The surprising truth about motivation
Transcription
The surprising truth about motivation
Your Alumni Magazine | March 2012 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE The surprising truth about motivation Q & A with Stedman Graham What motivates you? Find out. Rosa Sherk, MBA ’08 Engineer, author, motivational speaker Raleigh, NC Alumni Association One person can make a huge difference in someone’s career. Be the one. Be a mentor. Alumni Mentor Program alumni.phoenix.edu | 800-795-2586 LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR motivation PHOENIX FOCUS is produced monthly by University of Phoenix Alumni Association. Visit us at phoenixfocus.com. Chief Marketing Officer Arra Yerganian Vice President Kathleen Fern, MBA ’99 Having a mentor who challenged me to turn my obstacle into an asset has greatly impacted my career success. Executive Director Nikki Sandoval, MBA ’03 Editorial Director Jenifer King, MBA ’11 Senior Editor Amanda Flatten Contributing Editor JoBeth Jamison Features Editor Lee Jonsson Editorial Assistant Lindsay DeChacco Senior Writer Julie Wilson Online Communications Manager Bridget Gutierrez Online Community Manager Amy Wilson Design P.S. Studios Photographer Bruce Racine University of Phoenix Alumni Association 4025 S. Riverpoint Parkway Phoenix, AZ 85040 Contact us at [email protected] P 800.795.2586 F 602.643.0552 or visit us at alumni.phoenix.edu Early in my career, I was fortunate enough to have author and motivational expert Steve Chandler as my mentor. He once told me about the time, in the late 1970s, that he interviewed Arnold Schwarzenegger. Relatively unknown at the time, the young bodybuilder told Steve he was going to become a big movie star. Steve asked if he thought that his thick Austrian accent would be an obstacle. Arnold replied, “People will remember me because of my accent. It will be a strength, not a weakness.” This resonates in my own life. When I was a kid, I was often told that I talked too much. Ironically, my public speaking ability has greatly impacted my career success. Knowing my career goal at the time was to teach, Steve insisted I introduce him at his seminars. He challenged me to practice and turn my speaking into an asset. This month, we invite you to turn your obstacles into assets by offering you the tools to self-motivate and tackle any adventure that awaits! Enjoy, © 2012 University of Phoenix, Inc. All rights reserved. Nikki Sandoval, MBA ’03 Executive Director, Alumni Relations University of Phoenix [email protected] Use your smartphone to order a print subscription to Phoenix Focus, now available. phoenixfocus.com 3 Everyone has a story to tell. Share yours and you could be in an upcoming issue of Phoenix Focus. Email us at [email protected]. Upcoming issues: • American spirit • Sports • Education • Small business alumni.phoenix.edu. Jennifer Maggiore | BSB/MKT ’05 4 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE Nikki Sandoval Executive Director MBA ’03 ASK NIKKI Ask Nikki Each month, I receive hundreds of emails inquiring about resources available to alumni through University of Phoenix. Here are a few of the more frequently asked questions. Q: Is there a way to get our alumni magazine through the iPad newsstand? A: We are just finalizing the last details and anticipate launching a Phoenix Focus app on iTunes® very soon. This will be a free app that will allow you to view the current and past issues of your alumni magazine. Editorial team Arra Yerganian Chief Marketing Officer Kathleen Fern Vice President MBA ’99 Jenifer King Editorial Director MBA ’11 Amanda Flatten Senior Editor JoBeth Jamison Contributing Editor Lindsay DeChacco Editorial Assistant Lee Jonsson Features Editor Amy Wilson Online Community Manager Bridget Gutierrez Online Communications Mgr. Julie Wilson Senior Writer Q: Are there alumni discounts for classes? A: As a University of Phoenix alumnus, you are eligible for a 10 percent alumni discount on continuing education coursework. To learn more about the programs available please visit phoenix.edu/continuingeducation. Q: What resume resources does the University of Phoenix offer alumni? A: Here are a few suggestions I would recommend to start: Alumni Career Resources If you haven’t already, you might want to review the resume tips and articles posted on the new Education2Career portal at alumni.education2career.com. Simply choose the “Career Services” tab on the top right, then “Resume Evaluation,” which will walk you through a step-by-step resume-updating process. For additional tools and resources, click on the “Resume Guidance” tab on alumni.phoenix.edu/career-resources/resume-guidance.aspx. Request an Alumni Mentor As an alumnus, you can request to be connected with fellow alumni in your industry. This is an opportunity to gain valuable career advice from a peer and expand your network. You can also request a mentor specifically to assist with resume, cover letter and networking advice. To learn more, visit alumni.phoenix.edu/get-involved/be-a-mentor.aspx. phoenixfocus.com 5 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE contents Features 8 14 28 The surprising truth about motivation Onward and upward: Moving ahead one step at a time On the Cover 12 Q & A with Stedman Graham 6 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 Rosa Sherk Blazing a trail Looking along a path that climbed from the farm fields of her childhood to multiple careers and college degrees, it’s safe to say this is one motivated alumna. CONTENTS In this issue 18 32 42 Your Career Alumni Profiles Extra! Extra! 18 Quiz: What motivates you? 32 Tim Tobin A reservation for success 20 Staying motivated during a job search 24 The power of effective feedback 36 Diane Scanga A law enforcement leader 40 David Fried 41 Amir Johnson 44 The Buzz 44 Published by alumni 45 Recognition 46 Your University 46 47 48 50 Events University news Campus news Community relations phoenixfocus.com 7 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE 8 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 FEATURE | The surprising truth about motivation The surprising truth about motivation Take from the latest research to inspire yourself to greatness. By Emma Johnson Who couldn’t use a little motivation to get things done, accomplish goals or get out of a rut? The problem lies in finding what works. What energizes us, makes us happy workers, parents, spouses and citizens? What inspires us to be our best and accomplish our dreams? A recent spate of research and books has netted some unexpected findings about what motivates us, perhaps the most curious of which comes from Daniel Pink, author of Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. After delving into the subject, Pink discovered that most of what was assumed to be motivating is in fact not at all. “The most surprising thing that 50 years of research consistently found is how ineffective carrots and sticks are,” Pink says. “There is a belief that motivation is really simple— if we reward behavior, you get more of it, and if you punish, you get less. But that is not true as often as we think.” What Pink and other researchers found is that people are motivated more by intrinsic factors than extrinsic rewards. Pink contends that there are three essential elements for motivation: autonomy, the desire to direct one’s own life; mastery, the urge to get better and better at something that matters; and purpose, the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves. Other researchers put forth similar theories that support the idea that motivation comes primarily from intrinsic factors. Their studies show that making incremental progress toward a goal, making gains from “small wins,” having a worthy purpose and acting in ways that reinforce the story we want to tell about ourselves are all powerful ways to stay motivated. Making progress In the work arena, people who feel they are making progress in their career are substantially more motivated. Teresa Amabile, a professor at Harvard Business School and the author of The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work, collected 12,000 daily diaries from 200 professionals around the world, and examined what motivated these workers. She and everyone else involved in the study were surprised to find that progress beat all other motivators by a landslide—even when compared with passion for the work, phoenixfocus.com 9 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE effects on participants’ motivation. “Backsliding could be devastating to people’s inner work lives,” Amabile says. The power of small wins on people’s personal lives has been studied, too. Daniel Mochon, professor of MIT’s Sloan School of Management, studied the effects of setting and achieving smaller, more personal goals— including practicing yoga, exercising and attending religious services. The study found that participants experienced a positive boost after each activity, and those boosts added up to happier individuals over the long term. Finding purpose collaboration, interpersonal and instrumental support. “Progress was not only No. 1, but progress absolutely dwarfed everything else,” Amabile says. “On the days when people moved forward in their work in a meaningful way, they had a strong intrinsic motivation and a positive perception of themselves, their organization, co-workers and bosses.” Before the study, the researchers asked business leaders what they thought were the strongest workplace motivators, and just 5 percent said progress. “Even if they were making their choices randomly, that would have been 20 percent,” Amabile says. “They were actively ignoring progress.” Small wins Breaking problems down into small steps and using incremental accomplishments to inspire yourself to achieve a big win is the underpinning of a school of motivational thought pioneered by University of Michigan psychologist Karl Weick. Weick wrote that social and workplace problems are most effectively tackled by establishing small, concrete steps. Likewise, Amabile’s research found that even incremental steps toward progress were significant and had an enormous impact on professionals’ sense of well-being at work. On the other hand, any setbacks had disproportionately negative 10 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 Another motivating factor is knowing how your work makes a difference. Adam Grant, a professor at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, observed one university’s fundraising call center. He found that after various unsuccessful attempts to motivate the callers to secure more funding for the university, what made the callers more successful was knowing how the money benefited the recipients. The callers stayed on the phone longer and secured more than double the pre-study amount of funding. Grant said there are many employees who do work that matters and who don’t get to see its impact. The engineer who designs safety equipment on cars never meets the drivers and passengers. The writer never gets feedback from the reader. Connecting what you do with its impact proves hugely motivational. Grant cited one study in which radiologists felt more empathy and became more accurate in evaluating x-rays when a patient’s photo was attached to the x-ray. In another study, doctors washed their hands more frequently when they were reminded of the benefit/impact to patients. In each example, people were more motivated when they understood how their actions benefited someone else. They felt their actions had purpose. Perpetuating (or changing) your self-image One of the most powerful ways to motivate yourself and others is to tap into what Peter Bregman refers to as “the story you tell about