What are the Qualities of America's Top College Professor?

An article in today's Wall Street Journal on the quest to be named as America's top college professor highlights the difficulties of pursuing and being rewarded for excellent teaching in an era when publishing dominates in tenure decisions.

While that point certainly resonates with (and concerns me) as I aspire to attain such status in my career, what stood out in the article were two key qualities cited by interviewees: empathy and liking students.

In my experience, the ongoing challenge is to see the material through the eyes of the student -- not primarily through my eyes. In so doing, I become just as much a student as the "students" who sit in my class. In other words, as students learn, the teacher learns.

During this process I believe you can't help but like your students. And they know it if if you care deeply and profoundly and show it in the classroom and during individual interactions -- and they know it if you don't. I believe you can't hoodwink any audience (nor should you want to if you're teaching in higher education) -- especially today's undergraduate and graduate students.

Realizing these attributes day in and day out is a tall order. I offer a big round of applause to the three individuals described in this article who've been able to do so steadily over the years.

Two New Positions at the University of San Francisco

I'm delighted to announce that I'm moving into two new roles at the University of San Francisco (USF), effective August 20. First, I'll be Term Assistant Professor at USF's School of Business and Professional Studies, and will teach undergraduate and graduate classes on management communication, organizational behavior, and related subjects. In addition, as Director of Professional Development for USF’s MBA Program, I will spearhead efforts to enhance student skills, knowledge, and readiness for workplace opportunities.

I will concurrently continue to maintain a consulting practice to provide communications counsel to organizations, personal communications assistance to individuals, and training to corporate and nonprofit clients.

Finally, I am continuing to work on a Doctorate in Education (EdD) with an emphasis in Organization and Leadership at the University of San Francisco. I anticipate finishing my dissertation by December 2010.

Follow me on Twitter to stay updated on my activities, and continue to check this blog as well.

The Power and Joy of Being a Connector

I like to think of myself as a connector, which I define as an individual who brings together people with each other (or people with resources) for their mutual benefit. Yet there's a lot to learn in this arena, and I was so schooled during a meeting today with Edith Yeung.

Edith is an entrepreneur at heart, but a connector par excellence. She founded BizTechDay, a technology conference for entrepreneurs, and serves as the prime force behind the San Francisco Entrepreneur Meetup Group. Edith doesn't just radiate positive energy, she exudes a confidence that makes her a magnet for people and ideas. She's led by the question "how do you need help? And whom do I know who can help you?" and aspires to "create moments" at events that in turn attract people and resources in amazing numbers.

I learned (or relearned) a powerful lesson during my brief time with Edith today: cultivate skills as an organizer and/or connector in the true spirit of service to others. You will reap unanticipated rewards that will enrich your life beyond your wildest dreams.

Shouldn't Interns Get Paid? At Least One Major Bay Area Employer Thinks So

Even in the best of time, unpaid internship opportunities abound. The number of such options has skyrocketed seemingly as a result of the economic downturn.

For me, it's simple: you do the work, you get paid. Sadly, many companies choose not to pay -- or claim they can't pay for a variety of reasons that may (or may not) have any basis in reality.

That said, I'm heartened by the following response I received from a major Bay Area employer regarding their hiring of interns.

"You’re right that we do not host unpaid interns. As a company, we’ve adopted the practice that we pay all interns. This was put in place not only for risk mitigation on the labor law side but also to drive the principle that we value people’s contribution and do pay everyone that works for (name of company)"

Amen! And may companies offering unpaid opportunities reconsider their decision not to pay interns in light of such a perspective.

Answering Questions on LinkedIn

I regularly answer questions posed by LinkedIn's members. Given the range of question topics and volume of submissions, I've adopted the following strategy to make best use of this opportunity to share my experience and insight and in the process truly help the individual who posted the question.

* I answer a question when I have specific knowledge or insight to share that's based on experience and/or study. If I don't know the answer or the subject is one with which I'm unfamiliar, I don't answer the question. In other words, I don't speculate or offer opinions on subjects outside of my comfort zone.

* I'm most likely to respond when there are a handful of previous responses, and/or the existing responses either don't directly answer the question or haven't offered specific information I have that I believe is directly relevant. In other words, I tend not to answer a question if another member has already responded with the gist of what I would have shared, or if there are so many responses my contribution risks getting lost in a sea of information.

* I don't generally respond to philosophical questions or those that are subtle (or, in many cases) not so subtle marketing pitches by the questioner.

* I don't expect the questioner to acknowledge my response, although I'm delighted when that occurs!

My goal in answering questions is to connect people with information (including other people) that helps to answer their question. I find many opportunities to do so on LinkedIn, while keeping the task manageable and enjoyable using the general guidelines I've outlined here.

(To find questions on LinkedIn, click on the "answers" tab at the top of the page. View question topics in the category list in the right hand column of the answers page.)

What Happens When You Ask For Help

Asking for help from others is essential to get anything you want in life. We simply can’t achieve anything of any magnitude on our own. Perhaps this help is in the form of an informational interview, an introduction to someone in the position to fill a job, or an invitation to an event. The bottom line is that we need the support of others if we are to succeed.

Asking for help even from people you know well often is difficult, and even more challenging as you seek assistance from those whom you don’t know as well. Regardless of the specific situation, I've observed the following responses over the years as I've reached out to scores of others to seek specific information, guidance, or inspiration:

* No response. The call, e-mail, or letter is not acknowledged in any way.

* Acknowledgment of my request followed by a promise to help. More often than not, this response reflects the respondent's effort to be polite without a commitment to act. Sometimes the respondent actually will provide a stream of opportunities or information.

* Enthusiasm and delight, accompanied by a willingness to help me in whatever way he or she can. Sometimes this individual comes through as advertised; sometimes, he or she does not.

In short, I've learned through experience that when I ask for help I can never be certain about what response I'll get (if any) or from whom. Moreover, what people say and what they'll do to help are two very different things. So I’ve learned not to have expectations! That said, I cherish the many people who've helped me over the years and challenge myself to continue to reach out as appropriate, while at the same time dashing my visions about what such help looks like, who actually provides it, and when.

Anatomy of an Accidental Best Seller: William Zinsser's On Writing Well

There are many excellent books on the art and science of writing, with William Zinsser's On Writing Well possibly the best of the lot. His recent commentary about the book's evolution over 35 years includes much wisdom about personal and professional development, not just about writing. Here are the key points I took away from this article:

* Trust your gut and the advice of those who love you. The idea for the book came from Zinsser's wife, and he intuitively like it.

* Write about what you teach others to do. Zinsser had been teaching writing at Yale for four years, so the book provided him the opportunity to engage course material on a deeper level.

* Consult other sources for inspiration, but don't copy them. Be yourself. Zinsser achieved a breakthrough when he realized he didn't need to be like E.B. White, the author of another classic, The Elements of Style. He merely needed to draw on his own experience and style.

* Seek inspiration from outside your primary area of activity. Zinsser's model was Alec Wilder's American Popular Song: The Great Innovators, 1900-1950, not other books on writing.

* Go wherever the process takes you physically and intellectually. In Zinsser's case, that meant speaking at universities around the U.S. and expanding and revising the book as times demanded.

The result: a book that's sold nearly 1.5 million copies, an amazing intellectual and professional journey, and undoubtedly a rich, rewarding life.