Self Development: How to Help Yourself and ARS

Self Development: How to Help Yourself and ARS

Diane M. Strub, MWA DADNACOP Training ConferenceAugust 18-19, 2010Norman, Oklahoma1Goal of this Session:

Share some thoughts and insightsto help you be successful in your ARS career.

Self Development

2What do you like about your job?Self Assessment

What dont you like/frustrates you? Do you feel successful? What can you change?What are your career challenges?Lets start out with some questions. 3What does Success look like to you:

Define Success

Climbing the career ladder? Salary? Self satisfaction? Quality work? Part of a successful team / inclusion? Recognition?How do I get lucky? Climbing the career ladder? - 1) Promotions; 2) More responsibility Salary - Bigger pay check? Do you understand that with that usually comes more responsibility; more expectations? Self Satisfaction Knowing that you have done the best you could do and are proud of what youve done Knowing that within the limits of my situation, I feel good about what Ive done and am building a solid reputation. Quality work? Ive built a reputation that indicates people can count on my work I dont settle for its good enough when it really isnt. Part of a successful team / inclusion All have an important part to play. All are a piece of the mechanism that makes it work. Share experience on Zenith assembly line making radios; every wire was important Recognition: Having others acknowledge that Im doing a good job; We all want a great job now and then

No matter which of the above or any other definition that you come up with for Success, it doesnt just happen. It invariably requires effort on your part, planning. I know some of you are thinking it also requires luck. If we were all honest we could think of someone that we think got ahead simply by being lucky or being in the right place or knowing the right person. But the truth most of the time is that Luck is simply preparation meeting opportunity. There is another quote that I really like that one of my former bosses always said: Every day you are on the job, you are on a job interview. The time to impress others isnt when you are wanting a promotion or another job but every day in the trenches doing the best you can do. Thats where you impress others and thats what others remember.

That said, what are some things you can do to be lucky or to have a successful job interview on a regular basis?4Interpersonal Skills

Research of successful individuals show they attribute their success to interpersonal skills (85%) and technical skills (15%).

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Research of successful individuals show they attribute their success to an 85/15 ratio of interpersonal skills to technical skills.

Do not think technical skills arent important, but how you present yourself, how you deliver the service to your customers, how you interact with your customers is critical.

Lets look at some of the interpersonal skills that are important.

5Interpersonal Skills

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Communication and self projection Positive thinking Good listener Can do attitude Team player Glass half full / half empty Humor/LaughterMaintain a positive attitude: Keep things in perspective; is this really important? Dont let the pesky things upset you. Let go of the negative; dont waste your time and energy You cant always control what happens to you but you can control how you react. Surround yourself with positive people. Good Listener1st - Hearing Listening enough to catch what the speaker is saying. For example, say you were listening to a report on zebras and the speaker mentioned that no two zebras are alike. If you can repeat the fact, you heard what was said.2nd - Understanding This happens when you take what you have heard and understand it in your own way. The zebra report -when you hear no two are alike, think about what that means. You might think, maybe this means the pattern of their stripes is difference in each zebra.3rd Judging - Are you sure you understand what the speaker has said, think about whether it makes sense. Do you believe what you heard? How could stripes be different in every zebra? But then again, fingerprints are different for every person. I think this seems believable. In order to hear, understand and judge what is being said, you need to give it your full attention, focus, let the speaker finish before you talk. Too often we are thinking of the next thing we want to say instead of really listeningCan Do Attitude Do you project that you are the go to person who can get the job done? Or are you one who is always thinking of why something wont work or why you dont want to do something. Sometimes we spend more time bemoaning having to do something than it takes to just do it. If you are a person that builds a reputation of always willing to research the issue in order to be able to get the job done, then when you do have to say this cant be done this way, your customer will accept that more readily because they know you always try to get it done.

Team Player Are you willing to be a team player or are you a loner? When I say loner, that could mean you dont like to give up control so you dont like being on a team. A team player is willing to let someone else be in charge and work for the bigger picture. A team player steps up and makes a contribution and recognizes that he/she has something to offer Glass half full/half empty Which are you? Are you a person that sees the positive, that sees the potential or do you tend to be the naysayer? People see things differently; For example, look at this picture. What do you see? An old woman or a young woman?Humor/Laughter You absolutely must have a good sense of humor. First of all laughter can relieve stress. Second, it is infectious and can change the environment Third, we spend no less than 8 hours at our jobs every day; you cant go that long without laughing about something. Dont take yourself or the situation so seriously; work hard, be focused but laugh at yourself!

