Pyramid of RA Skill Sets

Earlier today I was talking with an AIMHO colleague who was seeking some insight about RA selection processes.  Near the end of our conversation she let me know that their department just loves my RA pyramid.  It actually made me speechless.  This is a pet project of mine that I've been fussing around with since I began working at the University of Arizona (UA) in 2008 and to see people start to find value in it is very humbling and invigorating.  To share my excitement I decided to do a blog post to share with others what has evolved into "The Pyramid of RA Skill Sets".  Before I unleash it I must share with everyone a few caveats.

1. This pyramid was not created using empirical evidence.  It was compiled through my anecdotal experiences, and collegial discussions with others, over my 6+ years of serving as the chief facilitator of RA selection processes at two different institutions.
2. This pyramid was created for the UA to harness our existing RA Competency list and help put some visual aid to what I see our overall, comprehensive, RA program at the UA can become. 
1. The experiences, skills and attributes we list in the pyramid are somewhat reflective of the general premise of the RA position, however have been selected intentionally to reflect our departments mission, vision and culture as well as the overall expectations placed upon RAs specifically at the UA
3. The terminology hierarchy has been thrown around now and then to describe the model.  This has some to do with the fact that there is some mirroring of Maslow's famed model of needs, but in no way is this as strictly hierarchical as his theory.
4. The overall premise is that when establishing a comprehensive RA program, some things are paramount:
1. The foundation of the program is having a process that can identify candidates who have experiences that set them up to have more success with the entry-level training program.  Face it, we don't have much time to train new RAs, so let's do all we can to get ahead of the training curve.
2. We will spend a lot of time evaluating, molding and shaping these new RAs to do some of the critical aspects of the position.  For some it comes naturally, for others it takes time - the constant is that if they were missing some of the foundational experiences it would be much more difficult.  That allows the fall training plan to be job responsibility specific and the ongoing evaluation and in-service program to help build on that training and provide further experience.
3. The top of the pyramid is reflective of the higher level attributes that some might possess naturally but that many will not attain without a specific and intentional program to help support their growth and development.

I would be remiss if I didn't take the time to acknowledge my good friend and colleague Julie Leos (@PhiMuJewls) for helping me shape the vision.  Julie served as my RA Selection Committee Co-Chair for two years and was instrumental in a) keeping me on track with this and b) using her maximizer to help us all maximize this idea.  She's a phenomenal professional and a phenomenal person who will do great, great things in this profession.

So please - feel free to use the idea and concept, or feel free to use the premise as a foundation for further discussion that can only help us all do a better job at finding our student staff members.

Hey Coach: What's your interview question lineup

As we begin to go down the path of "search season" I thought it would be fitting to share my thoughts around the "perfect" interview you.  Now keep in mind, this idea of perfect is purely in my head and means nothing, but I thought I'd take the time to share with my friends and colleagues as they start going down the path of hiring new student, grad and pro staff.

For those that know me, they know that I love analogies.  As I work with a bank of questions for an interview I liken it to putting together your batting lineup for game 7 of the world series.  So allow me to share with you my thoughts on the rules of putting together your lineup and share the analogy associated with asking questions.

*for this analogy please assume that game 7 will be played in an American League and therefore we will be employing the concept of the Designated Hitter (DH).

Rule: You must evaluate who your opponent is and select the best players given this scenario.  This includes the pitcher you will be facing, the layout of the ballpark, who's been in the zone, etc.

Analogy: You must pick the best questions given the scenario.  Evaluate what level you are interviewing (and the level applicants are expected to be at), what audience will be asking the question, and the values placed on the position by the organization/institution.

Rule: Always have the speedy, consistent hitter leading off - sets the tone for the entire game. 

Analogy: Always lead off with a quick, easy and consistent question.  Sets the tone for the interview and allows the candidate to get warmed up and get some good mojo on base.

Rule: #2 and #3 in the line-up need to be people who can make contact, move the lead-off around to scoring position and get on-base to set the stage for the clean-up hitter.  Your #3 hitter will most likely be your DH and is there for their sure bat.

Analogy: Your next couple of questions need to be good enough to assess what the candidate is bringing to the table and give the candidate a chance to get a feel of the interview.  Chances are the candidate wants to have the bases loaded when they hit the ball out of the park.

Rule: Big league ball clubs spend big league money on their #4 hitter.  Batting clean-up is the ultimate spot in the lineup.  Coming up with the bases loaded is where the #4 hitter earns their keep.

