7 strategies for a successful student staff
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The document outlines 7 strategies for a successful student staff: 1) Be a strong role model and explain decisions, 2) Maintain appropriate boundaries in sharing personal details, 3) Enforce clear expectations and document any failures to meet them, 4) Offer constructive feedback and set agendas in 1:1 meetings, 5) Remember informal interactions like stopping to talk, 6) Create effective staff meetings with agendas and facilitation, and 7) Develop a staff team identity with photos, accountability, and informal development activities beyond meetings. The strategies provide guidance for modeling behavior, setting boundaries, enforcing standards, giving feedback, interacting informally, running meetings, and building team cohesion.
7 strategies for a successful student staff
- 1. 7 Strategies for a Successful Student Staff Everyone is a piece of the puzzle
- 2. 1. Be a Strong Role Model Make sure you are modeling appropriate behavior for your staff. Treat your RAs the way you expect them to treat their residents. Model personal wellness. When possible, explain your behavior and the decisions you make to your staff members.
- 3. 2. Maintain Appropriate Boundaries Reserve time and/or space for yourself that you do not share with your staff Decide on how much of your personal life you want to share with your staff. Avoid sharing your personal opinions about your department, division, supervisors, co-workers, College policies, and so on.
- 4. 3. Enforce Expectations Set the tone early Make sure your staff has a solid and thorough understanding of their job responsibilities. Make sure you include time for your staff to share their expectations with you Explain the chain of command and how to appropriately communicate Refer to the expectations you have set Anytime a staff member fails to meet an expectation, take appropriate action quickly to address it. Document expectations
- 5. 4. Make the Most of 1:1s Consider using a 1:1 report form. Offer constructive feedback. Program Review Future Goals (Work and Personal) Set an Agenda Go somewhere fun
- 6. 5. Remember the Informal Interactions Take the time to do the little things Stop and talk to your staff when you see them on campus or around the building. Check in on your RAs as they are doing their RA work. Do rounds of your buildings, and notice the individual touches Whenever you are on a floor, stop by the RAs room Always remember your staff for award nominations and leadership opportunities
- 7. 6. Create Effective Staff Meetings Use an agenda Involve your RAs in the meeting Actively facilitate and manage your staff meeting. Have Staff development time Have a staff mascot and/or recognition Clearly identify any areas where your staff needs further explanation or clarification. Save any questions that do not relate to the whole group until after the meeting wraps up. Consider canceling a meeting or using free time for staff development if you do not have enough on your agenda to warrant a meeting.
- 8. 7. Develop a Staff Team Work to develop a staff identity. Take a staff photo. Foster a team approach to tasks and problems. Encourage and support the group in holding themselves accountable to each other. Plan some informal staff development activities: In addition to your staff meetings, schedule special staff development meetings as needed Make staff development part of every staff meeting.
- 9. Your Turn Questions? Ideas? Comments? Hopes? Dreams? Fears? Emotional Outbursts? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!