# Presentation: 036188

## Self Development:  How to Help Yourself and ARS

- National AO Conference
- Colorado Springs, CO
- April 23-27, 2001

## Self Development

- Presenters:
- Diane M. Strub, AAO, Midwest Area
- Deb Larson, Acctg Tech, Northern Plains
- Sheila Zeto, LAO, North Atlantic

## Self Development

- _Goal of this Session_:
- Provide you some tools,
- resources and tips to help
- you climb the ladder of
- success in your ARS career

## Let’s Loosen Up!

- Write down, as fast and furious as you can,
- what frustrates you about your present job;
- what do you worry about; what are your
- career challenges?      Ready, Set, Write!

## Self Development

- What does a successful LAO look like to you?

## Self Development - KSAs

- Interpersonal Skills
- How well you communicate is key to how you relate to your supervisor, your staff, your customers.
- Research of successful individuals show they attribute their success to interpersonal skills (85%) and technical skills (15%)

## Self Development – KSAs 2

- Organizational Skills
- Would you call yourself organized?
- How do you prioritize multiple tasks
-    and “juggle many hats”?
- What kind of time management tool do you use?

## Self Development – KSAs 3

- Increased Knowledge Base
- What are you reading?
- Who are you networking with?
- Where are your resources?
- Be a sponge!

## Self Development – KSAs 4

- Increased Technical Ability
- What training have you taken?
- What training do you need?
- What are your strengths  & weaknesses?
- What does your IDP look like?

## Self Development – KSAs 5

- Learn to Give and Take Direction
- How well do you take direction?
- How well do you lead your staff?
- Supervisory training is a must!
- Who is your mentor?

## Self Development

- Success Stories
- 	Diane, Sheila, Deb
- Success Stories – audience?

## Do’s and Don’ts  			2

- Take control of your own career.  Do not
- wait for things to happen to you but be
- open to opportunities.  Luck is simply
- preparation meeting opportunity!
- “The best way to predict the future is to
- create it.”  Peter Drucker

## Do’s and Don’ts  			3

- Consider yourself the first beneficiary of
- your work.  Consider it an exercise in
- developing yourself.
- Foster a “can do” attitude!

## Do’s and Don’ts  			3

- “Do 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.”
- 			Be willing to learn
- 			from your mistakes!

## Do’s and Don’ts  			4

- “The quality of a person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor.”  Vince Lombardi
- Jump in, be willing to take risks, be
- willing to ask for help, move ahead.

## Do’s and Don’ts

- “Never be afraid to try something new.
- Remember, amateurs built the ark;
- professionals built the Titantic.”

## Do’s and Don’ts

- Don’t be afraid to be in the “discomfort
- zone”, the risk zone, trying something
- new, being more than you are now and
- stretching yourself to new limits.

## Do’s and Don’ts  			5

- You need to learn how to deal with the
- “tyranny of the urgent”. Manage the
- stress, prioritize, and do your best.
- Strive for balance between
- your work life and your
- personal life.

## Do’s and Don’ts  			6

- Visit your research personnel; ask questions about their research.
- Sense of humor mandatory!
-    Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself.
- Learn how to delegate.
- There’s more than one way to skin a cat!  Empower your staff to be creative.

## Self Development - Handouts

- Individual Development Plan
- Brochure
- Sample IDP
- LAO Training Matrix
- Suggested Reading List
- Things to Consider

## Self Development – Handouts 

- SMART Center
- Useful Web sites
- Program Information
- New Leader Program
- LEAD
- CARE

## Self Development – Handouts

- Dr. Seuss Poem
- Addresses of Presenters
- Evaluation Form

## Self Development - Summary

- Your career is what you make it.  Be proactive.
- Utilize all your resources available to you.
- Challenge:
- Make new contacts while at the meeting.
- Plan your IDP and go to training!
- Read – pick one book off the list to read!
- Volunteer.
- Find a Mentor

## Self Development - Summary

- Strive for “WOW”!
- “I love my job!”
- Your customers love your service!
- You feel valued and have a sense of accomplishment!
- You are in a “good” place!
-                              				!