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© 2010 Administrative Sparkle Blog
We’re living in a different world. Employers are looking for ways to retain people who are honest, with professional integrity. You need to be the kind of person who doesn’t only “talk the talk,” but you “walk the walk” in your personal life. You respect and are accountable in what matters most… YOU! Why would a company want anything less? If your choices don’t matter to you in your personal life, why would it matter to how you conduct yourself with other people or the company you work for?
We all make mistakes and that’s to be expected. And I believe that it is not always your fault. You could be in the wrong place at the wrong time; made some bad choices by surrounding yourself in the wrong element; maybe not having the strength, courage, or self-esteem to stand up for the person you want to be and what you believe in.
There’s a price to pay. This goes for the good and the bad. But the rewards are so much greater and satisfying when the struggle, hardship, determination gradually evolves and defines the person only you can see inside of you. You gain self-respect and you get to do the “happy dance.”
As I put my resume out in the market seeking promotional opportunities that challenge and teach me, employers are either requesting or conducting various background and information checks. I was contacted by a prospective employer to submit a current credit score. It appears they have had issues with fraud and theft in the past. They are taking proactive, legal, steps to minimize a problem that we, as consumers pay for, and could possibly be the downfall of their business. I get it, and I applaud it.
I didn’t have this kind of request 10 and 20 years ago. Unless you drove a company vehicle as part of your job, it was understandable to ask for a driving record. Companies are looking for ways to not only protect themselves, but their clients as well. A company is the people they employ.
I could see this becoming more commonplace in an employment screening process as one method of candidate selection. Background checks, credit checks, driving records, criminal checks, along with the prior employment verification, as well as, for some, even medical records. We are living in a much more transparent society. When you think about it, it’s a courtesy and safety precaution to the people they take responsibility for working for them on company time.
Which begs the question about rights to privacy. If it’s public record, should it be accessible and part of the criteria in candidate selection? Of course, as long as it is not used in a way that discriminates or even abuses privacy. And how is that determined?
So I did the “happy dance” when I got my credit score back and was more than pleased to share the results. Not bragging because it took a lot of work on my part. Not spending can be really hard when we are bombarded with advertisement in everything saying we “really want it” or “need it.” Actually, I don’t keep credit cards. I get asked all the time, but make every effort to live on what I make.
Even during these financially stressful times, it’s the challenges that define us. What are you doing with your challenges? Are you facing them head on? Are you taking the easy way out? Are you procrastinating and avoiding it? Are you fed up and pissed off enough yet to do what it takes to turn it around? Are you ready to do what it takes to do the “happy dance?”
Even if you aren’t, others will hold you accountable. Your choices could affect your livelihood.
Properly, we should read for power. Man reading should be man intensively alive. The book should be a ball of light in one’s hand. -Ezra Pound
It’s been a busy week and summer is officially here. Yay! I sit here drinking my yummy coffee, reflecting on the past week, all of which was mostly good. In doing positive things and activities that get me closer to my goals, I am continually reminded how fortunate I am. I’m working, writing, have an amazing circle of friends, hang out with my older sister once a week for movies and watching “The Bachelorette” (I know, cheesy!), and overall enjoying my favorite season, SUMMER!
I also changed the look of my website. With summer, I appreciated the cool, crisp feeling the new look gives. I hope you like it too and find it really easy to navigate. You can always let me know what you like about it and what you don’t. I definitely appreciate the feedback.
Health & Fitness
I started my week off with the goal to go running with a partner. We, along with my running partner’s Dalmatian, would run around the Capitol of Sacramento. To run the circumference of the Capitol alone is just a little past one mile, the entire run from my front door and back along this route totals approximately 2.2 miles. You can track your routes here.
Last summer I used to run this route from Old Sacramento and found running on the city concrete caused problems with one of my knees so I had to stop. Needless to say, I had a couple of concerns. The first is my running partner has a much longer stride than I do, so running with me doesn’t really push him. It pushes me, but he is the one who plans to run a half marathon and should have a partner that challenges him. The second is aggravating my knee or possibly causing other problems. I won’t admit to getting “old,” but I do need to think about what I can do to reduce risks of injury.
Some thoughts on what I can do is:
- Rollerblade while he runs. This would allow me to challenge his progress and I get the health benefits without the impact on my joints.
- Better running shoes.
- Run in the gym on a treadmill, elliptical, or bike. I wouldn’t bike in the downtown traffic unless I was biking to and from work, but I am thinking about rollerblading to work. Sounds like super fun in theory, but would have to let you know how that goes in actual practice.