yourself.” The business consultant and author of 18 Minutes: Find Your Focus, Master Distraction, and Get the Right Things Done explains that we are naturally motivated to live out the image we have of ourselves. If you see yourself as a tireless worker, you will have no problem staying late at the office to solve a problem. If the core of your identity is that of an involved parent, you need FEATURE | The surprising truth about motivation little encouragement to spend your free time reading and playing catch with your kids. “You don’t have to motivate yourself to adhere to the story you want to tell yourself—you naturally do things to reinforce that,” Bregman says. “The real question is what to do when you exhibit a behavior you’re not happy with?” To change “the story you tell about yourself,” Bregman says that you have to identify the trait or habit you want to change, and ask yourself what story you tell yourself to avoid the change. Are you unable to stop smoking because deep down you see yourself as the rebellious teenager you were when you first started? Do you fail to go after promotions because you believe you’re a shy person, and timid people don’t get ahead? “We all have two people in our head—the person who wants to accomplish the goal and the person who is holding us back,” Bregman says. “Listen to the conversation you’re having with yourself. That will tell you what your story is.” The following examples show how people were naturally motivated to reinforce their “stories.” Duke University professor Dan Ariely conducted a survey in which participants were asked to drag as many circles as they could across a computer screen for five minutes. Some were paid $5, others 50 cents, and a third group was asked to do it as a favor. The third group, presumably motivated by altruism, dragged 168 circles, followed by 159 for those paid $5, and 101 for those paid 50 cents. In this case, participants who saw themselves as people who would do a favor for someone were more motivated than the people who were paid 50 cents, and even $5. Similarly, when AARP asked lawyers if they would provide legal services to destitute seniors at a discounted rate of $30 hour, they declined. But the same group of attorneys agreed to do it for free. “These lawyers tell themselves, ‘I’m a really expensive high-powered lawyer, but I help people who need it,’” Bregman explained. The suggestion they provide their services as a favor reinforced this narrative. Finding that mix of effective motivators at work takes time and effort. “Making people care about their organization requires collecting lots of feedback and being really, really persistent in finding what works,” Pink says. “Unfortunately there is a lot of short-term thinking at many organizations— whether it’s about pumping up sales figures for the month or coming up with a new product idea.” However, understanding what motivates people and creating an environment and processes that support those motivational forces ultimately leads to not only more productivity and creativity, but also a happier, more stable workforce. Emma Johnson is an award-winning journalist who specializes in money, business and finance. Her articles have appeared in dozens of publications, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, Success, Forbes, Wired, Glamour, Real Simple, Woman’s Day and Psychology Today. Master motivation Based on recent studies, researchers Daniel Pink, Teresa Amabile and Peter Bregman suggest the following tips for motivating yourself: DEFINE YOUR PURPOSE: Amabile says, at the start of each day, write down the answer to, “Why am I doing this?” “This” might be your job, raising your family, being married, an exercise routine, or caring for a sick loved one. The answer might be as simple as, “because I want to help people,” or “because my kids give me the greatest joy.” Then examine how you can alter your daily activities to support your core motivators. MOTIVATE YOURSELF WITH PROGRESS: Pink recommends that you take a few minutes each day and write down the progress you made on a task that is important to you. After a couple of weeks examine what you did on the days you made progress. This not only celebrates your successes, but also helps you systematically analyze your source of motivation. Try idonethis.com, a free online tool which invites you to plug in your daily accomplishments and creates a calendar of your progress. MOTIVATE YOURSELF WITH SMALL WINS: Bregman suggests you break down a goal into minute parts. For example, what are the elements of going for a five-mile run each day? If five miles is cripplingly long, set the goal for one mile. Once that goal has been tackled and celebrated, up the distance each week. Or is it the daily commitment? First make yourself go out twice each week, and be proud once you reach that goal for one month. Or if you find running difficult, walk five times each week, building up to a slow jog. USE SELF-IMAGE TO MOTIVATE YOURSELF: While you are naturally motivated to do things that reinforce the story you want to tell about yourself, Bregman says you can change your “story.” This requires that you identify what you want to change and ask yourself what holds you back from making that change. Once you have a clear understanding of those two things, your actions will adhere to the story you have redefined for yourself. phoenixfocus.com 11 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE QA & with Stedman Graham By Julie Wilson Renowned executive, educator and speaker Stedman Graham is building his legacy by helping others chart their course to success, one step at a time. Phoenix Focus sat down with this author of 10 books to discuss his latest, Identity: Passport to Freedom, published by Pearson Education. PF: You’ve made a career of motivating others. How did you realize it was your calling to help others find their path to success? SG: I have always been passionate about helping people. My passion is really to teach people, through my own experience, how to develop an identity and a life-management system that will help them maximize their potential as a person. PF: In Identity: Passport to Freedom, you discuss how having a strong identity is pivotal to achieving success. Why is this so? Stedman Graham’s 10th book, Identity: Passport to Freedom, was published by Pearson Education. 12 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 SG: If you don’t have an identity, then essentially you can sum up all your frustration, your anxiety, all the misdirected things, to being lost. You get stuck in a box doing the same thing over and over every day. Some of the issues of the 21st century today are because we’re not able to adapt to the new world order, the new technology or the way the world is changing. We don’t fit in anymore, and we have to reassess what we should be working on. Identity is the foundation for doing that. FEATURE | Q&A with Stedman Graham “The missing piece in our country right now is that we lack creativity, innovation and the ability to create new businesses and develop other career opportunities. We have to go back to that. The marketplace is forcing us to go back to that.” Stedman Graham PF: How do you find your identity? PF: How can we make the most of each day to reach our goals? SG: [You find your] passions, what you love and care about and what you’re willing to work on, on a continual basis. Then that information becomes more relevant to developing that identity, which now clarifies what you should be working on. SG: Focus on what you do well, and you can turn it into a skill set so you can build value. Ask what value you can create so you don’t become obsolete in the new world order. That’s why I teach my nine-step success program [in the book]. People can follow the structure to make them competitive on an ongoing basis. The other thing you’ve got to do is work. PF: How will these individual efforts help boost our nation’s economy? SG: The missing piece in our country right now is that we lack creativity, innovation and the ability to create new businesses and develop other career opportunities. We have to go back to that. The marketplace is forcing us to go back to that. PF: How do you address this in Identity: Passport to Freedom? PF: What trait is most critical to success? SG: Determination. You may not have the resources, or all the answers or be the smartest, but you don’t give up. You don’t quit. Learn more at stedmangraham.com. SG: This book will raise consciousness about how important it is to get back to the foundation of who you are and to be able to talk about what your talents are for the future. People who understand [the importance of finding their identity] have the competitive edge. At the end of the day, ask yourself what you have done to develop yourself. What have you done for your organization to create a win-win? phoenixfocus.com 13 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE Onward and upward Moving ahead one step at a time. By Kimberly Johnson Fortune cookies laced with ancient Chinese wisdom, personal trainers putting you through the paces, even boot camp drill instructors barking orders—they are all onto something powerful. They possess the knowledge that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. It’s a sentiment that is just as true today as it was around 500 BC when Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu uttered it, assuring his place in history and on refrigerator magnets for the ages. The insight, however, is more than a slogan meant to spur motivation along whatever long and arduous path lies ahead. Scaling to the top Twenty-six years ago, a horrific car crash almost took the life of Paul Deegan. The British mountaineer was just 15 when the accident left him pulverized by shards of glass. Coming out of it, Deegan felt like he was opening his eyes for the first time to all that he had been taking for granted. That epiphany motivated the teen. So much so, that upon learning of trash piling up at the Mt. Everest base camp in Nepal, he suggested to 14 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 his boss at his after-school job at a camping supply store that they should organize an expedition to go clean it up. His boss, to young Deegan’s amazement, agreed. “Everything I’ve done since stems from that remarkable experience,” Deegan admits. “In that one moment, all my stars fell into alignment.” While picking up trash at Everest’s base camp, his eyes were cast upwards to its summit looming above. At 29,029 feet, Everest is the highest mountain in the world that very few ever conquer. From then on, it became his passion. “Every expedition I did, every mountain I chose to climb, everyone I met, I [asked] ‘How does this experience teach me a skill that allows me to get closer to climbing Everest?’” Deegan says. FEATURE | Onward and upward phoenixfocus.com 15 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE Survivor guilt set in, and more of his mountaineering friends weren’t returning from their expeditions. “The way I dealt with it was by saying I wasn’t going to go back.” The next eight years proved to be a tortuous mental journey as he tried to find other things to swamp his desire to climb Everest, he remembers. He began to prepare, practicing tying knots into climbing rope with gloves and with his eyes closed. It was all part of a continuous, competitive practice that eventually paid off. In 1995, after seven years of apprenticeship, he got a shot at scaling Everest when he was offered a spot on a climb team. Despite the intense learning experience, he had to confront disappointment. “I wasn’t experienced enough and I didn’t summit,” he recalls, adding that he had made it to 26,000 feet. “It was the highest I had ever been before. Yes, I had failed to get to the top, but it hadn’t been a failure as an expedition.” That, unfortunately, would come the following year. In mid May 1996, two climbing teams making a bid for the summit would become trapped by weather conditions, leaving several climbers dead. Deegan and his team, a day behind them, were stuck at a camp below. “I found it particularly hard to deal with. Up until 1996, I had this rose-tinted-spectacle idea about what Everest was about. It was this romantic dream I had,” he says. “It was amazing to me to be walking in pioneers’ footsteps. And then suddenly, people who you had been chatting with the week before aren’t on the flight home. They’re still up there now. The rosetinted spectacles had been ripped from my face and I came home and really struggled to come to terms with what had happened.” 