Analogy:  Put your most valuable, big money question near the middle of your lineup.  That's question varies depending on the position and audience but it's the question that's the cornerstone of what is valued for the position sought.  This is also when the candidate is most likely at their peak performance and in the zone and ready to unleash the big stick.  Also, if they loaded the bases with previous answers they can score a grand slam with the interview committee.

Rule: The game is not won after the cleanup hitter clears the bases.  Games are won and lost with strong hitting in the five to eight slot (second cleanup).  The #5 hitter needs to have some of the qualities of the #4 in case the cleanup hitter misses the mark, but has to be versatile enough to get on base when needed.  The #6-#8 batters all bring unique characteristics and are slotted in the batting lineup most likely for what they bring to the field defensively. 

Analogy: Your latter questions need to be solid enough to assess your candidates experiences and skills.  Remember that as the interview wears on the committee begins to tune out, whether they want to or not, the candidate, so questions later in the interview need to give the chance for the candidate to shine while still assess what the candidate offers.

Rule: The last batter should not be considered your least effective batter.  They need to be crafty enough to get on base however they can.  Remember who is up to bat next, it's your surefire lead-off hitter.  Having your #9 on base sets up a good chance for your leadoff to move them right around in scoring position and it starts all over again.

Analogy: Your last question needs to be something that allows the candidate to end on the strong note as well as give the committee the chance to be able to connect all the dots from the last question all the way back around to the leadoff question.

New Year - Be S.M.A.R.T.-er

I'm lucky enough to get the chance to get to speak to outstanding student leaders throughout the year.  When I work with them, specifically with goal setting, I often refer to the S.M.A.R.T. method of goal setting.  In the moment in working with them I begin to realize just how simple this form of goal setting can be, however when it gets down to the nitty-gritty I tend to overcomplicate things.

Many of you, I'm sure, have ventured down the path of setting your new years resolution.  I hear people, and myself, say; I resolve to do this, and I resolve to do that - often in very vague terms.  How many of you have sat down and worked to turn your resoluation in a S.M.A.R.T. goal?  This year I resolve to make my resolution a S.M.A.R.T. goal - that's right a resolution about resolutions!

Because I have let myself lose sight of being healthy, I resolve to:

S - Specific - I will lose weight

• I could say get healthy, but I'm honing in on one factor of healthy, specifically my weight.

M - Measurable - I will lose 60lbs

• weight is an easily measurable format so I chose to use that as my form of measure - I could also go with a percentage of current weight, but I'm chosing to go with specific weight.

A - Attainable - 60lbs seems like a lot, but if you think about it that's only 5lbs a month, 1.25lbs a week

• I also know that it's attainable because I had once lost 120lbs on WeightWatchers - I've signed back up to do the online program with @WeightWatchers and am finding the accountability factor to be a great starting point this year - see my previous success story.

R - Realistic - 60lbs gives me a viewable benchmark and the ability to see the small successes

• I know that I probably should lose about 100lbs to be in the normal BMI range. But, given the time frame I'm giving myself it is important to set a realistic target.

T - Timely - I will have lost this weight by December 31, 2011

• Without a timeframe I have nothing to measure where I'm at and get a sense of my progress. 

I put this out there to challenge my friends to work to shape their resolutions into something tangeable.  Vague resolutions often fail, S.M.A.R.T. goals often prevail. 

I also put this out there because through joint accountability we can all be successful.  I will share my successes and failures and hope that those that care about me will help celebrate with me and keep me going in my path to achieve this resolution.

Lastly - remember that when setting goals it is important to make them challenging enough to push you along.  The road will get bumpy at times but "take care of the little things and the big things will take care of themselves."

Cheers and Happy New Year.

#s11fit - you know you want to!

What was your New Years Resolution?  If you are like 99.9% of the rest of the world it probably involved something around getting healthier.  To help out my friends I've started a little challenge.  The intent is to give those of us who call Higher Education home a way to blow off some steam through our shoes.  I've created a 60 day challenge on Nike+ to get us out there and moving - this time it's a team challenge amongst professional organizations.  I understand that many folks lay claim to more than one organization, but for this challenge you must pick one.  Have no fear, if you do not find a "home" listed in the teams you can pick "team other".

So step on up and get in motion.  A healthy professional is a happy professional, and a winning association is a bragging association #justsayin

Use this link to get in the mix: http://bit.ly/s11fit

See you on the streets!