My eating habits have definitely improved. I have breakfast every morning, a bowl of oatmeal and my cup of coffee. I will also eat a can of tuna and half an apple between breakfast and lunch, and between lunch and dinner. This tides me over till the respective meals and I actually find myself always pretty full and nourished throughout the day. I also, grab myself some green tea in the latter half of the day.
The one thing I have been very bad at is taking my vitamins. It’s important to supplement adequate vitamins and minerals for energy and other benefits. I also do find myself craving chocolate immensely every once in a while. It feels like an addiction withdrawal.
Continuing Education
I’ve started reading through Business and Administrative Communication and have been sharing with you through the mindmaps. It’s a 700-page book and I’m hoping to get through it. That’s a lot of information packed into one book, but it is set up with a lot of real life examples and ideas to apply to the individual’s circumstances.
Social Network Suggestions
On Facebook, I have a “friend” who sends messages that I find interesting and thought I would share one that is helpful. She discusses the importance of reviewing and tracking your goals and objectives on a regular basis. It’s not something you can do once a year or it will just fall off your radar to remember what is important to you to keep progressing toward the life you want. Pick a goal and assess it through the following questions:
- What specific goal am I committed to achieve?
- What are my current YTD results in relation to that goal?
- What went right and why? Identify strengths and strategies to
repeat. - What went wrong and why? Identify weaknesses and strategies to
drop. - What corrective actions will/should I immediately implement to
remain on target? - What are my commitments / goals for the upcoming week so that I
can consider my efforts a success?
Pam Santos sent me a really nice tweet. I always check out who tweets me to see what they like to discuss. Pam offers up great information of what she discovers on the internet to other administrative professionals, what she is up to in continually developing herself as a premier assistant, and so I added her to “Follow.” You can add her to your LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/pub/pam-santos/1b/651/4a6 or on Twitter @1pamsantos.
Career Development
I have been crazy-busy keeping up with promotional opportunities with the State of California over the past two weeks. I created a database that holds the information of the different agencies and the contact person, along with the date I sent my application package, and the final filing date. It can take some time to get a response from a government agency as they have extensive processes, but I’m interested to see what my ratio of response will be. Something I learned in the first chapter of Business and Administrative Communication.
Conclusion
The beginning of summer has been going great. Especially the move to my new place at The Capitol Towers. I get out to the pool on the weekends for a little bit of sunshine, even though I feel a little intimidated revealing that I am not in my ideal physical shape. I enjoyed a game of pool at the community room, which by the way looks like a really cool place to have movie night sometime with a group of friends. Living on the bottom floor with lots of trees and shade, the temperature is really nice and cool when I get home from work. What a difference! I used to come home to a place where the degrees was always ten degrees higher than outside and now I get to come home where the degrees is something like ten degrees lower. My neighbors and the management staff are awesome!
I was able to rent a beautifully decorated and furnished Villa for a “Cast and Crew” call a friend of mine was doing for a film she is working on. However, that day turned out to be the Gay Pride Day and the streets around my complex were shut down. Management was so helpful and accommodating that they allowed us to use parking that is restricted for residence because street parking was shut off for the parade. All turned out well, except that the “crew” call did not get much of a showing. So if you are interested in being part of the crew for a student movie and live in Sacramento or Stockton, get in contact with me so I can refer you to the film director.
How was your week? What was the one thing you are doing to get closer to your goal?
To all my Super Star Sparkle peeps!
In Chapter 1, we learned that our message needs to convey to you by deflecting the focus away from I, we, our, us. Chapter 2 of Business and Administrative Communication, titled “Adapting Your Message to Your Audience” focuses on an individual’s personality traits and some suggested points to pay attention to that makes them more receptive to your message. It also identifies the various audiences that you message must reach, convince, or get through.
You will find various personality test links in this mindmap that help you understand what makes you tick and, in viewing other personality traits, it can help you understand how others receive information, or maybe understand why some people rub you the wrong way.
Reminder: in order to view all the details, notes, and links of the mindmap, you will want to go to MindJet and download the viewer. Also the information here is merely snippets of the extensive explanations and examples that are given in the book and would encourage you to include in your library.
Follow me on my journey by clicking on the link below.
Adapting Your Message to Your Audience
To all my creative Sparkle peeps,
My current book of reading is “Business and Administrative Communication” by Kitty O. Locker and Donna Kiengler. I decided to mindmap my notes of information I would like to be able to easily refer to. You will find a pdf link below the graphic of what I’m learning for Chapter 1.
