Maximizing Your Potential: Practical Advice from a 20-Something Dean James A. Troha, Ph.D. Vice President for Enrollment & Student Affairs Dean of Students Heidelberg College February 3, 2006

Agenda 1. Introductions 2. Why Student Affairs? 3. Leadership 4. Building Your Experience 5. Ladder Issues Degrees Degrees Training Training Mentors Mentors Public vs. Private Public vs. Private Length of service Length of service

My background Residence life (4 years) Residence life (4 years) Greek life (2 years) Greek life (2 years) Dean of Students (11 years) Dean of Students (11 years) Vice President for Student Affairs (4 years) Vice President for Student Affairs (4 years) Vice President for Enrollment (3 years) Vice President for Enrollment (3 years) Ph.D. Educational Policy and Leadership Ph.D. Educational Policy and Leadership

Why Student Affairs? Students Students Personality Personality Environment Environment Learning Learning Leadership Leadership

Leadership Leadership vs. Management “Managers are people who do things right and leaders are people who do the right thing” To manage means to bring about, to accomplish, to have charge of, responsibility for, to conduct. To manage means to bring about, to accomplish, to have charge of, responsibility for, to conduct. Leading is influencing, guiding in direction, course, action, opinion. Leading is influencing, guiding in direction, course, action, opinion.

Leadership What do Senior Student Affairs Officers say about leadership? What do Senior Student Affairs Officers say about leadership? – No single formula for success – Highly personalized leadership is needed; depends on institution and culture – Need to deal positively with stress, courage and integrity

Stress Serve at the pleasure of the President Serve at the pleasure of the President Long hours Long hours Many constituent groups Many constituent groups – Students, faculty, staff, parents, trustees, alumni, community members Single issues may often determine fate Single issues may often determine fate Unpredictable Unpredictable

Courage “If you want a place in the sun, you’ve got to put up with a few blisters.” “If you want a place in the sun, you’ve got to put up with a few blisters.” Criticism Criticism – The courage to move forward in view of expected controversy and opposition is a clear indication of successful leadership. Doing the right thing Doing the right thing Educational leadership means moving forward, developing new approaches. Educational leadership means moving forward, developing new approaches. Leadership is about risk. Leadership is about risk.

Integrity Trust Trust – “I may disagree with Dean Troha, but I know he was telling me the truth.” – Credibility – Policy development Fair but Firm Fair but Firm Consistency Consistency Flexibility Flexibility

Developing Your Own Experience Before we can talk about advancing your career, you must first do well in what you are doing. Before we can talk about advancing your career, you must first do well in what you are doing. – You are most promotable and most rewardable when you show superior performance at your current job. DO YOUR CURRENT JOB WELL! What does it take though to do your job well? Trendy word is competencies… I like the terms hard and soft skills. What does it take though to do your job well? Trendy word is competencies… I like the terms hard and soft skills.

Developing Your Own Experience Hard skills Hard skills – easy to measure (productivity, accuracy, timeliness) Soft skills Soft skills – just as important, but hard to measure (team player, good communication, personality, demeanor, relationships) YOU WILL BE MEASURED BY BOTH. You can be the best typist in the world but if nobody gives you anything to type because of your personality, you’re out of a job. YOU WILL BE MEASURED BY BOTH. You can be the best typist in the world but if nobody gives you anything to type because of your personality, you’re out of a job.

Basic Hard skills Show initiative (own your job) Show initiative (own your job) Meet deadlines Meet deadlines Do more than expected Do more than expected Have a goal in mind and share these goals Have a goal in mind and share these goals Work from a base of knowledge (avoid rumors; facts deserve respect from others) Work from a base of knowledge (avoid rumors; facts deserve respect from others) Don’t demand immediate payback or recognition Make lists and take notes! Each minute you spend planning can save 20 in execution! Don’t demand immediate payback or recognition Make lists and take notes! Each minute you spend planning can save 20 in execution!