16 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 Finally in 2004, he decided to go back. “The tipping point was booking a return ticket,” he says. “As soon as I took that first, definitive, financially expensive, irreversible step, everything began to fall into line.” Looking back, making that first step was key, he says. “It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, you’ve got to quit worrying about what’s going to happen, the outcomes, and you’ve got to focus on the next thing.” It’s a sentiment that is now a major life philosophy for the explorer. “When your hand isn’t forced, then you have to engineer that crisis yourself,” he says. “We live in a success-oriented culture,” where failure is seen as a dirty word, he says. “We’ve got to make friends with failure, otherwise nothing is going to get done.” The science of success That sentiment is especially true in the business world, according to FORTUNE magazine senior editor Geoff Colvin, author of the bestselling book, Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates WorldClass Performers From Everybody Else. “In a way, it is pretty simple,” Colvin explains. “The research shows that the secret is not an innate gift.” The great performers in business, much like those in music or sports, are constantly pushing just beyond their limits of ability. “It’s not that one-in-amillion mysterious something that you either have or you don’t. The secret is what the researchers call deliberate practice,” he says. The deliberate practice isn’t really work or play, but is activity designed to improve a person’s performance, he explained. “The essence of it is constantly being pushed, or pushing yourself, just beyond your current level of ability.” That advancement typically isn’t sweeping, because then you’d be lost. However, neither should it be within the current level of ability, because then there’s no growth, he says. “The great performers of this world are people who do that, essentially, every day for years on end,” he says. FEATURE | Onward and upward “It’s not that one-in-a-million mysterious something that you either have or you don’t. The secret is what the researchers call deliberate practice.” Geoff Colvin, author of Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers From Everybody Else It’s a concept that is largely foreign in the business sector. “In business, we don’t think about practicing. We just think about getting out there and performing. The truth is there are ways to apply these principles in business also,” he said. “If you’re pushing yourself just beyond your capabilities, then by definition you’re going to be making mistakes and having failures because you’re trying to do things you can’t quite do,” he says. The power to heal Sometimes, new found capabilities emerge under the worst of circumstances. In early 2006, Lee Woodruff had her world rocked when her husband, ABC News co-anchor Bob Woodruff, was critically wounded by a bomb while on assignment in Iraq. “I don’t think there’s any way you can prepare for that phone call,” she said. “Obviously it was a huge turning point in our lives. He was at the top of his career. In one moment, everything changes.” Suffering head injuries from shrapnel, Bob underwent surgery that led to the removal of a portion of his skull to combat swelling. He was kept in a coma for more than a month, and his recovery would stretch for more than a year. Along the way, Lee kept a journal. “It was what I needed to do while he was in a coma,” she recalls. “When so much was uncertain, I made sense [of things] by coming back and writing what was happening each day.” A neurosurgeon attending Bob suggested she turn the journal into a book, saying that it could be helpful for the thousands of service members who were coming home from war with similar brain trauma and injuries. the journey from the family’s perspective and tries to keep people aware of how important the family is in the process,” she says. It was a journey that brought her a life-altering lesson. “Any fork in the road becomes a really pivotal moment. I think you choose to respond, and decide what to do with it afterward,” she says. “Sometimes it’s not about just merely surviving. I think there’s a moment in life where, in your own personal situation, you have the power to not only heal yourself but to heal other people, too.” For her, hope was a motivating commodity. “No one really has the right to take hope away from you,” she says. “People can really overcome amazing things. We, as human beings, are built for survival.” Kimberly Johnson is a freelance writer specializing in national and defense issues. She has written for US News & World Report, USA Today, Newsweek.com, National Geographic News, The Washington Post and many others. The suggestion hit home. “I think any tragedy becomes a milestone, and I think the point is to take that moment and do something with it,” the mother of four says. One year after his injury, Lee and Bob released In an Instant: A Family’s Journey of Love and Healing. “The book highlights phoenixfocus.com 17 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE The full-time job you would most dread having would be: What motivates you? Take our quiz. BHousekeeper. Which of the following sets of statements is most true for you? B In competitive situations, I will do almost anything I can to win. Y I make choices that put me in charge of my own time. I don’t like to just follow orders and work in a very structured work environment. R I seek opportunities where I am rewarded for my individual effort. If I work hard, I want that to directly affect my wallet. G I want to be an integral part of a larger effort that is doing something positive in the world. I want to help people. What type of reality show would you have the best chance of winning? By Jenny Jedeikin Pondering which career to pursue is an age-old dilemma. While many people choose careers by pursuing fields that interest them, or exploring professions related to subjects they were best at in school, those strategies don’t always lead to satisfaction. By discovering what motivates you, and makes you work harder, you can realize your greatest potential. Who knows what amazing things you can achieve? Answer each of these questions to discover your motivation type. It’s best to choose the first answer that grabs you. Note: While this quiz is based loosely on the Myers-Briggs personality types, this is only a rough guide to discovering your motivation type and what careers you might consider exploring. 18 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 R Sell it! A race to make a million selling anything. Y Make it original. The most creative people compete to come up with unusual ideas. B Convince me! Contestants debate to win arguments and influence people. G Save them! A group of participants compete to convert a group of hardened ex-convicts to more altruistic people, with something to give back to the world. In researching a new job, which of the following would be a deal breaker: Y It’s very routine work, long hours and some weekends required. R The pay is not the greatest. G The company exploits people all over the world. B You’re working underneath a lot of senior people who will take credit for what you do. G Army Commander leading invasion. Y Toll collector. R Unpaid volunteer, soup kitchen. When you’re at a party, you gravitate toward: R Strangers who can advance your career. B People who you know well and are impressed by your abilities. Y Fascinating folks with interesting stories. G People who could really use your helpful advice. In school, if you had to pick, you were more of a: B Debate team member/high achiever. Y Artistic individual. G Peer counselor, supportive friend. R Captain of the basketball team. If given an important work project you prefer: Y To do one portion of it alone, setting your own schedule. G To work within the group and take on whatever role is most helpful. R To manage the project, as long as there is increased compensation for completion. B To be in charge so that it is done correctly, and that you get the credit! Your typical daydream tends to involve: R A private jet and a luxury Ferrari. Y A Pulitzer Prize for writing or creativity. B Your photo on the cover of Time magazine. G Ending world hunger. FEATURE | What motivates you? Which act would you find hardest to forgive? Someone … G Dumping waste at your local lake. Y Accusing you of being an unoriginal copycat. The super-power app that you would love to have on your phone would most likely involve: R Generating a new source of income at the touch of a button. B Humiliating you in public. G Connecting you to people that could help restore balance and tranquility to the planet. If you have to play a game for several hours, you would have the most fun playing: Y Providing you with sought-after sources for selling your unique and original ideas to others. R Risk or Monopoly. B Giving you a platform for leading the masses to follow your lead and offer you accolades. R Judging you as having cheap taste. Y Pictionary or Balderdash. G The Mad Sad Glad Game about Feelings or Make It Green! B Trivial Pursuit or Go to the Head of Class. Which set of activities most appeal to you? R Produce results, grow, fix, construct, build. B Lead, influence, persuade, perform, command, manage, direct. G Inform, enlighten, help, teach, heal, develop, support. Y Innovate, create, imagine, explore, fantasize, intuit, sense. You would most like to be admired by others as ... G the Martin Luther King Jr. of your industry. R the John Rockefeller of your industry. Y the Michelangelo of your industry. B the Neil Armstrong of your industry. Your dream vacation just got a lot better because it involves: B Speaking at a convention to a captive audience. Y Spending quality time alone and being creative. R An opportunity to make some big money. G Volunteering at a shelter in an economically developing nation. Which of these phrases is most true about you at work? G I need to make a difference in the lives of other people. R I want to feel proud of the amount of money I earn. Y I just want to be left alone to do my thing and do it well. B I need to be in charge of other people. Time to find your type! Now that you’ve answered the questions, it’s time to tally up your responses and find your motivation type. Count up your answers in terms of B, Y, R, G (blue, yellow, red, green) symbols. Although each type may apply to you to a degree, the type with the most points is your dominant motivation type. If there is a tie, you are equally motivated by a variety of factors. Read both types because both pertain to you. Lucky you, you have a lot of choices to pick from. B: Praise-oriented achiever. You may be strongly motivated by receiving recognition in your work. In most things you