Download the MindJet Viewer
Any user is free to download the MindManager viewer application. This is a standard Windows installer which is installed directly on the system. The viewer will open any MindManager .mmap files in read-only status. The viewers are capable of reading notes, utilizing hyperlinks, opening attachments and standard navigation of map files. The viewers currently do not perform other more advanced functions. The standalone viewer version is based on MindManager 7 for Windows and MindManager 7 for Mac but can open files created in MindManager 8. For a Mindmanager 8 version viewer, use the standard trial of MindManager 8. When the trial expires, it will still function as a read-only viewer.
Business Communication Management and Success (pdf)
Business Communication Management and Success (pack & go zip file for Mindjet)
I need a little feedback here. I tried loading a dynamic pdf, but was unable to. I then converted the completely expanded version. I have separated the topics onto additional PDF pages for a less cumbersome view. Special note, unfortunately, with the PDF version, you will be unable to view the notes and links. Personally, it’s big and you will have to “zoom” in to get it at a readable size.
I did load the “Pack & Go” version and you will need to download the MindJet Viewer (link above) to see the notes and hit the links.
This is my test version to figure out the best way to share my MindMaps. I would appreciate your thoughts on this.
Be looking for the forthcoming chapters and I look forward to your comments and thoughts.
What started as something of a stretch for me, which would be putting my writing out there and evaluated by some of the most discriminating professionals I know (the administrative assistant), has brought into my circle of influence some truly amazing people. This is to say “Thank you” for subscribing, keeping track of me, and all your encouragement (some may call it accountability). You encourage me as much as I (hope to) encourage you.
Every Monday, I plan to submit a quote for the week (did you see today’s quote?) to inspire, encourage, or just plain lift you up for a fantastic week to come. It is something you can meditate on for the week, maybe see how it applies to you for the week, or how you can apply in your life for the week. It’s a great way to start off the week with your mindset focused on success. Fridays I plan to write a weekly wrap-up (e.g., lessons learned, goals achieved, thoughts and ideas). I will continue to write the regular pieces of tips, suggestions, references, and look forward to your input and your own take on what and how you accomplish such matters.
To all of you who subscribe, I really want to thank you for taking me to a higher level, encouraging me to “bring up my game,” and helping me to face my fears. You are my biggest cheerleaders.
Have a great week my Sparkle Peeps!
Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable. -Sydney J. Harris
We all have our days of challenge. That’s why I love the days when everything goes perfectly. As if the planets have aligned to bring me really good things. It offsets the really tough days or moments. It doesn’t necessarily make it easier in the moment, but there are definitely some little tricks in my bag of “Create Your Best Life” goodies that I tap into that bring me back to center.
I lived in Minnesota from December of 2004, moving back to California in October of 2007. My daughter was in her first year of college and my son was in his last year of high school. In 2005, my daughter decided to move to Louisiana to help with the Katrina efforts and my son signed up to join the Navy. My kids had grown up and taking on the world.
The day before Father’s Day in 2006, I was in a car accident with my son. We were driving from the Twin Cities to the Dells of Wisconsin to attend a funeral. It was the funeral for my mom’s sister. I told her my son and I would represent the family in California.
Five hours into the drive, my son fell asleep at the wheel. I could drive over 20 hours through really boring, flat countryside, so I was surprised when my son fell asleep in 5 hours. My older sister has admitted that she can’t drive more than 2 hours at a stretch. Personally, I don’t get it. But, there I was staring out my open passenger window, on a really gorgeous sunny day, and the only thought that went through my mind as the car transported over three lanes of highway sideways at the speed of light toward the side of the road was, “Oh shit.” We never made it to the funeral and all I remember about the actual accident was looking out the window, watching the side of the road and trees coming at me.
I had taken my seat belt off during the trip, having reached into the back seat for something to eat, or drink, or read. I don’t remember. I don’t remember when I flew through the open passenger window, as the car rolled three times. My son was able to get out of the car and couldn’t find me. I wasn’t around the car, I wasn’t under the car, and he couldn’t find my mobile phone. He went back to the highway to flag down help. Someone who could help him find me and hopefully had a phone to call emergency services.
I woke up the next day in a hospital. Fractured spinal column, fractured bone in my arm, fractured skull, a collapsed lung (those were the big things to overcome), and other things I don’t recall. It hurt to move even a little. My son had a little patch of hair missing from his scalp. Really, that was it. When the car rolled, it seemed to smash the roof down on the driver side of the vehicle where he sat. He was 18 and 6’2”, with his head already skimming the top of the Saturn roof.
I discovered later, while I was in the hospital, my only living grandparent, my grandmother, had died.