6Organizational Skills

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

Are you organized? How do you prioritize multiple tasks and juggle many hats? What kind of time management tool do you use? This doesnt mean you are a perfectionist or a neat freak. But can you put your hands on what you need at a moments notice? Just as importantly, in your absence can others filling in for you step in and find what they need? Regardless of what position you are in, Im sure there are multiple tasks that you are juggling at any one time. How do you keep them organized and the due dates in front of you? Can you reprioritize on the fly? In todays frenetic pace, you need to be able to do that. Do you use something to manage your time? Im a Franklin Planner person myself. I used to use Franklin Planner Software but they dont make it anymore so now use Franklins Plan Plus for Outlook, much to the chagrin of my IT Specialist. She hates installing it for me because it does cause some glitches for her. Ive used a Franklin Planner in some form or other since 1992 and I would be lost without out. Even now since they out lawed us paying for it with appropriated dollars, it is worth it to me to buy my own because it is an invaluable tool. You dont have to be a Franklin Planner user but I would recommend you use something that keeps your To Do List in front of you. You need some way to track your Action Items. My boss uses Word to track his Action Items; he uses Outlook Calendar to track his appointments, etc. I use Plan Plus. Whatever works for you but you do need something. It can also be a great tool to use to go back and see what you got done this year!

7Increased Knowledge Base

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

What are you reading? Utilize your resources? P&Ps Reference Guides Manuals Job Aids Be a life long learner

What are you reading: Self improvement or self help Biographies Surf the net for inspiration

Where are your resources: Utilize what has been provided Improve upon what has been provided Create what has not been provided; create your own Job Aids or your own Desk Reference Guide if there isnt one. Whatever will help you with the tasks and duties you need to do. There are so many resources out there but one thing that frustrates many of us is when people dont use them. Do not take the approach that it is better to ask than to look it up. Look it up and then if you dont understand it, call the expert with that reference open in front of you and ask them to help make it clearer. They will be appreciative that you went to the reference first.

Be a life long learner Get over the idea that only children should spend their time in study. Be a student so long as you still have something to learn, and this will mean all your life. Henry L. Doherty Its what you learn after you know it all that counts. Harry S. Truman You learn something every day if you pay attention. Ray LeBlond I dont think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday. Abraham Lincoln The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live. Mortimer Adler Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Henry Ford You dont understand anything until you learn it more than one way. Marvin Minsky 8Increased Technical AbilityKnowledge/Skills/AbilitiesS.W.A.T. Training Abilities Weaknesses Strengths SWAT AnalysisHow many of you know what a SWAT Team is? In emergencies or threatening situations, they come in assess the threat and make a plan to difuse the situation.

In business, there is a SWOT analysis. In this case, you take a look at the businesss strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Well you need to do aSWAT Analysis of yourself. First, what are your Strengths? What do you do well? What are those things that someone could say he/she is extremely competent in that area? Second, what are your Weaknesses? Be honest, what are those things you arent as strong in? What are those things you either dont like or dont come as easily for you? What are those things you havent spent much time working on? Be assured, we all have them even the most senior employees in our organization have weaknesses Third, what are your Abilities? Synonyms: Aptitude, capability, talent, gift, knack What aptitude to you think you have but you havent nurtured it? Maybe you havent focused on it because your present job doesnt need that skill from you.Last, what Training needs or desires do you have? If you wanted to change your weaknesses to strengths, what do you need to do? If you want to change your abilities to strengths, what do you need to do? What will it take: Resources? Time? Commitment?

9DetailsTeams/ Committees /Task GroupsSpecial AssignmentsShadowing opportunities

Next StepsBuild a plan for your success Evaluate your environment Evaluate your personal situation Be open to opportunities

Build an IDPBuild a plan for your success What did you define earlier as your definition of success? Do you need to go back and really think long and hard about that?Evaluate your environment Is it conducive to you working toward a plan for success? Do you need to change your environment? Are you happy in your environment? What are you willing to do about it?