do, you probably like to be in charge, in the spotlight and enjoy influencing others to see things your way. You are likely to be quite ambitious and feel driven to succeed and enjoy positions of power. Occupations that you might consider exploring include corporate leadership jobs where you are managing others, as well as lecturer, professor, lawyer, head of industry, lobbyist, politician or consultant. Y: Independence-seeking creatives. You prefer to have tons of freedom and flexibility in whatever you do. Sure it’s swell to earn money and receive accolades, but you would never be motivated to trade in freedom and independence for a very predictable routine. It is important to you to be able to be creative and innovative when solving problems. Careers that might appeal to you are artist, writer, musician, photographer, publicist, graphic designer, small business owner or creative entrepreneur. G: World-improving helpers. You are motivated by a need to help others, and better the world. Interacting positively with other people on a daily basis is essential to your happiness. It’s more critical to you to help people than it is to make money or receive praise. Careers that might appeal to you are physical therapist, nonprofit positions, doctor, flight attendant, social worker, personal trainer, teacher, nurse, veterinarian, travel agent, armed service member, firefighter or mediator. R: Reward-driven responsives. You like to be rewarded for what you do by the factor that you consider to be most motivating: money. After all, isn’t that what you’re really working for? You tend to be very effective at any job, especially when your paycheck is directly tied to how hard you work. Jobs that might appeal to you are found in sales departments of companies where you can do what you do best, including marketing, ad sales, stock investing, sales management, high-end retail sales or founding your own startup. Jenny Jedeikin lives in Northern California and her writing has appeared in San Francisco Chronicle Magazine, Rolling Stone and In Style, among other publications. phoenixfocus.com 19 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE Staying motivated during a job search How to keep your chin up when the job market is down. By Julie Wilson You’re doing all the right things—networking, customizing your resumes and cover letters and writing your thank-you notes—but the right job is still eluding you. Let’s face it. Staying motivated during a long job search can be tough. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 6.5 million people in the U.S. had been out of work for 27 weeks or more in 2010. As these Americans know first-hand, being involuntarily unemployed can take its toll on even the most upbeat person. “The two greatest pains are loss of a loved one and loss of a job,” asserts Jay Block, president of career coaching firm The Jay Block Companies, LLC, and author of 101 Best Ways to Land a Job in Troubled Times. But there are things you can do to ease the strain of a prolonged job search. Experts share their best advice for how to weather the journey to a job when the road is a long one. 20 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 YOUR CAREER | Staying motivated during a job search phoenixfocus.com 21 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE Best advice for long-haul job seekers: Jay Block: “Take care of yourself first.” Eleanor Anne Sweet: “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.” Hallie Crawford: “Evaluate what you are doing. See what’s working, what’s not and change your strategy. Shake it up.” Take care of yourself Though unemployment might make you feel like you want to stay in bed all day, experts agree that it’s important to tend to your own well being when you’re out of work. This goes beyond the usual advice of exercising and eating right. “Make a list of the things that boost your spirits,” suggests Hallie Crawford, founder of HallieCrawford.com, a career coaching services company based in Atlanta. “Take a hike or watch a movie. You can come up with some easy, inexpensive ways to make you happy.” Block agrees. “The most important thing is to take care of ourselves first so we can take care of our job campaign,” he says. “Remember, you are not defined by your job. You are defined by your character. Take care of you.” Surround yourself with optimism A positive outlook is an essential part of gracefully managing long-term unemployment. “In my opinion, 90 percent of job search success is headset,” insists Eleanor Anne Sweet, president of The Job Search Experts and author of The New Rules of Job Search: How to Land an Executive Job in the New Economy. “If you don’t feel good about yourself and have positive expectations and optimism, then your job search is going nowhere.” “You attract what you put out there,” adds Block. “If you hang out with highly positive people, then anything is possible.” Build a support network Crawford suggests assembling a “dream team of support” to help you stay positive. “Identify those people in your life who are great cheerleaders,” she says, “and don’t be afraid to ask them for what you need.” 22 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 Block believes that a career coach should be part of the team that will help you as you work to rejoin the ranks of the gainfully employed. “A career coach is someone who has already done the market survey and knows what employers are looking for,” he says, stressing that there’s no need to do everything on your own during a job search. “I’ve studied thousands of successful people, and I have never seen one who has made it to the top alone.” Count your blessings Being thankful for what you do have is key to maintaining a positive outlook during an extended job hunt. Sweet advises her clients to start and end each day by focusing on what they are grateful for. “This creates positive energy and momentum and helps you work through your fear,” she says. “A lot of people feel overwhelmed by fear, and it is holding them back.” Block has his clients write down a list of ten things they are grateful for. “Success YOUR CAREER | Staying motivated during a job search comes from an attitude of gratitude and not an attitude of lack,” he says. “When we focus on what we have to be grateful for, our whole mindset changes.” Get out there and do something For many, our jobs give us a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day, something that might be lacking when we’re out of work. Taking a part-time job—even if it’s completely unrelated to your industry or field—has many benefits. For starters, it’s a way to earn money. It also shows potential employers that you’re a hard worker. “I think it shows that you are taking initiative and are a motivated person who wants to be out there working,” says Crawford. Volunteering is another great way to get out of the house and do something productive. “When you are volunteering, you are giving of yourself,” says Sweet. “This helps fuel the momentum of positive energy.” Plus, “You never know who you’re going to meet.” Evaluate your approach At some point during a prolonged job search, you need to take an honest look at yourself and, as Block puts it, ask better questions. “We ask disempowering questions, like ‘Why me?’ and ‘How long will it take to get a job?’” he says. “We need to change our questions and what we are focusing on.” For example, better questions might be “Who do I need to meet,” “What coach can I go to?” and “What book can I read?” Sweet urges job seekers to educate themselves about the realities of the current job market so they can be open to opportunities that may not match their old positions, dollar for dollar. “On average, compensation is about 35 percent below what it was prior to going into this recession,” she says. “Really go into your heart and soul and be realistic about your expectations in this current marketplace.” And when there seems to be no end in sight to that job search, Sweet gently reminds us that “Every ‘no’ gets you closer to the ‘yes.’” phoenixfocus.com 23 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE “What’ll happen in the absence of explicit feedback is that people will make things up. And the things they make up are not neutral; they make up things that are bad.” John Weaver, psychologist and management consultant 24 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 YOUR CAREER | The power of effective feedback The power of effective feedback Improving the workplace with constructive commentary. By Ashley Milne-Tyte You’ve been laboring away, waiting for your yearly review, hoping for the insights that could get you to the next level of your career. Will you get the kind of feedback that revs you up or the kind that leaves you deflated? Most of us have had both. Feedback is a big part of what motivates us (even if some of us dread that review). But research shows most employees feel they don’t get enough of it. Psychologist and management consultant John Weaver says when we aren’t receiving enough feedback, our imaginations quickly fill the gap. He says, “What’ll happen in the absence of explicit feedback is that people will make things up. And the things they make up are not neutral; they make up things that are bad.” Unspecific feedback can have unfortunate repercussions. Judy Sheehan, an executive director at Morgan Stanley, says during a review, one young woman’s boss dropped this pearl of advice: “Maximize your presence.” The employee started coming in earlier and leaving later, until, exhausted but apparently not improving, she finally learned her boss had meant, “Speak up more in meetings.” Feedback tips for managers Weaver says the annual review simply isn’t that effective. Its focus tends to stay general, “because you’re talking about very big things. It typically focuses on the kind of information that is going to be used to set or deny a raise, and as a result, the day-to-day kinds of things people need to perform at their highest level aren’t discussed.” Weaver says feedback should be a continuous process where manager and employee are always in touch. Establish regular and frequent check-ins Weaver suggests that to get the most out of these meetings, “You need to do it at least weekly. Check in, say ‘Here’s where it’s working; here’s where it’s not working.’” That way, he says, the employee has the tools they need to stay on target. To many busy managers, the idea of weekly conversations about someone’s progress may be unappealing, unrealistic or both. And, not all managers are blessed with great communication skills. phoenixfocus.com 25 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE In her role at Morgan Stanley, Sheehan trains the company’s executives in management techniques. To make the prospect of engaging in feedback more enticing, Sheehan tells managers to “simplify the act of feedback.” Be specific This means “taking the hurtful stuff out of it and just getting highly specific about the actions.” Sheehan says feedback should consist largely of nouns and verbs, not adjectives. “So instead of saying, ‘You did a really bad job running that team meeting today,’ diagnose what was bad about it. Was it that the people who dialed in never got a chance to speak?” Instead, she says, be descriptive: “You need to give people on the phone time to speak up during meetings.” Concrete suggestions work best. Avoid words like ‘always’ and ‘never’ when giving feedback Any extremes are likely to make the listener less receptive to what you’re trying to say. Ditch the jargon Sheehan says managers must drop the jargon if they expect their words to do any good. But feedback isn’t all up to employers. Much of the responsibility for obtaining helpful