PowerPoint Presentation

Professional Competency or Complacency: Moving Beyond the OK Plateau

2012 NASPA CONFERENCEMarch 13, 2012 Phoenix, ArizonaPresented byBrigham Young UniversityDean of Students OfficeNorm RobertsSarah WesterbergJonathan KauMoving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK PlateauProfessional Competency or Complacency?Student Affairs Aspirational ClimateHuman Performance & the OK PlateauFunctional FixednessExpectations in Everyday Performance How are we doing and how does this matter?Moving beyond the OK PlateauExperience as individuals, with colleaguesStrategies and Interventions

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK PlateauStudent AffairsThe Aspirational ClimateMoving Beyond the OK PlateauAspirational ExpressionsIgnite Leadership Influence Change

Now is the time to expand the capacity of our institutions, our colleagues, and ourselves.We are challenged to alter the way we approach our work, if we are to stay relevant in a changing environment.

Larry D. Roper2012 NASPA Conference chairMoving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK PlateauAspirsational Expressions:

The Purpose of Student AffairsNASPA Competency AreasThe organizations and philosophies under which we workWhen ambitions reach the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK Plateau

Moving Beyond the OK Plateau

Josh Foer2006 National Memory Champion, author of Moonwalking with Einstein

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK PlateauAspiration v. RealityHuman Performance and the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK PlateauFitts & Posners Three Stage ModelAttempt to understand task. Patchwork of old habits & new routines

New behaviors become routine and patterns.Errors begin to reduce.

Process become autonomous; rate of performance increases.

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK PlateauThree Stage Model & Cognitive SkillsUnderstand without application. Information acquisition.

Study problems with feedback. Acquire heuristics.

Solve problems without conceptual errors. Improve speed & accuracy

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK PlateauFitts & Posner ObservationsTo improve performance, motivation, feedback and opportunities for improvement must exist.Hypothesis of Par:People tend to set a standard of excellence & are content to meet but not exceed the standard.The aspiration level is habitually set below the level one is capable of achieving.

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK Plateau

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauBecoming Experts?Most individuals who start as active professionalsincrease their performance for a limited time until they reach an acceptable level.Once performance is autonomous individuals no longer attemptimprovements typically [leading] to a stable plateau of performance

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK PlateauDaniel Pink Video SegmentFunctional FixednessMoving Beyond the OK PlateauPerformance expectationsHow are we doing and how does this matter?Moving Beyond the OK Plateau

Moving Beyond the OK Plateau

Roger BannisterMay 6, 1954Moving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK PlateauAvoiding complacency and routineMoving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK Plateau

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauSPLAT GoalSeek

Persistent

Learning over

Autonomous

Tendencies

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK PlateauYour Experiences?Igniting Leadership Influencing ChangeRemaining motivatedPractical opportunities for engagementIntellectual CuriosityProblem Solving MentalityFostering an ethic of progressMoving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK Plateau

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauMentoring, Supervision and CoachingEncourage mentoring and coaching by colleagues within Student Affairs

Carrot and stick style supervision

Encourage informal coachingMoving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK Plateau

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauJob Description and Performance ReviewRead job description regularlyAdd detail to job descriptionsUse Annual Performance Review as an opportunity to nurture and reflectRead Annual Performance Review report regularly throughout the yearConduct self assessment of own work behaviors and practices on regular basisOpenly discuss career development opportunitiesMoving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK Plateau

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauReading and Exploration of LiteratureIdentify the best books Internalize ideas from the best booksEstablish a reading scheduleMake reading articles on professional practice and issues an expectation rather than an extra, e.g. departmental reading listApply literature to real workSupport staff in quest for higher degrees/trainingMoving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK PlateauProfessional Organizations and Conference PresentationsAllow yourself to be inspired by others

Be willing to share ideas and move beyond comfort zone

Always seek to be a leader in your field

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauNASPA CompetenciesUnderstand professional standards and how your work measures up

Implement institutional norms for achieving NASPA competencies

Validate/reward those who achieve NASPA competency

Moving Beyond the OK Plateau

Moving Beyond the OK PlateauNo service that matters can be given over a lifetime by those who stop learning. A great teacher is always studying. the workplace in every industry is changing so rapidly that what we know today will not be enough for tomorrow.Our education must never stop.

President Henry B. EyringEducation for Real LifeMoving Beyond the OK PlateauMoving Beyond the OK Plateau