Presentation Transcript

1. Working in Extension: Strategies for Success

   Agriculture Family & Consumer Sciences (FCS) 4-H Youth Development Research & Education Centers Sea Grant Extension Nia Imani Fields 4-H Educator, Baltimore County Tom Hutson 4-H Educator, Talbot County Debbie Ross, Regional I.T. Coordinator
2. Before We Begin…Do You Know Your Acronyms/Abbreviations? MCE MDA MCERS CSREES AA / ADA FAR / OPA Maryland Cooperative Extension Maryland Department of Agriculture Maryland Cooperative Extension Reporting System Cooperative State, Research Education and Extension Service Affirmative Action / Americans with Disability Act Faculty Activities Report / Outside Professional Activities
3. The Strategies at a Glance Set Goals and Work Toward Them Prioritize and Stay Organized Find and Use Available Resources Continue Your Professional Development Always Be Professional Go the Extra Mile for People Present a Positive Attitude Be Proactive
4. 1. Set Goals and Work Toward Them Always support the mission of Extension. Always support the mission of your program area. Find your niche Develop short term, medium term, and long term goals. Utilize your IEP and/or annual planning calendars Update your UMD Bio https://www.agnr.umd.edu/AGNRWebAdmin/index.cfm Understand your job and DO your job.
5. 2. Prioritize and Stay Organized MCE Binders Time Management Work with a “To Do List” & include estimated deadlines Consider setting aside 30 mins. each morning to respond to e-mails/voicemails Coordinate your personal & work calendars
6. Prioritize and Stay Organized Continued… Create a useful filing system Color coded folders with primary and sub labels (i.e. Committees-MCE Annual Conference) Sectioned binders for major programs/files Carry a To-Go-Kit if you teach in the field MCE Conf. Committees
7. 3. Find and Use Available Resources Identify Educators with similar interest and expertise Identify a listing of local organizations that can partner with and/or strengthen your programs Identify staff who can answer common questions How many resources can you name?
8. Important Resources Administrative reports Volunteer development Institutional Review Board Timesheets / FLS Web Pages Grants / Contracts Travel Tuition remission Retirement/leave Anything and everything! CED/RED Lisa Dennis, 4-H; Jon Traunfeld, Master Gardeners Jonathan Kays CED/RED/George Boker/Dan Ramia Sue Johnston/Mark Shute RED/David Sohns – AGNR Bus. Office CED/RED/Mindy Abrams Payne Janet Carroll RED business manager http://www.wred.umd.edu
9. 4. Continue Your Professional Development Identify which skills you want to strengthen on an annual basis Plan an annual calendar of professional development opportunities (build into IEP for faculty/faculty extension assistants; consider during staff performance review) Look within and outside of UMD/MCE Reach out to your Director/Supervisor and Regional Directors if your aren’t finding appropriate training opportunities
10. 5. Always Be Professional Remember our mission: Extension uses university research to benefit the public through informal educational programs and services. Follow the Golden Rule: ALWAYS do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Speak/write/dress/behave professionally. Work across program areas: We are ALL Extension. Show your co-workers and consumers that you value them all EQUALLY.
11. 6. Go the Extra Mile for People Make an effort to return EVERY e-mail or phone message that contains a question for you. People feel valued when you acknowledge them. People will view you as a team player. If you can’t answer someone’s question, help that person find the appropriate resources. Emphasize QUALITY in your Extension work. People can tell when you have done something half way. High quality written/oral communication tells people your work is important.
12. 7. Present a Positive Attitude Become a positive spokesperson for the University of Maryland. Our jobs exist to serve the public. Be optimistic and enthusiastic when working with co-workers and consumers. Fake it if you have to! Other people do NOT deserve to suffer because of your bad mood. Use warmth/humor/respect as tools. Being professional does not mean being distant. People support the work of those who treat them well.
13. 8. Be Proactive Think of possible solutions BEFORE you bring attention to problems and needs. People are happy to see you coming if you have suggestions instead of complaints. Try to understand the people you work with. People of different ages and backgrounds tend to have different attitudes and values. Understanding people helps us serve them better. Interact with people in formats that make them comfortable. Take the “But” out of discussions Saying “Those ideas are great, but…” instantly negates all of your praise. Leaving out “but” helps a discussion.
14. What Strategies Could Help? It is Friday at 4:25 p.m. Ana, a program assistant, realizes that she still needs to complete her time sheet, her travel form, and gather supplies for a workshop she is teaching first thing Monday morning. She is an hourly employee and she is not permitted to exceed 40 hours per week. 1. Goals 2. Organization 3. Resources 4. Professionalism 5. Extra Mile 6. Professional Development 7. Positive Attitude 8. Be Proactive
15. What Strategies Could Help? 1. Goals 2. Organization 3. Resources 4. Professionalism 5. Extra Mile 6. Professional Development 7. Positive Attitude 8. Be Proactive Keith is a new faculty extension assistant. He loves technology and he never goes anywhere without his iPod and his cell phone. Keith considers himself to be a multi-tasker. He always sends and receives text messages during staff meetings. He routinely checks his e-mail and makes personal calls during his volunteer training classes.
16. What Strategies Could Help? 1. Goals 2. Organization 3. Resources 4. Professionalism 5. Extra Mile 6. Professional Development 7. Positive Attitude 8. Be Proactive Dwayne is an overwhelmed Extension educator. One day he is working in the office. Everyone else is away except the administrative assistant, but she is out to lunch. A visitor enters the office and says she needs information. “The person you need is out today. Come back tomorrow,” he says, frustrated. He then closes the door to his office so he can get some work done.
17. And on top of everything else… Find ways to make your job FUN. Welcome to Extension: We’re glad you’re here.