feedback is yours. Feedback tips for employees Here are four pieces of advice from Judy Sheehan for making sure that, as an employee, you get the best feedback to do your job well: Push for specific feedback Consider the “maximize your presence” example. Sheehan and Weaver emphasize that it’s up to you to push for more specific information in the absence of clarity. “People blow up their careers or short change themselves because they’re afraid,” says Sheehan. The young woman in that case “just kept accepting and nodding and trying to do her best.” Sheehan says pushing for more applies just as much to what seems like a pat on the back. “Good job” isn’t enough. Ask the manager what exactly it is they like about your performance. Ask for feedback It’s your career. You can’t sit back and hope feedback will rain down whenever it’s deserved. You need to ask for it. Sheehan says managers tend to coach their 26 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 stars, and if you ask for feedback, “you become the squeaky wheel—in a good way.” It’s flattering for the manager to have you ask for their thoughts on your progress. Don’t be defensive We’ve all been there. It’s never pleasant to hear a superior telling you that you messed up (especially when you’re inwardly screaming it wasn’t your fault). It hurts. Sheehan says it’s perfectly natural to first get angry, then tell yourself it’s all someone else’s fault, then rationalize the action under discussion, then collapse in a pool of sadness and/or self-recrimination. First, she advises, “try to step back and see yourself going through those reactions. Then it will be harder to be completely invested in all that emoting. When you do come to accept you screwed up, she says it’s a good idea to “apologize once, then move on.” Weaver agrees. “Making mistakes is one of the most important ways we learn.” Of course, he says, some company cultures like to pile on the blame. If this sounds familiar, it may be time to move on. Follow up on your progress Sheehan says too few people check back with their manager at regular intervals. But they should. “It shows a real investment in the manager’s feedback, real respect. You can assume you’ve corrected [the problem], but following up shows a kind of rigor of self-improvement that, to many a manager, would be very impressive.” Feedback, she says, should be “a conversation, not a monologue.” And finally, don’t forget to say thank you— and mean it. Ashley Milne-Tyte is a New York-based writer and reporter who specializes in communication issues. She has written for The Wall Street Journal, the New York Daily News, Financial Times and Independent (London). She has reported on numerous aspects of business and the economy for public radio’s Marketplace. University of Phoenix® Leadership Circle featuring President Mikhail Gorbachev leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 –1991 Attend Thursday, April 26, 5–9 pm Venue SIX10 601 S. Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60605 Can’t attend in person? Watch online: phoenix.edu/leadershipcircle Participate Take part in a conversation with President Mikhail Gorbachev, one of the world’s most transformative leaders and Nobel Laureate. Ask questions, gain insights and learn effective 21st century leadership skills that you can put to work in your life and community. Act now Space is limited. RSVP today at: leadershipcircle-gorbachev.eventbrite.com Learn more Visit phoenix.edu/leadershipcircle for details, including videos and photos of our first Leadership Circle with Madeleine K. Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State (1997–2001). THE MOTIVATION ISSUE From her youngest days, Rosa Sherk has always been a trailblazer. As a teenager, she helped integrate her high school in North Carolina, later becoming the first in her family to attend college. Not one to take the easy road, she then pursued a career in engineering—an industry with few African American women at the time. After decades of breaking new ground, she decided it was time to share the spirit that motivated her to persevere through countless challenges. Today, she owns her own consulting business where she provides training, executive coaching and motivational speaking so she can reach her ultimate goal of helping others achieve greatness. 28 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 ALUMNI PROFILES | Rosa Sherk Rosa Sherk, MBA ’08 Engineer, author, motivational speaker phoenixfocus.com 29 Raleigh, NC THE MOTIVATION ISSUE “I want to help young people realize that it is not where you start,” she says. “It is about the journey and where you finish.” Rosa Sherk, MBA ’08 A new path Sherk, the daughter of share croppers and one of 10 siblings, grew up knowing what hard work was. “Even then, as a young girl, I knew I wanted something more than that,” she recalls. “I wanted to control my destiny.” She was a member of the second integrated high school class in her town, an experience that solidified her resolve for a better life. When she graduated, her parents encouraged her to get a job at a factory, but she had other plans. “I had to break that cycle,” she says. “I had to get an education.” After an illness sidelined her plans to earn a degree at the local community college, Sherk went to work for Duke Power Company, working as a switchboard operator outside the engineering department. It was 30 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 there that she met an engineer who saw her potential. “We competed almost every day to see who could solve the hardest algebra problems,” she remembers. “He recognized my math ability and encouraged me to go back to school and study engineering. He made me believe that I could do anything.” Sherk enrolled at a local university as an electrical engineering major. During her studies, she participated in a cooperative education program that enabled her to work as an engineer for a semester at IBM in New York. Again, illness struck her family and forced her to drop out during her junior year, but not before she caught a glimpse of what her life could be like if she completed her education. “IBM had opened up the whole world to me, and I knew I had to continue until I had a degree,” she says. ALUMNI PROFILES | Rosa Sherk The evolution of a career Her engineering background was enough for her to land a job as an electronic technician at Nortel, where she worked for many years. She later accepted a position with Cellular One-GTE Mobilnet, now Verizon Wireless, and moved to Texas. Her boss saw her potential and sent her to become a master trainer, an experience that would change her life and reveal her passion for motivating others. After marrying and moving back to her hometown of Rock Mount, North Carolina, she continued her work as a trainer. “My job was to train engineers from all over the world on digital multiplex switching equipment,” she says. After 9/11, her training center closed and she made the long-awaited decision to earn the degree that had eluded her for so long. “I enrolled in North Carolina State University where I majored in sociology and graduated with honors,” she says. Eager to continue developing the training skills that brought her so much fulfillment, she also attended the Les Brown Institute, authored a book and became a Les Brown-certified motivational speaker. Becoming an entrepreneur In 2005, with her undergraduate degree finally in hand, Sherk decided to pursue her dream of motivating others to find their greatness in whatever they may do. She founded Mirror Training and Consulting, where she works as a certified master trainer, author, coach and motivational speaker. “Most of my clients are cities and towns that own their own utilities,” she says. “I train their customer service personnel and their managers. I also train their field workers on soft skills like customer service, leadership and time and priority management.” She conducts workshops and retreats for other industries, too. Sherk finds great satisfaction in helping others excel. “One of my proudest moments as a trainer and consultant was when the mayor of the City of Kinston said to me, ‘The citizens used to call me with complaints. They now thank me for the caring people who work for the city. You are responsible for that.’” During this time, Sherk was motivated to continue to improve herself through education. She decided to pursue a master’s degree at University of Phoenix, which she earned in 2008. “Having my MBA gives me another level of credibility,” she asserts. “University of Phoenix was instrumental in giving me a new approach with its problem-solving model.” This approach is helping her to continue to forge her own path and take her business in new directions—with the full support of her husband, whom she counts as one of her greatest inspirations. As for the future, she dreams of working more with youth to inspire them to go after their dreams, no matter how lofty they may be. “I want to help young people realize that it is not where you start,” she says. “It is about the journey and where you finish.” Motivating fellow alumni Rosa Sherk was the keynote speaker at the 2011 Alumni Homecoming Banquet in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she earned her MBA. “After the Alumni Homecoming Banquet, the students lined up at the door to shake my hands, hug me and tell me that I spoke to their souls. It was in that moment I realized that I am truly living my dream,” says Sherk. phoenixfocus.com 31 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE A reservation for success Ask Tim Tobin what drives him in his career in leadership development, and he doesn’t hesitate for a second. “I can tell you what I love about learning,” he says. “I love when that light bulb goes off, that ‘Aha!’ moment when someone you’re teaching becomes more animated and you can’t stop them from talking. They just roll with the ideas. That’s what I love.” It’s this passion that has inspired Tobin during his ten-year-plus career in training and development for an array of respected companies, a career that has culminated in his dream job at Marriott International. 