A year after the car accident, September of 2007, my mom called me asking me to come back “home.” My brother had been diagnosed with liver cancer. We didn’t know how long he had to live. I put my notice in at work and one month later I was back in California. Upon arriving, one week later, my brother died
In November of 2007, my son left for basic training in the Navy and my mom went into surgery for a hip replacement. Actually, it was to replace the hip she had done the first time over 20 years earlier. The surgery was a great success, but, at the recovery facility, she was loaded up on so much medication that she nearly died and was transported back to the hospital. When the hospital called me to tell me that she was doing well enough to go back to the recovery facility, I told them to release her to come home where I would take care of her. Within one week, a therapist and I had her walking with the aid of a walker.
I then started looking for work, during a time when California didn’t have a lot of jobs to pick from. Within one month, I had a job offer with the State of California. I officially became a “civil servant.” I started at the bottom, making literally half the income I made ten years ago. Within the first month at the job, I moved from my mom’s as her “in-home care provider” to my own place. The studio in Old Sacramento. That first year at the job with the State, I was then faced with three furlough days a month, which further cut into my pockets.
This is just the past four years. A lot!
There were successes:
- learning yoga to help my flexibility and strengthen my bones so I don’t have to live on pain killers for my back and head;
- moving from the snow and cold and back to the warm, dry weather;
- finding work;
- finding an apartment close to work;
- back to the gym to lose the weight I had gained from the stress and occasional bouts of depression.
And there were challenges:
- dealing with constant pain, which the Vicadin really only barely touched anyway;
- a new job with a boss who REALLY does not like me;
- making new friends; and
- basically, starting over.
So what are some of the things I’ve learned over the years?
Know, by grace, you are all blessed.
Even when you feel like curling up into a little ball to die, know that this too shall pass. There are several phrases that come to mind.
- My sister has a motto, “It could be worse.” I hate it when she says this because, well, yeah, anything could be worse. But, to me, that reinforces the negative tendency she has of thinking. Anything can be better too.
- “Make lemonade out of lemons.” This is closer to my motto. I think, “What do I need to do to turn this around?” and “How does this make me stronger?” or “What can I take away from this that I can apply in life that makes me more compassionate, tolerant, patient, appreciate the people and things I do have in my life, what’s important, what’s not important, what my values are, reinforcing integrity in my life, and assessing the people and things I allow to take up space in my life.”
- “God only gives you what you can handle.” What?!! Now realize that without challenges, life would be boring. We would not stretch ourselves to the full potential of what we are capable of without a push. I get that there are people who find some kind of sick satisfaction in wallowing in their tragedy, but I want to be the person that my kids can look up to and want to look up to. When my kids are faced with their challenges, they will reach inside themselves for the courage to do what it takes. And, yes, I also hope to inspire my kids to do great things.
Hold onto your confidence (and self-esteem) and don’t let anyone take it away from you.
You will come across “haters” and they will try to tear you down. I have to admit that there aren’t too many people who intimidate me. We are no better and no less than the homeless on the street or the high position, power person. However, you will come across people who, because of their own insecurities, will do everything they can to wreak havoc in your life, attempt to sabotage your career or efforts to reach your goals, or damage your reputation. It isn’t about you! These are people who perpetuate and project their insecurities onto others in order to make themselves feel better.
I know, weird and stupid. We should be lifting each other up and helping one another, not tearing each other down. Do not allow these people to inflict doubt and mental damage in your thinking! You bring value to each person you meet, you are here with talents and something to offer in all that you do and to all those who come into contact with you. Whether a smile on the street to and from a stranger, picking up your coffee every morning from the same coffee house, your boss, colleagues, family, on the phone, your online social network, etc. You bring value, make it positive and make it count. You don’t always get a second chance. It’s possible that you could be that person they connect with in that day that turns their day around.
Trust is hard to gain, but easy to lose.
Surround yourself with good people.
Friends who inspire you and cheer you on. Develop relationships with people you admire and respect. Make time for the people who are important to you. It takes effort. You might find this surprising, but some of the most successful people are also the most generous with their time, gratitude, and words of encouragement. Genuine success lifts people up. How do you think they got to be so successful? Yes, there are those who gain success through methods that are not reputable or ethical, but they deal with the consequences and ultimately pay a price. I would rather pay a price for doing what I believe is the right thing to do. Also, remember, money is not the measure of success.
Read.
Read books about people who inspire you, like biographies or autobiographies. Read books that are encouraging, inspiring, and motivational. Read books to gain knowledge and expand your skills. First, with the library and, now, with the internet, knowledge is free. You can find information on anything you want and apply them to yourself.
Knowledge is freedom.
Write.
Write about your challenge and what the hero would do. Be graphic and detailed. Then, BE the hero. It’s one way to put into motion to becoming your own hero in your own story. This life is your story. How would you like to see it unfold?
Create your own haven.
