Monthly Archives: July 2013

Education In and Out of the Classroom

31 Wednesday Jul 2013

Posted by in Communications, Conferences, Leadership, Management, Media, Technology, Video

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Educational administrators work hard trying to determine what skills employers are looking for in college graduates. We love to see our students happily and gainfully employed.

According to a recent survey conducted on behalf of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU), you – the “hirers” of the world, are relatively happy with the way we are preparing graduates for entry-level jobs, but you also see room for improvement.

  • You appreciate the value the broad knowledge base a liberal arts degree affords but,
  • Even more important than an undergraduate major, you’re looking for graduates who demonstrate strong critical thinking, communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Collaborative problem solving skills are essential.
  • In addition to resumes, you like to review electronic portfolios.
  • Applicants must demonstrate strong ethical judgment
  • Reflecting today’s global economy, you are interested in students with intercultural skills.  Quoting the report, “While employers may not be clamoring for colleges to increase their emphasis on civic learning or on teaching about global issues, they widely agree that all students should receive civic education and learn about cultures outside the United States.”

So as educational administrators, how can we ensure that we are providing college graduates with the most current and useful resources?

In my case, I extend my own outreach beyond academia. I realize that the more I can continue my own professional education and stay current in the “best practices” across the business community, the better equipped I am to provide cutting-edge tools and information to my students. My primary resource is the Communications Media Management Association. CMMA is the premier professional organization for people who manage the creation, distribution and utilization of communications media for corporations, non-profits, government agencies and educational institutions.

Through my active participation and service on the Board of Directors of CMMA, I am able to build professional networks and gain insight and best practices from management leaders in such diverse companies as Mayo Clinic, Best Buy, Monsanto, American Family Insurance, and many more.  As a result, George Mason University students benefit from my own continuing education and networking. It’s important to ensure academic relevance is in line with practical, field experiences and communities.

The global business community requires a vast array of experiences, resources, and professional networks. The earlier educators can bring this information to their college students, the better the graduates’ future employment opportunities. After all, education takes place in and out of the classroom.

This article contributed by Susan Kehoe, CMMA Board of Directors

Networking Through Mentoring

15 Monday Jul 2013

Posted by in Conferences, Leadership, Management, Media, Technology, Video

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It’s no secret that building a strong network is one of the keys to success. Not surprisingly many of us identify networking as the number one benefit of CMMA membership. But what about networking within the work environment, do we really need to network internally too? After all, there’s rarely a shortage of work for most of us. And many would argue that’s the reason for networking. While it’s hard to argue with that, I would add a few additional reasons:

  • Networking helps build customers beyond your existing organic base
  • Networking provides a vehicle for collaboration
  • Networking gives you opportunities to champion your team
  • Networking can help keep your group relevant
  • Networking can secure your team’s place at the table
  • Networking has the potential to showcase your leadership acumen

So what has all of this to do with mentoring? In a word – EVERYTHING. Having mentors is essentially networking with a higher purpose.  Networking through mentoring allows you to develop yourself as well as your department. If you’re not quite sure how to get started here are a few thoughts:

  • See if your organization has a formal mentoring program. Start with your HR rep. These programs are often reserved for up and coming high potentials and aren’t broadly advertised. I learned recently that if you ask nicely they sometimes consider medium potentials too! I guess my point here is – don’t wait for an invitation.
  • Identify respected leaders within the organization and ask about an informal mentorship. Look for folks you know you can learn from. I currently have four key leaders in our organization that I meet with on a quarterly basis. Each of these relationships have helped me grow as a leader, brought in new business to my team and given me a level of visibility I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
  • Think about departments your team relies on like IT, Public Affairs, Legal…
  • Identify a leader in a department that your team doesn’t have a good relationship with. As my peer Greg Sneed likes to say, “it’s an ecosystem folks, not a battlefield”.
  • Look for mentors in CMMA!

Once your mentors are in place here are a few additional tips:

  • Always bring a question or two. It’s not the job of the mentor to simply share their knowledge. You are responsible for driving the conversation.
  • Bring a problem and a solution – to see what they think of your fix rather than simply asking how to handle a tough one.
  • Be humble. This works in every relationship by the way.

Lastly, keep in mind that most people like being asked their opinion. I’ve yet to be told no when asking about mentoring possibilities. After all, who doesn’t enjoy hearing, “what do you think”?  This works up, down and across the organization. Ask the CEO or the Intern and they will both love you for life!

This article contributed by Clifton Brewer, CMMA Board of Directors