32 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 ALUMNI PROFILES | Tim Tobin Tim Tobin, MAOM ’96 Senior director of global leadership development Marriott International phoenixfocus.com 33 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE “I just really want to create the best possible learning experience that I can at Marriott, to create experiences that change people’s lives. That feels good to me.” Tim Tobin, MAOM ’98 The hospitality industry beckons Tobin joined the Marriott team in 2010 as senior director of global leadership development for the international hospitality company, which operates 18 brands on multiple continents. Armed with more than a decade of experience and a team-oriented philosophy, he quickly rose through the ranks. New to the hotel industry, Tobin approached his job with an inquisitive attitude, eager to learn all he could about the organization so he could spearhead its leadership development programs. “I took a consultative, advisory approach,” he says. “I asked a lot of questions.” His hard work paid off, and the following year he was promoted to vice president of global learning and leadership development. “I was given the opportunity to oversee all of Marriott’s training and development globally,” he says. “The challenges are complex but fun. We have more than 140,000 associates in more than 60 countries—with all the different languages that are spoken. Here I am responsible for the design and development of their education. I love it.” A path back to education There was a time when this accomplishment would have seemed unattainable. After high school Tobin 34 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 attended a traditional university, admittedly earning his undergraduate degree on autopilot. When he decided to return to school to earn his master’s degree, it was a different story. “It really allowed me to step back and ask myself some questions about what it was I wanted to do and what I wanted to study,” he says. He earned his Master of Organizational Management in 1996, a feat that solidified his passion for education. “I smile when I say that it was University of Phoenix that rekindled my love of learning,” he says. The relationships that got him there While he can take credit for putting the sweat equity into his education, Tobin believes he couldn’t have gotten to where he is without others. “Without a doubt it starts with my desire and love for learning, but somewhere in the formula for my success has been the relationships I have made along the way,” he says. Earlier in his career at consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton, Tobin learned to embrace the collaborative environment where he forged strong relationships with his colleagues. “It’s a great thing when you are surrounded by so many great people and have the opportunity to learn from your peers,” he says. Later, his work at Beers + Cutler, now Baker Tilly, reinforced the same principles. “To this day I still remember that their core value is to hire the best and provide opportunities for growth and development,” he says. “Sure enough, we went through a rigorous hiring interview process, and they held true to all of their values. It made it a great place to work.” ALUMNI PROFILES | Tim Tobin When he joined the team at Baker Tilly, a member of the leadership team offered him words of advice that continue to guide him today. “She told me that the most important thing to do is to build solid relationships,” he remembers. “I listened to her.” In fact, years later, it’s a relationship that got Tobin’s proverbial foot in the door at Marriott, a company he had set his sights on long ago. One of his former colleagues from Booz Allen had begun working for Marriott and remembered Tobin. “He put in calls to everyone [on my behalf], and that helped pave the way for introductions.” Motivating a workforce Today, Tobin is teaching others the importance of relationships in his leadership development role, something he models for his associates each day. “I go out to my team and meet with them individually to let them know they are not alone. I roll up my sleeves,” he explains. “Creating that esprit de corps is pretty important, but it’s not easy.” Tobin fosters a collegial environment by helping associates at Marriott see that their efforts, no matter what role they have at the company, are making a difference. “Our vision is to provide learning opportunities that change people’s lives,” he says. “We are in a knowledge economy now, and nowhere is that more evident than in a hospitality organization. If we don’t have enthusiastic, motivated and engaged [employees] who can pass that along to our guests, then that is really going to hinder [us].” Just as Tobin never imagined where his career would take him, he’s not making any predictions about his future. “I can’t imagine what would be next,” he says. “I just really want to create the best possible learning experience that I can at Marriott, to create experiences that change people’s lives. That feels good to me. Whatever is next will appear when the time is right.” phoenixfocus.com 35 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE A LAW ENFORCEMENT LE ADER As a teenager, Diane Scanga had the opportunity to go on a ride-along with a veteran police officer. As she listened to him describe his job, something inside her clicked, and she knew she had found her calling. Today, she finds satisfaction in sharing her knowledge with others through her role as director of the Jefferson College Law Enforcement Academy. She’s also supporting law enforcement leaders around the world by serving as the 2012 president of the prestigious professional association, FBI National Academy Associates, Inc. Diane Scanga, MBA ’08 Director, Jefferson College Law Enforcement Academy Hillsboro, Missouri 36 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 ALUMNI PROFILES | Diane Scanga phoenixfocus.com 37 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE “My parents had always told me, If you want it, go and get it.” Diane Scanga, MBA ’08 Green behind the ears After high school, Scanga decided to join the cadet program of the Kirkwood Police Department to pursue her newfound ambition. When she arrived to apply for the program, she asked for the sergeant in charge, and a man offered to take her to him. As they walked together to the City Hall building, the man asked her why she was at the police department. “I told him, ‘I want to be chief,’” she remembers, laughing. She didn’t realize it then, but the man she was talking to was the police chief, someone who would support her throughout her tenure with the department. This was an auspicious beginning to a career that would exceed her hopeful expectations. “Once I got into the cadet system, there wasn’t anything I didn’t like,” 38 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 she says. “That was the blessing of the cadet program. I thought I knew what I was getting into, but it was even better than I thought.” Scanga was undeterred by the fact that she joined the Kirkwood Police Department when it was just starting to recruit women. “There were seven females in my [police academy] class of 40,” she says. She shrugs off the notion that this was a significant obstacle to her. “My parents had always told me, ‘If you want it, go and get it,’” she says, simply. And so she did. A blossoming career At the time, Kirkwood was a bedroom community with a diverse population of 30,000. “We had federal housing in one area and million-dollar homes in another,” she notes. It made for a unique demographic, one that kept her job interesting. Scanga quickly fell into the rhythm of her new career, enjoying the broad range of duties that made up her days. “It was fun,” she says. Her favorite assignment was when she worked in traffic patrol, becoming the first female motorcycle officer in the greater St. Louis area. “I got paid to ride,” she says. “I thought, ‘Can life get any better?’” Over the years, Scanga served as a patrol officer, a patrol sergeant, a lieutenant and finally a captain. “I was always training and working hard, always trying ALUMNI PROFILES | Diane Scanga A new opportunity While she was working toward her MBA, Scanga learned that Jefferson College was looking for a new director for its law enforcement academy. “When the director job came up I thought, ‘What a great blend. I can combine police work and teaching, which is what I love.’” She landed the job and later her role expanded. She is now responsible for the EMT and paramedic programs and the fire science technologies degree in addition to the law enforcement academy. “As much as I enjoyed the street, no midnights or holidays is a nice way to spend my ‘retirement’ from Kirkwood Police Department,” she jokes. to see what else was out there,” she says. “I [covered] everything except juveniles and drugs.” Time for education In 1988, Scanga had the opportunity to attend the globally recognized FBI National Academy, an 11-week training course for law enforcement leaders across the country and around the world. “You’re housed with 199 total strangers, and by the time your training is over, you would step in front of a bus for them if you had to,” she says. This life-changing experience also yielded her 15 college credits. “This jumpstarted my desire for a bachelor’s degree,” she says. “My goal was to get my bachelor’s degree before our oldest child graduated high school.” She did, and realized it was time to think about life after the Kirkwood Police Department. Scanga, who also was teaching part time at a local community college, knew that a master’s degree would be key to her future. “I looked for a school that could work with my schedule, my family and life commitments and my desire to learn. “University of Phoenix fit all my criteria.” She went on to earn her MBA in just 18 months while working full time. This “retirement” also includes her service on the board of the FBI National Academy Associates, something that is close to her heart from her own training all those years ago. Scanga was elected to this progressive board in 2004, serving as a representative for four years, then three years as the vice president and today presiding as president. Next year will be her last on the board when she serves as past president. For all her accomplishments over the past 30-plus years, Scanga’s greatest satisfaction is seeing the same light in the eyes of her recruits at Jefferson College that she once had as a starry-eyed cadet at Kirkwood. It’s what keeps her motivated to continue to serve her community and fellow law enforcement professionals. “The energy and optimism of the recruits—they are a jump-start for anyone!” phoenixfocus.com 39 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE CLASS OF ’11 David Fried Bachelor of Science in Business Administration ’07 Master of Science in Industrial/ Organizational Psychology ’11 Director of purchasing and vendor relations, Massage Elements Chandler, AZ As a Six Sigma Black Belt who owns and operates Work of Mouth Training, is pursuing a doctoral degree, and works as a manager and a consultant, David Fried knows the meaning of motivation. WHAT DRIVES YOU Improvement. I identified an issue within my organization, proposed a solution, and have been executing it since 2007. HOW HE MOTIVATES OTHERS I remind [my] team of its goal and pose questions. WHY HE MENTORS [My mentors] shared their stories with me, encouraging me to continue, and they provided insight into the journey. My goal is to do the same. GREATEST SATISFACTION Witnessing the success of others. MOTIVATION IS The impassioned will to achieve, which may be stimulated by external forces, but originates and is maintained from within. 40 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 ALUMNI PROFILES CLASS OF ’11 Amir Y. Johnson Bachelor of Science in Management ’11 Arabic linguist/ translator, The Washington Post South Carolina The multilingual Johnson, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps and in the Michigan Air National Guard, currently works as an interpreter for The Washington Post. On the side, he and his wife are launching Reflective Perceptions, a nonprofit program that mentors at-risk young people. GROWING UP WITH MILITARY PARENTS I did things growing up that people typically wouldn’t get to do in a lifetime. It wasn’t stressful at all. It was actually exciting. RALLYING THE TROOPS I motivate the teams I work with by creating a partnership with them and leading by example. PROFESSIONAL COUP My great professional satisfaction is achieving almost every goal [I set]. WORDS TO SUCCEED BY Don’t ever say you’re not able to do something. Set a realistic goal and, when you don’t think you can go on anymore, push yourself beyond that. REASON FOR BEING My greatest personal satisfaction is seeing my children grow up. MOTIVATION IS Seeing the fruits of hard labor come to fruition. phoenixfocus.com 41 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE Extra! Extra! Must-reads and online resources to explore motivation. By Paula Boon BOOKS 1. Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us By Daniel Pink A bestselling author draws upon research in psychology, sociology and economics to explain why traditional carrot-andstick business practices for motivating employees don’t work as well as providing opportunities for autonomy, mastery and purpose. 