Mine is my home. It’s beautiful, warm, inviting, cozy, and I’m surround by lots of books and wonderful music. I can escape whatever chaos is going on around me and outside of myself and I have absolute control over what I decide to do with my haven. Sometimes I like to completely escape, no phone calls, no visitors, just me and whatever I choose to do or not do. Or I invite special people into my haven who I love and appreciate.
Take care of yourself.
I like to take luxurious baths. I make great efforts to eat good, clean food, prepared at home. I go to the gym or workout at home. I write on my blog that allows me to connect with like-minded people, like you. Laying by the pool; connecting with friends and family; reading; watching a movie. Do things you love. Find what you are passionate about and do those things that allow you to pursue and connect to it.
Find your dream and make a plan.
Do the things that take you closer to doing what you love.
Simplify your life.
That could mean cutting up credit cards and living on what you make. Clearing out things in your life you don’t want, don’t need, or just taking up space. Clear up your past. Are there things in your past that are holding you back because you have unresolved “crap” that you should be taking care of to move forward? Are there people you need to forgive or make amends to? My past has a nice collection of bad choices and decisions. It doesn’t make me a bad person, it does make me value the lessons I’ve learned and employs my creativity to figure out how to fix or resolve the fallout. We all have project resolution skills. Put it on your resume! We put resolution skills to work on our most important project, ourselves.
Simply love yourself.
We all have our flaws and imperfections. Sometimes, they can be our greatest assets. It just depends on how you decide to view them. Refer back to the “Lemon/Lemonade” analogy. If you can’t tap into appreciating and loving yourself, how can you possibly give to others what you don’t have. It’s like the glass with a crack in it. It can never be filled and it is exhausting for anybody else to have the burden of trying to fill it. Once again, realize that you bring value to your relationships and connections. Nobody is looking for perfect, just human, and has confidence in their own unique gifts and talents. Once again, become the person you envision and do whatever it takes to make that happen.
Everybody has his or her story. This is just a little bit of my story and what I have taken away from some of my own experiences and make efforts to apply. I’m still a work in progress and ever evolving. I still find myself looking for validation in others, but reminding myself that it is more important of what I think of myself. I’m still hurt when other people do things to me to inflict pain or negativity. I still have my insecurities. In the end, I love who I am, the person I am becoming, the strength I have discovered in myself, the lessons learned, and the person I know I can be.
What are some of the things you do bring out your best? What is your story? What is your biggest challenge? What are you doing to face your challenges head on and overcome? What is your one great tip that you live by? I hope you will share with the rest of us. We could all use inspiration.
You are AMAZING!
I believe everybody should have a personal Code of Ethics or Code of Conduct. I also believe every company should have a Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct, and/or Mission Statement; every employee should have easy access to locating it; and any client should be able to easily locate it on the business website when considering doing business with them. Okay, with that said, I was really surprised at how difficult it was to search for Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Mission Statements. Absolutely, without a doubt, surprised. Really tough to find.
I then adjusted my search criteria to specific organizations to see if they provided a Code on their website. Some are easier to find than others and you may have to look for them under related terms that may apply. I am posting some examples here for those I found interesting.
Example 1: Marines
My first example is that of the United States Marines, knowing that our military live by a Code.
“Honor: Honor requires each Marine to exemplify the ultimate standard in ethical and moral conduct. Honor is many things; honor requires many things. A U.S. Marine must never lie, never cheat, never steal, but that is not enough. Much more is required. Each Marine must cling to an uncompromising code of personal integrity, accountable for his actions and holding others accountable for theirs. And, above all, honor mandates that a Marine never sully the reputation of his Corps.
Courage: Simply stated, courage is honor in action — and more. Courage is moral strength, the will to heed the inner voice of conscience, the will to do what is right regardless of the conduct of others. It is mental discipline, an adherence to a higher standard. Courage means willingness to take a stand for what is right in spite of adverse consequences. This courage, throughout the history of the Corps, has sustained Marines during the chaos, perils, and hardships of combat. And each day, it enables each Marine to look in the mirror — and smile.
Commitment: Total dedication to Corps and Country. Gung-ho Marine teamwork. All for one, one for all. By whatever name or cliche, commitment is a combination of (1) selfless determination and (2) a relentless dedication to excellence. Marines never give up, never give in, never willingly accept second best. Excellence is always the goal. And, when their active duty days are over, Marines remain reserve Marines, retired Marines, or Marine veterans. There is no such thing as an ex-Marine or former-Marine. Once a Marine, always a Marine. Commitment never dies.”
http://www.usmcpress.com/heritage/corp_values.htm
Example 2: CDCR
My second example is for the State agency I work for:
Vision
With our partners, we protect the public from crime and victimization.