Soft skills Positiveness; optimism (hire for attitude, train for skills) Positiveness; optimism (hire for attitude, train for skills) – Herb Kellerher, CEO for Southwest: “We look for people who have to excel to satisfy themselves and who work well in a collegial environment. We don’t care that much about education and experience because we can train people to do whatever they have to do. We hire attitudes.” People skills (other people have to want to be around you.) People skills (other people have to want to be around you.) Communication (small talk, conversation, avoid religion, politics, other social topics, know current events, listen) Communication (small talk, conversation, avoid religion, politics, other social topics, know current events, listen)

Soft Skills (cont…) Confident but humble Confident but humble – keep bad moods to yourself, work on fit, every interaction is a deposit in the workplace relationship bank Don’t be a talented jerk (know-it-all, elitist) Don’t be a talented jerk (know-it-all, elitist) Manage up (don’t kiss ass but play the game, understand boss’ game, preferences) Manage up (don’t kiss ass but play the game, understand boss’ game, preferences) Be pleasant, say hello to people, shake hands and look at them, use names, ask questions. Be pleasant, say hello to people, shake hands and look at them, use names, ask questions.

Movin’ on up! The burden for most of us is on us! Some are born into good positions, others have great luck but for most of us, WE ARE IT !

So how do we get promoted? What will give us the edge? MeetingsSpeakingCommitteesImpressionsIntentionality

Be a good meeting person Take up space (spread work materials in front of you, pull your chair up and sit straight, ignore dinner table etiquette and put your elbows on the table.) Take up space (spread work materials in front of you, pull your chair up and sit straight, ignore dinner table etiquette and put your elbows on the table.) Pay attention (don’t sit and nod your head like one of those car dolls; marks you as a subordinate; use words to agree or disagree) “Seek first to understand, then to be understood” Pay attention (don’t sit and nod your head like one of those car dolls; marks you as a subordinate; use words to agree or disagree) “Seek first to understand, then to be understood”

Be a good meeting person Don’t fidget (men average 12 major movements; women 27; the more you fidget, the more you siphon attention from you are saying; think poise) Don’t fidget (men average 12 major movements; women 27; the more you fidget, the more you siphon attention from you are saying; think poise) Finish your sentences (don’t repeat things, state your point clearly) Finish your sentences (don’t repeat things, state your point clearly)

Public speaking DO IT! DO IT! Preparation - know your audience, be comfortable with your material Preparation - know your audience, be comfortable with your material Use your nervousness (keeps you on your toes) Use your nervousness (keeps you on your toes) Use short sentences, dynamic words (use stories, visual aids, move around, look at audience) Use short sentences, dynamic words (use stories, visual aids, move around, look at audience) Believe that your audience wants you to do well Believe that your audience wants you to do well

Committee work Provides visibility Provides visibility – top levels of management already have visibility; you need it; – builds a network, lets your talent be seen – can’t let day to day performance decline though

Good impression Dress for success (the greater danger is not dressing for success and wanting it) Dress for success (the greater danger is not dressing for success and wanting it) Wear the costume of the organization (high tech companies not the norm) Wear the costume of the organization (high tech companies not the norm) Good personal hygiene Good personal hygiene

Strategize / Be Intentional Long, mid-range, short-range Long, mid-range, short-range Know yourself, be in the loop, get feedback, be a team player, accept change, have options, follow your plan, believe in yourself. Know yourself, be in the loop, get feedback, be a team player, accept change, have options, follow your plan, believe in yourself.

Ladder Issues Degrees Degrees Training Training Mentors Mentors Public vs. Private Public vs. Private Length of service Length of service

Other Ladder Issues

Conclusion “What am I good at?” “What am I good at?” “What do I enjoy?” “What do I enjoy?” “What are my contributions to students? The campus community?” “What are my contributions to students? The campus community?” “Am I satisfied and successful with what I am doing?” “Am I satisfied and successful with what I am doing?” “What are my opportunities for future growth?” “What are my opportunities for future growth?” “What do I want to do next?” “What do I want to do next?” “What has changed in my life the past year and how do I respond to that?” “What has changed in my life the past year and how do I respond to that?”

Thanks for Listening!!! QUESTIONS? Jim Troha (419)