Prelude: Thirty-four employees beginning their employment with ISUE post January 1, 2002 were surveyed. I identified myself as an ISUE staff member and a member of the ISUE Mentoring committee charged with developing and implementing a mentoring program for new ISUE staff. I asked for their help. I stated, "To help us focus on the most important issues, please briefly answer the following two questions and return via email to me. Responses will be held in confidence and not attributed to any individual." I received 16 responses. Their responses to the two questions I asked were as follows:
Note: Names of counties, town, divisions, and personnel mentioned were removed to maintain confidentiality. Capitalization and content was not changed or altered.
What has been the biggest challenge in becoming acclimated in your position with ISU Extension?
Learning how to maneuver in the bureaucracy to actually GET THINGS DONE.
Understanding all the various entities not only within my division but within all of Extension.
Lack of standard personnel system common & followed at each county office.
A need for a list of all web pages where a new person can find information for the public--hort, ag, crops, beef, pork, bugs, etc.
Lack of sample press releases and PSA in a book for print and radio for all common programs we offer.
Not being able to narrow down what is really important for the job. It seems that all the departments are important, and its tough to know who or which is priority. The Council needs to sit down with the AEED and the new CEED together and define priorities for first year and then dream into the future. There needs to be a county fair training program. There are so many things to learn about a county fair and to be prepared fro the first one.
The biggest challenge was going from private enterprise to public, and understanding the policies and procedures associated with public offices. For lack of better description, I felt thrown to the wolves. My OA was also new and neither of us had received any training for the ISU accounting program or year-end reporting; I also had to do a budget amendment.
Finding out how ISU's system works in relation to my program activities, and building relationships with CEEDs and fellow specialists in the state. Working in a newly defined position as a field specialist and learning about my specialty by myself in a large town has been very challenging, and to be honest with you, a lonely experience much of the time I have been here. The flip side is, I have enjoyed the autonomy and freedom I have had to develop relationships inside and outside of ISU Extension, and I feel my programs are coming together more. Also, keeping track of all these meetings we have to go to.
Prioritizing my schedule and determining my level of involvement in ISUE programming has been a challenge for me. Since I am new to Extension, I am taking on vast amounts of new information. Finding my niche in the vast amount of "stuff" that is coming at me is a real challenge.
The biggest challenge is being completely new to Extension and the sheer scope of information and my work. Information management has been very difficult as I didn't know what I would need to know/keep/use in the future. The "extension-ese" is very difficult to grasp as well. I also struggled and continue to struggle with "mixed messages" and changes in practice or policy from one moment to the next from supervisors and peers. What is very helpful is that everyone seems to understand these challenges and works well with you to overcome them.
Learning the unwritten rules about roles, responsibilities, expectations, etc.
I had never worked in Extension previously. When I started I was given a 5-page list of issue areas and accompanying websites to read or research. I also had two meeting with my AEED who read the list to me at each meeting. This is no way to learn about a new position. I have pretty much learned what everyone else's job is but am still trying to define my own. I have read through old files and council minutes. I find information coming from campus to be full of unexplained abbreviations. I feel like a broken record always having to ask what something means. Because most people in this system are long tenured, they don't take into account some people have much to learn about Extension. It has been incredibly frustrating. I have not found most Extension campus staff or field staff to be very welcoming or helpful.
Figuring out what to do first and how to tackle things. I started recently and have just been setting up my office/desk/computer and looking through things left here by my predecessor (binders, files, etc.). I don't know what the priorities are so don't know where to start.
The biggest challenge for me has been defining my role as a field specialist. This is different in each county I serve. Also, trying to balance my time between the three counties. I am also part time employed by one county, so this presents another challenge because the other counties see me in this county more because I'm supposed to be, but now all understand this situation. Another challenge is the procedures for reporting and POW's. It has helped me tremendously to have someone to call and ask for examples and help with mine. I don't hesitate to call anyone for help!
Understanding the background and the complexity of the technology; specifically the computer. What I know about he computer you could put in a thimble. In 5 or so months I have learned so much, but it's not been easy.
