A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical ...

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

Region III

Head Start

Putting the “Pro” in ProfessionalLaura Hunt Trull

& Malinda Langford

Virginia Grantee Performance Support Specialists

2A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical Assistance Network

Learning Objectives

• Participants will complete a self-assessment of their individual professional skill set.

• Participants will expand and strengthen their understanding of skills for professional settings.

• Participants will discuss methods of incorporating professional skills into their work experiences.


What is Professionalism?

• According to www.dictionary.com :• pro fes sion al ism [pr⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ uh-fesh-uh-nl-iz-uh m]

- noun – 1. professional character, spirit, or methods.– 2. the standing, practice, or methods of a

professional, as distinguished from an amateur.• OK – so what is “professional”?


What is professional?

• pro fes sion al [pr⋅ ⋅ ⋅ uh-fesh-uh-nl] - adjective – 1. following an occupation as a means of

livelihood or for gain: a professional builder. • pro fes sion al [pr⋅ ⋅ ⋅ uh-fesh-uh-nl] - noun

– 13. a person who is expert at his or her work: You can tell by her comments that this editor is a real professional.


So… what is a profession?

• pro fes sion [pr⋅ ⋅ uh-fesh-uh n] - noun – 3. the body of persons engaged in an occupation

or calling: to be respected by the medical profession.


WOW! That doesn’t seem so simple!

• The OWL at Purdue University has developed a list of job skills, many of which are those of people who are experts in their field or at professional level positions.

• Please take a few minutes to conduct a self-assessment of your professionalism skills by circling the skills you possess and putting a * by the ones you’d like to strengthen. You will NOT be required to share, though will be encouraged to do so.


Professionalism Skills

• Professionalism Skills– Interpersonal – working with others and your

interactions with individuals and groups– Communication – thoughts and ideas both

verbally and non-verbally– Organization – managing time and tasks– Technical – specialized practical ability


Activity

• Which skills fall into each category?

Interpersonal Communication

Technical Organizational


Interpersonal Skills

• in ter per son al [in-ter-pur-s⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ uh-nl] - adjective – 1. of or pertaining to the relations between

persons.– 2. existing or occurring between persons.



Community Members

Supervisor(s)

Allied Professionals

People you Supervise

Coworkers

Service Recipients

You



• Scenario: You are an employee in good standing. You have good relationships at work. It is a particularly busy day and you have done a lot of planning to ensure the day goes smoothly. You are waiting for a coworker, Marcy, to arrive and depending on her to get started with the tasks of the day. She walks in 20 minutes late…

• How are you feeling?• What are some possible actions you could take?• What are the positive and/or negative results of those actions?• What could your coworker have done to make this situation go more

smoothly?• What do you think most people do “wrong” in this situation?• How does this interaction affect your relationship with:

– Marcy– Your supervisor and those you supervise– Service recipients– Allied Professionals and Community Members


Communication Skills

• com mu ni ca tion [kuh-myoo-ni-key-shuh n] ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ - noun – 3. something imparted, interchanged, or

transmitted.



Types of Communication

Direct Indirect

Verbal Nonverbal Verbal Nonverbal

In person

Via Phone

Email

Text Message/Facebook/

Twitter etc.

Written Note

Reporting to Supervisor

Talking with Outside Person

Body Language

Keeping log of communication



• What categories of communication were used in your potential interactions with Marcy?

• Which ones do you think would be most and/or least successful?

• Which types of communication are “easier”? Why?

• Which types of communication are “harder”? Why?



Communication Preferences

1. Choose direct over indirect first.

2. Choose verbal over nonverbal first.

3. Choose In-person first.


Direct Indirect

Verbal Nonverbal

In Person

Via Phone



Communication Preferences4. When in-person is not

possible, choose via phone.

5. When verbal is not possible or has failed, choose direct non-verbal via email or confidential note. It is not appropriate to consider text messaging, facebook, etc. as professional communication.


Direct Indirect

Verbal Nonverbal

In Person

Via Phone

Email

Text Message/Facebook/

Twitter etc.

Written Note



Communication Preferences6. When Direct

Communication has been tried and failed, choose Indirect.

7. When choosing Indirect Communication, begin with your supervisor. It is not appropriate to have professional communication with parties outside the situation. Communication via body language is not reliable or professional.


Direct Indirect

Verbal Nonverbal



Body Language

Keeping Log of Communication



Communication Preferences

8. Keeping a communication log is recommended. This can be as simple as a small notebook where you jot down when you made a phone call, had a meeting, or sent an email.