Mission
We enhance public safety through safe and secure incarceration of offenders, effective parole supervision, and rehabilitative strategies to successfully reintegrate offenders into our communities.
Values
SERVICE
We serve and are responsible to the public. We value their trust and invite their involvement.
LEADERSHIP
We serve as positive role models and foster an environment that supports a balance between professional development, professional job performance, and personal wellness.
INTEGRITY
We conduct ourselves professionally through fair, honest, and ethical behavior. We have the courage to do what is right, even in the face of adversity.
ACCOUNTABILITY
We accept responsibility for our actions and decisions as well as their consequences.
RESPECT
We respect each other’s differences and treat others with courtesy, dignity, and consideration.
TRUST
We are people of character. We keep our word and honor our commitments.
COLLABORATION We work with our stakeholders as partners to support mutual understanding of ideas and open exploration of our differences.
http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/About_CDCR/docs/mission.pdf
Example 3: IBM
My third example is that of a major international company, IBM. You will find the link after the writing that displays the IBM policies. To include all of that would be lengthy here.
Business conduct & ethics
IBM is committed to principles of business ethics and lawful conduct. It is IBM’s policy to conduct itself ethically and lawfully in all matters and to maintain IBM’s high standards of business integrity.
Employees must at all times comply with IBM’s business conduct and related guidelines. Violation of any IBM guideline is cause for discipline, including dismissal from the company. Employees should consult their management immediately if they have any question whether their actions could violate an IBM guideline.
Furthermore, it is IBM’s practice to voluntarily and promptly disclose known violations of government procurement laws to appropriate officials of government. In the event that IBM benefited economically from such known violations, it is our practice to reimburse the government customer accordingly. IBM employees should immediately make known to appropriate levels of management, either directly or through the Open Door or Speak-Up programs, any and all allegations of violations in connection with any government contract.
The Senior Vice President and General Counsel is responsible for providing specific instructions regarding business conduct and ethics and, as appropriate, directing periodic reviews, including business conduct guideline certification programs, to ensure compliance. Each operating unit or subsidiary is responsible for implementing such instructions, including administering certification programs.
http://www.ibm.com/ibm/responsibility/policy2.shtml
Example 4: IAAP
What began my research in this was seeking out a professional Code for administrative professionals. This is the only one I could track down, the professional organization International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP):
Code of Ethics for Administrative Professionals
(Preface note: The International Association of Administrative Professionals® defines administrative professionals as “individuals who are responsible for administrative tasks and coordination of information in support of an office related environment and who are dedicated to furthering their personal and professional growth in their chosen profession.”)
Recognizing that a position of trust imposes ethical obligations upon administrative assistants, office coordinators, executive secretaries and other types of administrative professionals to act for benefit of employers, clients, and the public, members of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) established and promulgated four standards of professional conduct and resolve to be guided by them as embodying the ethical ideals of their profession.
The development of a Code of Ethics demonstrates that the administrative support profession accepts the obligation to engage in self-discipline and accepts the responsibility and trust earned by administrative professionals throughout past generations.
Each administrative professional has a personal obligation to support and follow the Code, recognizing that the greatest penalty possible for its violation is loss of the respect of professional colleagues and the trust of employers, clients, and society.
Ethical behavior is encouraged by both the Code and the profession. An administrative professional’s personal ethical behavior may often exceed the requirements of the Code, which do not demand less than the law, and often exceed those of the law. Persons found guilty of violating laws will be considered in prima facie violation of the Code and may be censured or otherwise penalized by the association or profession.
1. The administrative professional shall act as a trusted agent in professional relations, implementing responsibilities in the most competent manner and exercising knowledge and skill to promote the interests of the immediate and corporate employer.
The immediate employer shall be considered to be the person or persons who, by an established and predetermined arrangement, receive directly the agreed upon services of the administrative professional. The corporate employer shall be considered the entity (company or organization) providing the administrative professional’s compensation. In cases where the immediate employer does not provide compensation for the administrative professional, the administrative professional’s principal obligation shall be to serve the corporate employer. In serving the immediate employer, however, the administrative professional shall not act contrary to interests of the corporate employer or to public safety and welfare or in such a way as to impair the dignity and status of the profession.
The administrative professional shall strive to avoid conflicts of interest with the immediate employer whenever possible, but if such conflicts cannot be avoided or resolved, the administrative professional shall fully disclose to the immediate employer and all interested parties the relevant reasons and circumstances.