Evaluate your personal situation Does your personal situation align with what you define as being successful? What do you need to change? What do you want to change? What are you willing to change? What are you willing to do for yourself to be successful? Are you willing to work toward your goal of success or are you waiting for it to drop in your lap? Remember, not everyones definition of success is the same but no matter what it is, you have to be willing to work for it and then be content with your decisions.

Build an IDP Understand that there are many factors that go into developing an IDP and resources is one of them Get some ideas from others that have been in similar situations about what training might be good. Develop a multiple year IDP; doesnt have to be one year at a time but look at the bigger picture and then work to try to address it over a period of time.

Be Open to Opportunities Details - How many of you really understand what ARS does? Details can help you see and understand another part of the Agency? Teams/Committees/Task Groups These can be short-term commitments Can expose you to a broader network across the Area or Agency The caveat here is that you may have to start small and work up Usually, on an Agency-level team, we are looking for someone who has already established themselves as a contributor, a team player, a SME. So, build your reputation now. Remember, as I said before, every day you are on the job, you are on a job interview. Impress me now; dont wait until something comes along that you really want to do. Special Assignments Be willing to step out and take on a special task or assignment Build your reputation as someone who is willing to help others and/or take on the extra task Shadowing Opportunities Take or seek opportunities to shadow someone in a different office, Location, etc. These can help you understand what goes on at the next level.

10Luck: preparation meeting opportunity!

Next Steps Prepare for that lucky break The best way to predict the future is to create it. Peter Drucker

Formal Training

Self Development Build yourself a strong networkEvery day a job interview!

Prepare for that lucky break Luck is simply preparation meeting opportunity; None of us have a crystal ball to predict just when that opportunity will present itself, but in some cases we can have a pretty good idea Sometimes we know when a particular administrative staff person is going to retire; is it something you might be interested in? What are you doing to prepare yourself to be competitive? What are you doing to let it be known you have an interest and that your abilities might fit in nicely with some additional nurturing or training? What are you willing to do yourself to get ready?

If you arent prepared, you wont be ready Formal Training Mix it with self improvement; what have you done for yourself not just what has ARS done for me? Build a strong network iron sharpens iron Learn from each other; have someone you can call or email and exchange ideas with Sometimes who you know can help When I talked about being willing to take on a special assignment or be on a Committee, sometimes the selection process comes down to whose is known to be a willing participant. 11 Do understand every day you are on the job you are on a job interview.

Dos and Donts 1

Do foster a can do attitude! Dont wait for an opportunity to come before you prepare

I cannot stress enough that every day, you are on a job interview. Every day you have an opportunity to do well, to impress. I cant tell you how many times Ive either been on a interview panel or run an interview panel and had interviewees who had no clue what the job they were interviewing for was all about. They had done no homework about the job; had no idea what would be expected, had no idea what the work was all about. It just looked to be a higher paying job so they applied. They were also totally disappointed and didnt understand that their total lack of preparation was a key factor.

I also cant express enough how a can do attitude is so important. This involves taking initiative; doing the unexpected. I think about Sherri Buxton when I think of this. Since I have been in the MWA, she has worked for 4 different ADs. Each time she has been totally dedicated to that AD and gone the extra mile in trying to assist. Ive seen new ADs come in and in some cases think she had too much power or influence or was stepping over her bounds as the AD Secretary. The trouble was , they didnt see her as their Executive Assistant. I can tell you that it didnt take long before they were overwhelmed with the sheer volume of work and expectations; and all this time, Sherri kept offering to do this or that and take on something for them. In each case, she made herself indispensable to them and they realized it wasnt a question of over stepping her bounds, it was letting her be that Exec Asstnt and relieve them of everything she possible could.

12Do what you can with what you have right where you are. Teddy Roosevelt

Unless a person undertakes more than they can possibly do, they will never do all they possibly can.

Do be willing to learn from your mistakes! Dos and Donts 2

Do what you can with what you have right where you are. Too often we think I could really shine if I was in that situation or had that job or on and on. Are you shining where you are right now? Are you building a strong reputation not just in your own office but beyond your office within your Location, Area, Division?

Unless you take on more than you can do, you will never do all you can. Those that have been successful, regardless how they defined it, have always taken on more. Being successful means not being complacent or having a it is good enough attitude.