Learning all the ends and outs, how systems work. All the lingo! How each part fits in the big picture.
Learning the complexity of the Extension system in the field. Even though I have had positions in University Extension for the past 10 years, the systemic complexity of Coop Extension is far different.
Since I am returning to Extension in a job role that is totally different than my previous Extension work, it has been a challenge to "catch up" with what changes have/have not taken place with Extension - especially how the system now works in the field for county directors, field specialists, office assistants, program assistants.
What could make the acclimation process a more positive experience?
We need a new director for our division. The position is unfilled. The current management structure is not effective for getting things done.
If someone explained it to me upon hire. Maybe a week where the new staff followed the mentor around (all day each day) to see how they did the day to day part of the job.
Not feeling all alone on the new job. Who to confide in. The mentoring program will be good for this.
Training/orientation needs to be immediate. I needed it when I started, not 6 months from then. By the time trainings were scheduled, I had already fumbled my way through the process.
Simple things like an invitation for coffee or dinner invitation. Also, a willingness of fellow Extension personnel to get to people-- what my experiences are and what my interests are, and how they can help them/us-- not just, "How can you meet my needs?", or "Come join our organization." I want to serve other in different communities, and I don't think these things have to be exclusive of each other particularly as we start looking at new alternative for agriculture in Iowa, new audiences, and new ways of doing programs. Having ______ ______ as a mentor has been a great benefit to me, since: (a) we share a common faith and have common interests outside of our professional calling; and (b) because he is challenging me to rise to new levels as an extension professional, including how to focus and develop priorities, and how to my method of program development and delivery. One of my suggestions for finding a mentor is that you find someone with whom you share common interests, and who has the courage and focus to challenge you to strive for higher levels of professional and personal success. There have been positive experiences, but I think the bottom line in this process, and we all have a lot to learn from and share with each other if we are willing to invest the time and energy in doing so.
My situation is different in that I have anew OA who is learning as she goes just like I am. I feel that I need an apprentice like experience in another office to learn how other directors do things. I would like to see how other directors handle program planning, office routines, county accounting procedures, personnel/staffing matters, etc.
Narrower scope of work at first, limiting information when it simply doesn't apply to your position (I'm finding about 80% of info/emails are not even related to my work-it's extension related, but not to me necessarily) at least until you get a firmer grasp of what you need to know and are responsible for. A clearer direction would be more helpful as well.
Having someone mentor who has time to do it. Everyone has enough work to do already and it seems that adding a mentor or a new staff orientation just adds to the lead and the process is not done completely. Not because it is intentionally neglected but because of time and workload.
The one positive for me has been having another CEED as a mentor. While I very much dislike the concept of a forced mentor (I believe a mentor is one you build a relationship with over time of your own choosing.) having _____ _____ available to answer questions and give advice has been very helpful. I applaud your efforts to create a mentorship program.
Possibly schedule an orientation with a mentor or someone else the first day or tow you come on board. I scheduled a meeting with my mentor once I started, but have to wait 2 weeks until their schedule allowed them to come 2 hours here to meet with me at my home office. I met with the area director on Day #2, but that was geared more to Extension philosophy than tasks at hand.
So far the acclimation process has been a positive experience for me. Having that one person to call has been the biggest help to me. I feel welcome to call at any time I have a question or concern.
I have on my own identified a mentor and haven't been afraid to use them often. I can't identify one "single" thing.
As time goes on things get easier, but a comprehensive guide would be great.
Extension attempts to provide an orientation program with new employees to help them through the process. I'm sure this is helpful but also somewhat overwhelming. Having two mentor - someone in the office where the new employee is housed as well as someone with the same program base - would be ideal. Some of the "newness" is program-based but some is system-based as well.
I can't say that mine has been at all negative. I just need to recognize that it takes time/experiences to feel a part of the system again and to understand it.
Compiled by Darwin J. Miller, County Extension Education Director, Hardin County - November 12, 2002