2. 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself: Change Your Life Forever By Steve Chandler Chandler’s seminars have helped thousands of people get unstuck and create plans for living the life they really want. Find out how by reading this internationally bestselling book. 3. Creating PassionDriven Teams: How to Stop Micromanaging and Motivate People to Top Performance By Dan Bobinski Bobinski, a top leadership development professional, teaches you how to create conditions that foster passion among your employees, resulting in an engaged team of people who consistently strive for excellence. 1 4. Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders By John Baldoni Using the stories of wellknown leaders in politics, business and sports as a starting point, Baldoni describes leadership styles and motivational techniques that have been proven to engage followers. 5. Punished by Rewards: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A’s, Praise, and other Bribes By Alfie Kohn Kohn injects humor into this explanation of how rewards meant to motivate students, workers and children can make things worse by interfering with the intrinsic motivation necessary for positive, long-term change. 6. Get Motivated!: Overcome Any Obstacle, Achieve Any Goal, and Accelerate Your Success with Motivational DNA By Tamara Lowe Every person is hardwired with a unique motivational pattern, according to Lowe. Her book teaches readers to decode their own and others’ patterns and to take full advantage of their new understanding. 7. Reinventing Yourself By Steve Chandler Author and public speaker Steve Chandler teaches readers how to escape negative or limited thinking about who they are or what they can become. 42 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 2 3 5 4 6 7 EXTR A! EXTR A! MAGAZINES 1. Inc Magazine inc.com/magazine A resource for business owners and entrepreneurs. Many articles provide insights, advice, information and resources about motivating yourself and your employees. 2. Mental Floss mentalfloss.com A smart, fun read chockfull of articles meant to inform and inspire. One recent piece revealed that telling people about your goals makes you less likely to carry through and achieve them. MAGAZINE ARTICLES 3. Psychology Today July 1, 2007 “The Lure of Laziness” By Nando Pelusi An explanation of how humans evolved to conserve as much energy as possible and the most effective ways to work against this natural tendency. 4. McKinsey Quarterly November 2009 “Motivating People: Getting Beyond Money” By Martin Dewhurst, Matthew Guthridge and Elizabeth Mohr An exploration of nonfinancial ways to motivate employees, such as praise, individual attention from leaders and the opportunity to lead their own projects. ONLINE RESOURCES 5. RSA Animate–Drive: The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us http://bit.ly/what_ motivates_us Adapted from Daniel Pink’s presentation at the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacturing and Commerce, this 11-minute video provides a fun visual summary of the information found in his book. 6. Tony Robbins Asks Why We Do What We Do http://bit.ly/tony_ robbins_TED In this 22-minute TED talk, Robbins encourages audience members to consider the invisible forces motivating their actions so they can expand their capacity to give and to understand the behavior of others. 7. Motivational Memo: Remind, Energize and Activate motivationalmemo.com By Peter G. James Sinclair This popular blog contains sections on successful living, personal development, leadership, goal setting and wisdom. Sign up to receive a daily motivational memo or news articles by e-mail. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Goal Happy http://bit.ly/goal_happy This is a free application that helps you reach your health, business and personal goals through self motivation and tracking your progress in a variety of ways. 8 Paula Boon is a freelance researcher, writer and editor whose work has appeared in publications in the United States and Canada. phoenixfocus.com 43 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE The BUZZ We want to celebrate you in our alumni announcements. Share your story and be part of “The Buzz.” Email us at [email protected]. Published by alumni H3LT: The Hair Three-Legged-Table Solution for Education Random Musings: Reflections of a Black Intellectual By Beatrice R.D. Hair By Bernard Grenway In H3LT: The Hair Three-Legged-Table Solution for Education, Beatrice R.D. Hair, Master of Arts in Education/Curriculum and Instruction (MAEd/CI) ’04, equips teachers and parents with the tools to create an educational environment where students can experience transformational changes. Hair’s individualized educational program offers readers a trademarked learning tool that commands students’ attention and keeps them motivated. Parents, teachers and students alike will be inspired to reach their potential. Bernard Grenway, Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Global Management (MBA/GM) ’05, focuses on the various racial and cultural challenges facing African-Americans in the context of present-day educational, political and historical realities. The text touches on a wide array of issues, including the psychology of race and power, the plight of the modern black intellectual and the need to enhance the educational standing of American citizens across the board. Grenway uses the events of his life, in the form of random musings, to examine the much overlooked “black perspective” on American life. Hair, who dedicates her life to child advocacy, is the founder and owner of the Salisbury Tutoring Academy Ltd., the One-on-One School, which is a franchised tutoring academy for ages four to adult. H3LT: The Hair Three-Legged-Table Solution for Education is available for purchase on amazon.com or by contacting the Salisbury Tutoring Academy’s website at statld.com. It is also available as an e-book. Grenway is an associate professor at the University of Maryland and full-time professor of business studies at Kaplan University. He is also the CEO of the Evergreens Adult Medical Day Center in Elkridge, Maryland, and the CEO of The Grenway Consulting Group. He holds two master’s degrees and is working toward his second PhD. Random Musings: Reflections of a Black Intellectual is available for purchase on amazon.com. 44 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 THE BUZZ Recognition Arizona Surprise Kristi Hunter, Master of Science in Nursing/ Family Nurse Practitioner (MSN/FNP) ’08, was presented with the Mentoring Excellence award by the Arizona Nurses Association at the 2011 Biennial Nursing Convention in Phoenix. Hunter, a family nurse practitioner, is a faculty member and student mentor at University of Phoenix. She works with nursing students in need of assistance. The Arizona Nurses Association is the largest professional association of registered nurses in Arizona and a constituent member of the American Nurses Association. Nursing students, practicing nurses and health care facilities from across Arizona were recognized at the convention. Florida Tallahassee Lisa D. Brown, Master of Business Administration (MBA) ’08, was spotlighted in a national publication as a “Woman to Watch” in the credit union industry. Brown, president/CEO of Tallahassee-Leon Federal Credit Union, was featured in the December 14, 2011 issue of Credit Union Times magazine. In the article, Brown talks about the career drive that propelled her to her positon at the Tallahassee, Florida-based, $39 million credit union. When she became CEO of the struggling credit union in the fall of 2010, Brown took a three-pronged approach to repair the financials, get back to basics and improve the member experience. She partly credits the ensuing progress to staff inclusion in strategic planning. Missouri Springfield Sarah Schrader, Master of Business Administration (MBA) ’09, was promoted to assistant vice president, Missouri regional deposit coordinator, at BancorpSouth Bank. Schrader joined BancorpSouth in 2003 and has more than 14 years of banking experience. Schrader oversees deposit operations and branch management for all BancorpSouth branches in the Springfield and St. Louis markets. BancorpSouth Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of BancorpSouth, Inc., operates approximately 290 locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas. Nevada Las Vegas Wendy Wood, Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Health Care Management (MBA/HCM) ’04, was named medical director of the Sin City Blackjacks professional football team. Blackjacks is Las Vegas’ newest professional indoor football team playing in the American Indoor Football Association. In her role as medical director, Wood will oversee all medical matters pertaining to the team and incorporate her elite medical advisory board, “CHAMPS.” Wood joins Sin City Blackjacks with more than 20 years of medical experience, including executive leadership, practice management and marketing. In 2007, Wendy formed Connections Consulting Group, which specializes in medical advisory boards, business development, networking and consulting. South Carolina Columbia Lindsey Spires Griffin, Master of Business Administration (MBA) ’08, was named development manager for the S.C. Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics Foundation. Previously, Griffin was the director of annual giving and alumni relations for Presbyterian College. Her resume includes working for New Carolina, South Carolina’s Council on Competitiveness, and interning for the S.C. Department of Commerce. Born and raised in Columbia, Griffin is a member of the Junior League of Columbia and serves as a board member for Columbia Opportunity Resource. The S.C. Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics Foundation is a two-year residential high school in Hartsville. Washington Lakewood Myles G. Schneider, Master of Management (MM) ’08, was named a Cambridge Who’s Who Professional of the Year in Correctional Services. Schneider, a correctional officer at the Washington Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor, has nearly 29 years of experience in the Department of Corrections as a correctional and lead officer and as a sergeant at Rap House/Lincoln Park Work Release and Tacoma PreRelease. phoenixfocus.com 45 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE YOUR UNIVERSIT Y | Events Events March April Commencements 1 10 21 Kansas City Western Washington Central Valley Alumni Chapter Inaugural Meeting 6-8 p.m. Kansas City Campus 1310 E. 104th Street, Suite 100 Kansas City, MO 64131 3 Augusta Augusta Alumni Chapter Inaugural Meeting 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Augusta Campus 3152 Perimeter Parkway Augusta, GA 30909 6 Oregon Career Workshop: Informational Interviewing 5:30–7:30 p.m. Crusade Learning Center 9600 NE Cascacades Parkway, Suite 140 Portland, OR 97220 infointerviewingoregon.eventbrite.com 46 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 Alumni Appreciation Hockey Dinner and Game Night 5-10 p.m. The ShoWare Center 625 West James Street Kent, WA 98032 28 Washington, D.C. Career Workshop: Informational Interviewing 5:30-7:30 p.m. Washington DC Campus 25 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20001-1431 infointerviewingdc.eventbrite.com April 14 Tulsa Career Workshop: Resume Essentials 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Tulsa Campus 14002 East 21st Street, Suite 1000 Tulsa, OK 74134 resumeessentialstulsa.eventbrite.com Save Mart Center 2650 E. Shaw Avenue Fresno, CA 93710 22 Augusta James Brown Arena 601 Seventh Street Augusta, GA 30901 YOUR UNIVERSIT Y | University News University News Directors Conference unites staff in service Junior Achievement names UOPX Corporate Partner of the Year As a result of 1,329 hours of employee volunteer service at 57 schools last year, Junior Achievement of Arizona named UOPX its 2010-2011 Corporate Partner Award winner. “We are incredibly grateful for the long-term partnership we have enjoyed with University of Phoenix,” says Joyce Richards, president of Junior Achievement of Arizona. University of Phoenix’s partnership with Junior Achievement (JA) began in 1994. During the past year, University of Phoenix has served as the presenting sponsor of JA You’re Hired!