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Human and Organizational Resources

The Human and Organizational Resources competency area includes knowledge, skills, and attitudes used in the selection, supervision, motivation, and formal evaluation of staff; conflict resolution; management of the politics of organizational discourse; and the effective application of strategies and techniques associated with financial resources, facilities management, fundraising, technology use, crisis management, risk management, and sustainable resources.

Basic

One should be able to

• describe appropriate hiring techniques and institutional hiring policies, procedures, and processes;
• demonstrate familiarity in basic tenets of supervision and possible application of these supervision techniques;
• explain how job descriptions are designed and support overall staffing patterns in one's work setting;
• design a professional development plan in one's current professional position that assesses one's strengths and weaknesses in one's current position, and establishes action items for fostering an appropriate level of growth;
• explain the application of introductory motivational techniques with students, staff, and others;
• describe the basic premises that underlie conflict in organizational and student life and the constructs utilized for facilitating conflict resolution in these settings;
• effectively and appropriately use facilities management procedures as related to operating a facility or program in a facility;
• articulate basic accounting techniques for budgeting, monitoring, and processing expenditures;
• demonstrate effective stewardship and use of resources (i.e., financial, human, material);
• use technological resources with respect to maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of one's work;
• describe environmentally sensitive issues and explain how one's work can incorporate elements of sustainability;
• develop and disseminate agendas for meetings;
• communicate with others using effective verbal and nonverbal strategies appropriate to the situation in both one-on-one and small group settings;
• recognize how networks in organizations play a role in how work gets done;
• understand the role alliances play in the completion of goals and work assignments;
• describe campus protocols for responding to significant incidents and campus crises; and
• explain the basic tenets of personal or organizational risk and liability as they relate to one's work.

 
Intermediate

One should be able to

• implement appropriate and effective recruitment strategies, interview protocols and decisions regarding selection of staff;
• demonstrate applications of appropriate advanced techniques (i.e., coaching, performance accountability) for supervising unacceptable, marginal, and exceptional staff performance;
• identify the pros and cons of various staffing patterns, supporting job descriptions and work process configurations related to one's work setting;
• assist and/or direct individuals to develop professional development plans that are appropriate for individual growth while also serving the current and future needs of the unit where one is employed;
• apply a range of strategies available for motivating others;
• resolve conflict within the unit and between members of the unit and others;
• effectively develop and manage facilities, policies, procedures, processes, human resources, and materials;
• implement advanced accounting techniques that include forecasting, efficient use of fiscal resources, and interpretation of financial reports;
• identify and allocate the technological needs of the unit; maintain a level of technical knowledge that allows one to effectively use existing technologies as well as to incorporate new emerging technologies as they may benefit one's work;
• construct unit's operation to function in an environmentally aware fashion;
• describe how various fundraising strategies are facilitated by student affairs professionals;
• effectively manage and lead meetings through the use of agenda management strategies;
• communicate with others using effective verbal and nonverbal speaking strategies appropriate to the situation in one-on-one as well as small- and large-group settings;
• determine if the message (verbal and written) communicated is congruent with the desired outcome for the intended recipient or audience;  
• create and present materials for formal presentations in the work setting and for professional associations;
• develop appropriate alliances with others as a means to efficiently and effectively complete work assignments; recognize how the formation of alliances can either enhance or detract from one's professional credibility or the use of teams;
• explain the interaction and integration of campus crisis intervention systems (National Incident Management System, behavioral intervention teams, critical incident response teams); and
• engage in policy and procedure development, implementation, and decision making that minimizes risk to self, students, other constituents, and the institution.

 
Advanced 

One should be able to

• develop recruitment and hiring strategies that encourage individuals from underrepresented groups to apply for positions;
• effectively intervene with employees in regard to morale, behavioral expectations, and conflict and performance issues;
• evaluate the effectiveness of current staffing patterns and supporting job descriptions in regard to a unit's ability to effectively meet institutional, divisional, and unit mission and goals;
• anticipate how future needs of students, the unit, or the division may affect staffing levels or structures and make proactive adjustments to meet those needs;
• develop or lead professional development initiatives that regularly assess the strength and weakness of professionals in the division and provide them with purposeful opportunities to advance their skills and knowledge;
• implement strategies for motivating individuals and groups that are challenged with elements of campus life disengagement, apathy, or aspects of decline of morale;
• manage conflict at a level of complexity where multiple entities are often at odds with each other and lead groups to effective and fair resolutions;
• assess facilities and resources (people, space, materials) in regard to institutional or divisional long-range planning and budget processes;
• develop long-range budgets that creatively and ethically apply fiscal resources to the needs and priorities of the unit, division, or organization;
• teach resource stewardship to others;
• discern the pace in which technological advances should appropriately be incorporated into organizational life (with students, staff, and other constituents);
• champion sustainability efforts within the unit and across the organization, and facilitate institutional support for broadening sustainability efforts;
• effectively implement fundraising initiatives that support divisional and institutional goals;
• align evidence-based decision-making strategies and planning with resource allocation and reallocation;
• assess the relationship between agenda management and the group dynamics that occur in meetings and how this relationship influences the realization of goals, the accomplishments of tasks, and any effects on participants;
• effectively speak on behalf of the institution with internal and external constituents (i.e., parents, prospective students, external organizations);
• assess the level of complexity of networks established and use this information to determine the strengths of these networks and how these networks may benefit or detract from the mission and goals of the institution or the division;
• assess the costs and benefits of current established political alliances, in particular, their relationships to fostering collaboration and organizational transparency;
• participate in developing, implementing, and assessing the effectiveness of the campus crisis management program; and
• effectively assess the level of individual and institutional risk and liability associated with programs and services offered; ensure that professionals are trained to deliver programs and services at the lowest level of risk possible.