Communications and information either given in confidence or such that confidentiality is required to serve the best interests of the immediate employer shall not be revealed by an administrative professional unless permission to do so is granted by the immediate employer or continued confidentiality is harmful to the corporate employer, client, public, or profession. Testimony in a court of law regarding confidential matters should be given only under the immediate or corporate employer’s authorization, under legal compulsion, or to protect the public from harm.
The administrative professional will assume responsibilities only when qualified by training and experience and shall inform the immediate or corporate employer concerning any lack of qualification which might harm the interests of the employer or impair the administrative professional’s capacity to serve such interests.
In acting as agent for an immediate employer, the administrative professional shall strive to accurately and honestly represent the views and interests of the immediate employer as well as the views and interests of those who seek to contact or influence the immediate employer, and shall not distort or misrepresent such views and interests, whether for personal advantage or to protect the employer from unwelcome information.
The administrative professional shall respond to those seeking the immediate employer’s professional attention with impartial courtesy and consistent good will, recognizing that by the administrative professional’s demeanor the immediate employer will be judged.
When entrusted with funds or material goods essential to serve the employer, an administrative professional shall never appropriate or use such funds or goods for personal or nonprofessional purposes, and an administrative professional shall never use the employer’s facilities or time for the pursuit of such purposes without the express consent of the immediate employer.
The administrative professional shall not accept outside employment or accept any form of compensation from outside sources which would impair the efficiency and effectiveness of the administrative professional or which would be in conflict with the employer’s welfare.
2. The administrative professional shall strive to maintain and enhance the dignity, status, competence, and standards of the profession and its practitioners.
The administrative professional, when applying for or being listed for employment, shall not make exaggerated, misleading, or false claims concerning training or qualifications. When judging the qualifications of other persons, whether in providing references, assisting with assignments, or evaluating performances, the administrative professional shall strive to provide fair and objective appraisals and shall attempt to avoid any false, malicious, or indiscriminate injury to or criticism of the professional reputation or work of others.
The administrative professional will cooperate with other administrative professionals in extending public knowledge and appreciation of the profession and its achievements and will strive to protect it from misrepresentation and misunderstanding.
The administrative professional shall strive to improve the standards of the profession by belonging to a professional association, attending and encouraging others to attend professional meetings, exchanging knowledge and information with other administrative professionals, and by achieving and encouraging others to achieve the Certified Professional Secretary® or Certified Administrative Professional® rating.
3. The administrative professional shall insist that judgments concerning continued employment, compensation, and promotion be based upon professional knowledge, ability, experience, and performance.
The administrative professional shall strive to improve working conditions and to ensure equal employment opportunities within the profession and throughout the organization by which employed.
The administrative professional shall refuse to cooperate with or condone by silence the actions of coworkers or employers who misuse their positions for personal, nonprofessional advantage
The administrative professional shall resist, and if necessary report to the proper authorities, instances in the workplace of harassment for reasons of sex, creed, race, or age.
The administrative professional shall inform the employer concerning any changes in conditions of employment, including fringe benefits, which encourage inefficiency or make difficult the proper performance of prescribed assignments.
4. The administrative professional must consider the promotion and preservation of the safety and welfare of the public to be the paramount duty.
The administrative professional, in addition to sharing with all concerned citizens an obligation to promote the general welfare and safety, has a special obligation to cooperate with and promote the interests of other allied professions and to exercise particular concern for those directly affected by the actions of employers served.
If requested or required by an employer to engage in or passively condone activities which are contrary to the public safety or welfare, the administrative professional shall indicate clearly to the employer the possible harmful consequences and, if such activities continue, the administrative professional must either resign or notify the proper authorities.
The administrative professional is obliged, before reporting to the proper authorities actions contrary to the public interest, to determine that the factual evidence is correct, to be motivated by no desire for personal benefit or vindication, and to inform the employer of such an intention unless doing so will be harmful to the public.
http://www.iaap-hq.org/resources/workplace/ethics.htm
IAAP also provides a Code of Conduct in participating in their website groups. I would suggest them as a great professional organization resource to look into joining. Also add them in your Facebook. I did.
As I mentioned in the start, everyone should have a Code. Standards that reflect an individual’s morals, values, conduct, mission, and vision. It inspires us to hold ourselves to a higher standard, giving us a template of behavior to live by and aspire to, give ourselves accountability, and not traverse through life randomly, but with purpose. Saying this, I would be a dope not to put together my own Code. So, with that said, I will let you know when I post that. I will either post that on my Philosophy page or probably create a specific page just for that purpose.