—a work- and career-readiness program for high school students—and created a mock campus at JA’s BizTown in Tempe. The JA BizTown University of Phoenix campus allows middle school students to enroll as college students, earn diplomas and experience campus director and academic advisor roles. Far right: Governor Gary Herbert of Utah helps Junior Achievement open a mock UOPX campus in Salt Lake City similar to that created for Tempe’s JA BizTown. Service is the new standard at University of Phoenix staff events. In November 2011, employees from across the company met in Phoenix for the annual Directors Conference. Held at the Phoenix Convention Center, employees teamed up with HandsOn Greater Phoenix to complete three projects. At one station, staff wrote thank-you cards for Arizona veterans. More than 250 cards were sent to the Arizona State Veterans Home of Phoenix (ASVH), a 200-bed facility for honorably discharged veterans requiring skilled nursing. Volunteers also lent their skills at the math and literacy stations. At the math station, they cut laminated images of pizzas into eighths and cut out fraction flash cards. At the literacy station, volunteers created spoola-word tools by writing a series of pre-determined letters onto spools, which were then threaded onto wooden rods. These learning tools, totaling 240, will be donated to Balsz and Brunson Lee Elementary. In one year alone, nearly 200 third grade students in seven classrooms will use these tools to enhance their math and literacy skills. Above: UOPX employee volunteers help fashion learning tools for elementary school students. phoenixfocus.com 47 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE Campus News Madison Campus donates time and items to Teen Gift Drive In December 2011, the United Way of Dane County hosted a Teen Gift Program, the only holiday gift program for youth ages 13-17 in Madison. Madison Campus staff and faculty donated more than 70 items and participated in the week-long event to assist roughly 1,500 families with teens through its collaboration with the Salvation Army, United Way and the Marine’s Toys for Tots. Bay Area Counseling Program hosts site supervisor meet and greet Indianapolis Campus staff enjoy fun with Boys & Girls Club members The entire Indianapolis Campus staff of more than 45 employees volunteered a whole afternoon at the local Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis in December 2011. Staff members teamed up with children to make crafts and play a variety of games. Approximately 100 Boys & Girls Club members were in attendance. Above: Indianapolis field placement administrator and Director of Academic Affairs Steven Balke make crafts with members of the Boys & Girls Club. Bay Area Campus hosts successful book drive The Bay Area Campus College of Education September/October book drive resulted in the donation of more than 400 books to stock classroom libraries at Marilyn Avenue Elementary in Livermore and Christopher Elementary in San Jose. This community service activity was headed up by Campus College Chair Cathy Malone. As part of the efforts, instructor Erin Dixon organized a service project with the fifth graders at Mohr Elementary in Pleasanton. Students donated their favorite books and included book marks and book reviews. Also contributing his time, Dr. Jason Jones retrieved discarded books in great condition from the Roseville library. In addition to the book donations, Apollo Community Investments added a $1500 cash donation to the schools’ libraries. Staff at the Bay Area Campus hope to make the book drive an annual back-to-school event for high-need schools in the area. 48 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 The Bay Area Campus Counseling Program hosted a site mixer in December 2011. Three clinical directors from local agencies where students work were in attendance. “We have had several [UOPX students as] trainees and they are great,” says Clinical Director Colleen MacAdam. “One completed work with us a few months ago and we have [other] students right now. They are doing really well.” Clinical Director Vicky Tamashiro adds, “University of Phoenix students are extremely prepared and professional. We enjoy working with [them] and look forward to receiving their applications.” Highlights of the environmentally friendly event included networking opportunities for staff and students alike, an enjoyable atmosphere and a warm response from attendees. YOUR UNIVERSIT Y | Campus News Bay Area Campus hosts LinkedIn® for ‘Train the Trainer’ session As employers increasingly turn to online social networks to look for hires, the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Division (OEWD) Business Services organized a workshop with key LinkedIn staff in November 2011. Participants learned how to use LinkedIn to help unemployed San Franciscans. Twenty-four nonprofit and city agency staff attended the “Train-the-Trainer” workshop, modeled after the popular management training and development program. The session touched on ways to expand job seekers’ LinkedIn networks as an avenue to benefit their job search efforts and assist them in finding and applying for job opportunities. Kenny Yu and Greg Brauner of LinkedIn shared helpful insights into what recruiters and hiring managers are looking for, as well as how to optimize job seekers’ profiles to better stand out to recruiters. OEWD looks forward to continuing to work with LinkedIn as they strive to help San Franciscans get back to work. Kansas City Campus collects toys for local families Kansas City Campus partnered with Operation Breakthrough in adopting two families for the holidays in December 2011. The campus collected toys for a total of 17 children. In addition, they raised more than $300 to help support the families with a holiday dinner. Above: Staff volunteer with Operation Breakthrough. Minneapolis/St. Paul Campus prepares local families for winter The Minneapolis/St. Paul Campus joined forces with the Salvation Army to help local families. Volunteers worked to register families for the Toys for Tots program, reaching close to 500 families in three days. Volunteers also helped make door insulators to help families conserve energy and reduce heating costs through the winter. Above: Heidi Myogeto, Lisa Kangas, and Lisa McGrath help make door insulators at the Salvation Army to help families conserve energy. phoenixfocus.com 49 THE MOTIVATION ISSUE YOUR UNIVERSIT Y | Community Relations Community Relations Industry Virtual Teams align education pathways with industry needs Workforce Solutions, a division of University of Phoenix, is committed to helping organizations develop highly skilled workforces that will ensure quality outcomes, continued innovation and the sustained success across multiple industries. As part of this mission, Workforce Solutions has been developing and launching “industry virtual teams” within select industries. UOPX Volunteer Corps teams up with the Diamondbacks at Winter Classic In December 2011, a corps of 100 UOPX volunteers spent the afternoon with children at the D-backs Winter Classic. Each year, the Diamondbacks host this special day, inviting children from local nonprofit organizations to enjoy games, entertainment and special visits from the players. This year, 500 students from ICAN, St. Peter’s Indian Mission School, Children First Academy Phoenix and H.K. Cummings Community Center were invited to the event. Volunteers helped with the Santa Station, Reading Corner, Shoe Station, playtime, crafts and food. Players Willie Bloomquist, J.J. Putz, Stephen Drew, Ryan Roberts and Barry Enright worked hand in hand with UOPX volunteers to give the children a special day. Above: UOPX Volunteer Corps at Winter Classic. These teams are designed to connect industry relevance, business needs, and academic curriculum—something University of Phoenix has pioneered. The health care virtual team was recently launched and has been busy collaborating with health care companies and organizations to help provide relevant, industry-aligned education pathways for highly skilled nursing and health administration leaders. With nearly 100 percent market share in southern California, this industry virtual team has clearly been impactful across local markets, even in its infant stages. In addition to the existing manufacturing virtual team, the hospitality industry launched late last year, and several more are scheduled to launch this year. Giving initiative reaches 310,500 students Last year, employees gave $200,000 to K-12 classrooms at DonorsChoose.org. In November 2011, each University of Phoenix employee received a $25 gift code to DonorsChoose.org‚ an online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need. Employees were invited to use the gift code to donate to a K-12 classroom project of their choice. More than 7,000 employees redeemed their gift codes, resulting in a total donation of $200,000. These funds will help 3,308 classroom projects in all 50 states, impacting more than 310,500 students. UOPX and NBC News donate 1,000 NBC Learn subscriptions University of Phoenix partnered with NBC News to donate licensed subscriptions to the award-winning “NBC Learn K-12” to 1,000 middle and high schools in four cities. The gift grants schools two years worth of access to the rich collection of NBC News videos, primary source documents, images and resources specifically designed for use in the K-12 classroom. University of Phoenix and NBC News presented 250 Phoenix-area middle and high schools with the subscriptions at an Arizona Cardinals home game against the San Francisco 49ers. The donation was received by State Superintendent of Education John Huppenthal in a special ceremony. 50 PHOENIX FOCUS | March 2012 Alumni Association Benefits Starting the day you graduate, the University of Phoenix Alumni Association becomes a resource for you. Visit alumni.phoenix.edu to customize your account and confirm your profile. Built-in career networking Homecoming and events Career resources Scholarships Discounts and savings Get involved Tap into an alumni network that’s more than 700,000 strong by joining the Alumni Association. Discover tools and resources to help you market your skills to potential employers. Find discounts on everything from computers and electronics to insurance products, travel and more through University Marketplace. Reconnect with fellow alumni at Homecoming each fall or attend special events throughout the year. Apply for scholarships to return to school or nominate someone you know for the chance to attend the University. Become a mentor, join an Alumni Chapter or share your story through Phoenix Focus alumni magazine. Get started now alumni.phoenix.edu. Bettina Deynes | BSB/M ′04 phoenixfocus.com 51 Print subscriptions now available! Use your smartphone to start your Phoenix Focus print subscription today! Only $19.99 for 10 issues. HALM312 Stay connected to more than 700,000 University of Phoenix alumni! phoenixfocus.com