We all make mistakes. Admit it, learn from them and move on. Ive made some doosies over the years. But Ive tried to learn from them, fix what needed to be fixed, give myself a break about making the mistake and move on. And guess what, I continue to make other mistakes! The key is, I try not to make the same ones over again. Because if I continue to make the same mistakes, Im not growing and progressing. I have a good friend who over the years was not only a friend but was one of my accountability barometers. When she saw me making the same mistakes over again, she would lovingly but with fervor tell me, Take another lap, Diane. What she meant was, you keep going in circles, not progressing past this issue because you arent putting in the time it takes to grow in this area. She was usually right but it was hard to hear. 13The quality of a persons life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor. Vince Lombardi

Dont sit back and expect opportunity to knock on your door. If you dont prepare for it, you may not recognize it nor will anyone else recognize you as a candidate for that opportunity

Dos and Donts 3I started my Federal career as a Clerk Typist on the old Broadform Cooperative Agreement the predecessor to the RSA. Since then, Ive been a secretary to a RL, NPL, Associate AD, spent 18 months in intensive training to become an AO, worked as an AO/Facility Manager, AO, AAO, and now DAD. Ive worked in the Central Plains Area, NPS, NPA, MSA, and MWA. Ive worked at the MU level, Hqtrs level, Area level, Location level, and now again at the Area level. Ive had opportunities because I was able to be mobile. That mobility has created opportunities but they havent come without some personal sacrifice. Trust me on that. But, it has been a great ride.

However, there are others just as successful who have done it differently. You have people in this room who werent mobile because of their family situation. Their definition of success has been different but no less successful. There are people like Sandy Groneberg who has built a tremendous reputation within ARS without leaving her small isolated location and who will most likely not see any more promotions in her career. However, she has become a person known by Headquarters as a contributor, a SME, a person willing to take on outside tasks and is name requested now on various Agency level projects. It has not come by anything but hard work, commitment to excellence, and willingness to step outside her comfort zone.

14Never be afraid to try something new.Remember, amateurs built the ark;professionals built the Titanic.Dos and Donts 4

There are those who have been fortunate to make career changes without having to move. Georgetta Stonewall in my office is one example. She worked for years as the RL Secretary for the Mycotoxin MU in Peoria. She was highly regarded but she wanted a change. She applied for a Career Enhancement Contracting Specialist position on my staff about 8 years ago. She competed, was selected and had to take a downgrade to a GS5 for a year before she could advance through the series to her present Grade of GS11. It doesnt always happen that way but the point is she was willing to make a change, she felt she had abilities that would fit well in this field and she has been extremely successful in this career change.

Think about something you didnt think you could do but you did it and were successful. I would wager it involved you stepping outside your comfort zone to do it. If you havent had this opportunity yet, you need to do so. It will be somewhat scary at first but the more you do it, the easier it gets. Dont sell yourself short. Be will willing to expand your comfort zone. It is the only way you will grow.

15Dont be afraid to ask for some advice. Seek assistance on how to reach achieve your success.

Dos and Donts 5

Seek Advice Obviously you need to talk to your Supervisor about your situation. Maybe he/she has ideas. Make sure you know what it will take for you to attain the success you desire. Talk to someone who has been successful. How did they do it? Maybe seek a mentor who can guide you through your journey. Understand that it might not be easy and it might take some real sacrifice, depending on what you are defining as success There may be obstacles; do not expect it, whatever it is for you, to be handed to you. You need to do it the Merrill Lynch way you need to earn it!

16Do learn how to deal with thetyranny of the urgent. Manage the stress, prioritize, and do your best.

Dos and Donts 6

Do strive for balance between your work life and your personal life. As you make this journey to success, there will be many things to distract you, both personally and professionally. There will be stress, anxiety, time commitments, etc. But be careful to not get caught up in the tyranny of the urgent Those things that are important but which are a detractant to you attaining your career goals. Deal with them and put first things firs.

This is especially important as you make this journey to success. Depending on your situation, you will need to strive to maintain a balance between your work life and your personal life. If your definition of success involves climbing that career ladder to more higher level positions, understand that the expectations will grow and the realities will be that it can have an impact on your personal life. You will need to work for the balance. Some of us are still striving for that balance.

17Define your successSummary

Tap into all available resources. Start today: Meet some new people today. Be a life long learner. Work on a legitimate IDP. Be content with your choices. Plan how to achieve it.18