Tools: Entrepreneur
In my search and destroy mission, I uncovered a great article by Entrepreneur called, “Developing a Code of Ethics.” [Suggestion… Subscribe, put them on your feedreader, whatever. They are a great resource of information. I have them linked in my sidebar under Magazines. Check them out.] This write up covers everything you want to include in your Code.
http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/132085592.html
Tools: Franklin Covey
You can build a mission statement directly online with Franklin Covey’s Mission Statement Builder at http://www.franklincovey.com/msb/. [Suggestion… Subscribe to their Go Blog, put them on your feedreader, whatever. They are a great resource of information. I have them linked in my sidebar under Blog Roll. Check them out.]
Tools: Oprah
While you’re at it, create a Dream Board. You can also do this online with Oprah’s “O Dream Board: Envision Your Best Life.” http://www.oprah.com/packages/o-dream-board.html. [Suggestion... Subscribe to Oprah.com. Lots of great, inspirational information is provided, covering a range of topics.]
Conclusion
I covered quite a bit on this piece. Lots of links referencing some outstanding information. Bing and Google, you are my friends. I hope this inspires you. Inspires you to bring up your game. Let people know what you stand for and believe in. What you won’t compromise and that you hold yourself accountable above all else.
I also hope you will contribute your own suggestions and links to share in the Comments. And if you enjoyed this article and it inspired you to create your own Code of Ethics, Code of Conduct, Mission, Values, and/or Vision, share with your colleagues or share on your Twitter with one of my Sexy Bookmarks located at the bottom of this post. Also, if you decided to create your very own and post it on your website or one of the many social media sites, share your link in the Comments as well. Would love to come by and show you some Love.
With great affection,
Here is a nifty trick to add to your Master Document: bookmarks. Most of us know what bookmarking is when we are navigating the web, or at least I hope so. The basic premise of bookmarking is the idea of saving a place in a way so that you can easily find it again and again without having to endure relentlessly searching for it over and over. Just like marking the page in an actual book so you know where you left off and can easily navigate to the exact page to resume without wasting time flipping through pages to find where you left off.
A little diversional sidenote here, I will occasionally pick up a stack of those heavyweight card bookmarks at Barnes & Noble they keep on the checkout counter. They’re promotional, but they’re FREE, and I have and read a lot of different books at any given time. I’ve also been know to use the self-adhesive sticky notes to mark my place in books. I always have a handy stack of bookmarks ready when I happen to go out on a book shopping spree.
Back to point. MS Word’s Help feature gives a great definition for the bookmarking feature:
A bookmark identifies a location or a selection of text that you name and identify for future reference. For example, you might use a bookmark to identify text that you want to revise at a later time. Instead of scrolling through the document to locate the text, you can go to it by using the Bookmark dialog box.
You can also add cross-references to bookmarks. For example, after you insert a bookmark in a document, you can refer to that bookmark from other places in the text by creating cross-references to the bookmark.
I would suggest setting up your Word program to view Bookmarks first. By default, this feature is not a feature selected to view bookmarks. Just saving you a bit of confusion when we get to the part of inserting a bookmark and you see nothing. Made me think for a minute I might not be doing it right.
View/Hide Bookmark
- Click on your Office Button.
At the bottom right of the window, next to the Exit Word button, click on Word Options.
- Click Advanced and scroll down to the section titled, Show document content. Click on Show bookmarks to get the checkmark on it.
- Click OK.
NOTE: If you place a bookmark over a block of text, the bookmark appears in brackets ([…]) on the screen. If you place the bookmark at a specific location, the bookmark appears as an I-beam. The brackets do not print.
Insert Bookmark
- Select the text or item you want to bookmark or click where you want the bookmark.
- From the menu select the Insert tab, in the Links group, click Bookmark.
- Under Bookmark name, type or select a name.
NOTE: Bookmark names must begin with a letter and can contain numbers. You can’t include spaces in a bookmark name. However, you can use the underscore character to separate words — for example, “First_heading.” - Click Add.
Go To a Bookmark
- From the menu select the Insert tab, in the Links group, click Bookmark.
- Select Name or Location to sort your bookmarks.
- Click on the name of the bookmark you want to go to.
- Click Go To.
Lastly, you might want to know how to delete your bookmarks. Easy peasy.
Delete Bookmark
- From the menu select the Insert tab, in the Links group, click Bookmark.
- Click on the name of the bookmark you want to delete and then click Delete.
NOTE: To delete both the bookmark and the bookmarked item (such as a block of text or other element), select the information within your Word document and press DELETE.
You’ll find this to be a great tool for extensive documents you reference specific material on a regular basis or tagging your favorites locations and information.
Did you like this? Would love to hear from you. More Master Document information to come. Just click on the RSS icon to add me to your RSS feeds to get updates as soon as I post something new. Feel free to contribute your suggestions or little tips with other administrative professionals who stop by my website in the comments.
Happy bookmarking my friends,
