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Suggested Professional Development Activities

EXPAND ACCOUNTABILITIES:

  • Expand a staff member's job content to include a wider variety of tasks, risk taking opportunities, greater responsibility and/or authority.
  • Ensure that different types of tasks and levels of responsibility are needed, not just more work in the same task.
  • Monitor and review the staff member's progress.

ATTENDANCE AND INVOLVEMENT IN DEPARTMENT, DIVISION, STAFF OR OTHER SPECIALLY DESIGNATED MEETINGS:

  • Select the meeting(s) which will provide the staff member with the knowledge, exposure or broadening needed.
  • Pre-plan the staff member's involvement in the meeting and determine the expected outcome for the staff member.
  • Review the meeting with the staff member - emphasizing the areas related to the anticipated results (e.g. exposure to thinking at a more global instead of local level).

ON-THE-JOB COACHING AND FEEDBACK COUNSELING:

  • Provide skill and knowledge by answering questions, reviewing work, discussing progress and providing general direction.
  • Work through actual problems in order to share insight and problem solving strategies.
  • Monitor development progress and feed back the results.

SERVING AS A CONFERENCE LEADER OR TRAINER:

  • Schedule the staff member to serve as a conference leader or trainer.
  • Teaching others is a valuable way to obtain new knowledge, broaden one's viewpoint and clarify one's thinking.
  • Select training responsibilities that put the staff member in touch with new operations, process or operating problems.
  • Review audience responses with the staff member.

FORMAL PRESENTATION OPPORTUNITIES:

  • Assign a presentation that will give the staff member an opportunity to develop planning and organization skills as well as effectiveness in speaking.
  • Review and critique the plan prior to presentation.
  • Provide feedback on the effectiveness of presentation.

UNDERSTUDY TRAINING:

  • Prepare the staff member to assume the responsibility of his or her supervisor either as a substitute or as a replacement.
  • Provide opportunity to observe and be involved in the day-to-day responsibility of the supervisor's job.

PLANNED EXPOSURE TO ANOTHER FUNCTION:

  • Expose the staff member to lateral job functions either on a project or observation basis.
  • Identify and plan the expected outcomes with the staff member.
  • Review and critique the exposure experience.

LATERAL TRANSFER:

  • Transfer the staff member to another job at the same position level to broaden his/her knowledge and experience as well as develop an appreciation for viewpoints and interrelationships of various groups within the organization.

VACATION OR REPLACEMENT ASSIGNMENTS:

  • Assign the staff member to responsibilities of his/her superior when the superior is on vacation or extended travel.
  • Review the assignment with the staff member and critique his or her performance.

SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT:

  • Select a problem area that will require increased analytical ability, improved judgment, knowledge of the organization and/or decision-making skills.
  • Assign an in-depth study of the problem area.
  • Review and critique the study.

SPECIAL TEAM PROJECTS OR ASSIGNMENTS:

  • Place the staff member in a group problem-solving situation to develop his/her skills in working with others.
  • Place the staff member in a group with representatives from various parts of the organization to develop the participant's knowledge and understanding of the organization.
  • Review and critique the staff member's performance or participation.

WORK ONE-ON-ONE WITH A SPECIALIST:

  • Arrange to have the staff member talk or work with people experienced in specific areas.
  • Arrange to have the staff member talk or work with external professionals.
  • Follow-up to review new ideas, perspectives, and knowledge gained.

IN-HOUSE TRAINING PROGRAMS:

  • Enroll the staff member in an applicable in-house course or program at Learning and Organization Development, DUHS Education Services, the Professional Development Institute and/or Continuing Education.
  • Have the staff member report on what was learned.
  • Provide the staff member with access to computer-based training.

OUTSIDE FUNCTIONAL TRAINING:

  • Carefully select outside professional development programs.
  • Ensure that the programs (e.g., leadership development, functional broadening, or technical education) meet the organization's and staff member's specific needs.
  • Consider community college and university courses that can be used to teach specific skills.

SELF-DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS:

  • Schedule participants in interpersonal skills and motivational programs.
  • Expect only short-term effects.

READING SKILLS TRAINING:

  • Enroll the staff member in reading courses to increase reading skill and comprehension.
  • Use organizational or community literacy programs.

STUDY MANUALS, BULLETINS, REPORTS AND OTHER PRINTED MATERIALS:

  • Carefully select the reading material and have the staff member study it.
  • Follow-up and discuss the insights and/or knowledge gained as well as its applicability.

PLANNED READING IN SPECIALIZED FIELDS (E.G. TECHNICAL BOOKS, TRADE JOURNALS, MANAGEMENT LITERATURE, ETC.):

  • Limit the amount of time spent on reading by carefully planning the reading assignment.
  • Reinforce the staff member's effort and demonstrate interest in his/her development by follow-up discussion of material covered.
  • Encourage the staff member to check out books, tapes, videos and journals from the internet and/or department/university/local libraries.

MENTORING:

  • Share your experience, knowledge and ideas on specific topics with the staff member in order to encourage him/her to try new approaches to solving problems.

HOME STUDY COURSES AND FORMAL EVENING COURSES:

  • Select courses through many community colleges, universities and professional associations.
  • Such courses require a great deal of self-discipline and effort.
  • Review progress.

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY AND CIVIC AFFAIRS:

  • Encourage the staff member to become involved in community organizations in order to develop leadership ability, skills in planning and organizing, problem-solving ability and community awareness.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS:

  • Carefully select and evaluate the workshops.
  • Select participation on a voluntary basis only.
  • Select workshops to help gain new insights into his/her personal style and how others perceive him/her in interpersonal relationships.

MODELING OR ROLE PLAYING:

  • Demonstrate to the staff member the appropriate behavior in a specific situation (e.g. evaluation discussions).
  • Allow the staff member to practice the demonstrated behaviors.
  • Critique the staff member using the S-B-I feedback model.

PLANNED STRUCTURED BEHAVIOR CHANGE:

  • Identify desirable behaviors that need to increase.
  • Provide a means of systematically reinforcing positive behaviors.

PERSONAL COUNSELING BY A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL:

  • Arrange professional counseling (beginning with Personal Assistance Services) for a staff member who has personal or adjustment problems.

Managers