Direct Indirect

Verbal Nonverbal



Body Language

Keeping Log of Communication



Marcy,I expected you here at

8:00AM today so that we could begin our project. At 8:15AM, I had to leave so as not to hold up the others. Please contact me at 540-555-1234 to let me know your plan for the rest of the day. Let’s chat about this face-to-face tomorrow.

Thanks,Laura

Marcy,At the project. See you

tomorrow!Thanks,Laura

Marcy,You were late and I left. You

are dead meat, sister. Don’t bother talking to me tomorrow.

Thanks,Laura


Conflict Management

• Conflict Management – the hybrid of Communication and Interpersonal Skills– In The Crisis

• Manage your emotions – how?• Remember who is most important – children and

families – are they being affected?– After The Crisis

• Deal with the situation directly.• Seek appropriate support.• Be accountable – most streets go both ways.


Organizational Skills

• or gan i za tion [awr-g⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ uh-nuh-zey-shuh n] - noun – 1. the act or process of organizing.– 2. the state or manner of being organized.



• Understand expectations– Tasks – what exactly should you be doing?– Timeframes – when exactly should it be done?– Priorities – what is the most important?– Boundaries – what are the constraints?

• Financial• People to work with• What happens if it doesn’t happen?



• Have a method– How do you organize your time?

• Calendars – both electronic and paper• Amount of time for tasks

– How do your organize your tasks?• Checklists• Post-its• Technology – PDA

• What methods of organization work for you?


Technical Skills

• tech ni cal [tek-ni-k⋅ ⋅ uh l] - adjective – 4. skilled in or familiar in a practical way with a

particular art, trade, etc., as a person.


Technical Skills

• Include a broad variety of skills, from data entry to fork-lift driving.

• Common technical skills of professionals include:– Professional Dress– Appropriate Language– Boundaries– Writing/speaking skills


Technical Skills

• Professional Dress• “Dress for the job you want, not the job you

have.”• What is professional dress for front-line staff? • What is professional dress for

supervisors/managers?• Is there a way to dress for the job you want in

the job you have?• What messages do we send with our clothing?


Technical Skills – Professional Dress


Technical Skills

• Appropriate Language– Respectful– Uses words comfortable to other person– Uses greeting in home language, if possible– Avoid abbreviations or acronyms unless sure the

person understand them– Avoid slang and slurs at all times


Technical Skills

• Boundaries - Questions to ask yourself:– Is it OK to go to the birthday party of someone at

work?– Is it OK to go to a bar with someone from work?– Is it OK to discuss your personal business, such as

romantic relationships with someone from work?– Does your answer change if any of these people

are someone you supervise, someone who supervises you or a coworker?


Technical Skills

• Boundaries– Can be friendly with those they supervise, but not

friends outside of work.– Can be friendly with their supervisor, but not

friends outside of work.– Can have friendly relationships with coworkers,

but be clear about the outside of work relationship.

– Romantic relationships?


Technical Skills

• Boundaries – Transitioning from Coworker to Supervisor– Sometimes this is voluntary (your promotion) and

sometimes it is not – status of work relationships can change any time.

– If friendly, but professional boundaries are set and maintained in the coworker relationship, transition to supervisor is smoother.

– It is more difficult to put strict boundaries in place after a time than to set up strict boundaries first and then loosen them.


Technical Skills

• Writing and Speaking Skills– No matter what job you are in, you are going to

have to write something and/or speak to someone at some point.

– When possible, prepare what you will write or say.– Have someone look it over and give you honest

feedback.– Strengthen these skills with writing or speaking

classes – available at your local community college.


Writing an Email

• Greetings and closings• Spelling and grammar• Fonts, backgrounds• “Small talk”


Voicemail

• What messages are conveyed about you when someone reaches your voicemail?

• Proper voicemail etiquette– Full name and association– Date and time– Brief message– Call back information


Basic Job Skills

• The hybrid of organizational and technical skills include:– Punctuality – be where you are supposed to.– Accountability – do what you are supposed to.– Planning – think about what you are supposed to

do ahead of time.– Prioritizing – make sure the most important things

you are supposed to be doing are done first.


Contact

Questions? Thank you!!!

Laura Hunt Trull and Malinda LangfordVirginia Grantee Performance Support [email protected] [email protected] 703-380-6964

A member of the National Head Start Training and Technical ...

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