters 12 and 13 in Schein…and something jumped out at me: leaders have a big role in determining who is let in to the culture, and currently career services is without that piece to the puzzle!  Over the last several years, our executive director worked diligently to create a successful career services culture across all campuses that worked.  Success rates are at an all time high in terms of placement percentages, customer service ratings, and career fair attendance.  Turnover is at an all-time low and communication has increased among all campuses.  Well, the executive director responsible for this culture change has left the organization for a new and exciting opportunity.  Corporate has decided to set aside the need to fill her position, due to other important issues that require immediate attention.  I fear that the longer we wait to hire a new “leader”, the more our culture will dissolve as a whole.  For instance, when career advisers were hired…our executive director had a big part in that process – ensuring that the person would fit in the overall culture of our department.  Well, with out this influence…the decision to hire rests solely in the hands of the campus president – at each campus.  Therefore, new members to our team will (well, “could”) be hired to fit a particular campus culture, rather than the career services culture.  Now…this is not a fact, just a hunch.  The good news, though, is that the various campus career services directors are getting together to ensure the continued success of our culture.  I sparked this idea, and will be leading a directors meeting next week with all career services directors in the region (Virginia).  This will be the first meeting of its kind, but we hope to have a successful go at it and leave with some great take aways and calls to action.  We also hope it will gain further support from corporate and become a norm for career services – perhaps a quarterly process among all 3 regions (VA, NC, and SC).  Experiences could be shared and communicated through newsletters, VCom meetings, etc.  It would keep us all on the same page in the absence of an executive director…and our culture in check, so to speak.  Our fearless leader paved the way for a new career services department…and I for one plan to resume her vision…our vision!

I feel like the “blogging” has been a little light lately on my part, as I have been reading a great deal and beginning my own cultural analysis.  Also, of course with the colder temps comes my annual 2 week long cold, with a touch of strep throat to make it all SOOOO interesting!  The few chapters of Schein I have read in preparation for Thursday’s class were very interesting, especially since it focused on the creation of culture through leaders.  The examples used were great…and showcased how the initial creator of the company left deep impressions in the company culture…long after he was gone.  This has always been a subject of interest for me – how these large companies with such strong cultures were formed.  Take my own culture for instance…over 50 years ago Alfred Dreyfus had a vision…and wanted to create a learning atmosphere in the technical niche.  He gathered others who held similar visions…and a culture was born.  Today, his focus on the student and their overall success is still the overall goal of this educational institution.  From the main campus, new branches developed…and new leaders emerged.  The great thing about our college is that we all hold beliefs similar to those of Alfred Dreyfus, but each campus operates in its own unique way…and it has worked very well over the years…and will continue to do so!  Alfred had a strong vision, was a strong leader, and was not scared of the unknown.  He made the necessary proposals so that solutions could be developed.  The culture today has morphed into a great learning atmosphere for a very diverse group of students  – young and old.  You can still see his (Alfred Dreyfus) vision within our own campus motif: embrace…strengthen…succeed – one student at a time.  We might do things a little differently today (new curriculum, new standards, new cultures), but a majority of today’s assumptions can be traced back to the beliefs and values of Alfred Dreyfus – OUR founder.

I would definitely like to research this idea more with some of the “best companies” to work for in the US (they always have those lists each year)…see how the company was formed and the culture along with it…and whether or not the assumptions of today can be traced back to the original beliefs/values of the founder.  Not sure how much I could find, but it would still be interesting the current success can be raced back to the initial culture!