Fostering Excellence: Continuous Learning and Educational Assistance for MSU Support Staff

Written by Sharri Margraves, EdD, SHRM-SCP, Director of HR and Organization and Professional Development

Michigan State University stands as a beacon of educational excellence, not only for its students but also for its dedicated support staff. At the heart of MSU’s commitment to fostering a culture of growth and development is the twin approach of continuous learning and educational assistance benefits tailored for support staff.

Continuous learning is a cornerstone of personal and professional development, and MSU recognizes its transformative power. For support staff, engaging in ongoing education and using it on the job brings many benefits to the individual and helps create a dynamic and adaptable workforce that contributes significantly to the university’s success.

  • Career Advancement: Continuous learning helps us open doors to career advancement opportunities. MSU staff have access to many professional development opportunities, from workshops to specialized training sessions, allowing us to enhance our skills in preparation for future positions. Educational Assistance is available for non-credit opportunities such as conferences, seminars, and credit opportunities for those interested.
  • Enhanced Job Performance: Staying current with industry trends and best practices is essential for optimal job performance. MSU’s commitment to continuous learning ensures that staff are equipped with the latest knowledge and skills, directly impacting their ability to excel in their roles and contribute to the university’s operational excellence. Individuals can chart their own path using educational assistance or elevateU, the free on-demand source for technical and essential skill development and certification prep.
  • Increased Engagement: Continuous learning fosters a sense of achievement and personal satisfaction with a person’s job, and while resources are always slim—supporting continuous learning is essential for supervisors. Staff who feel supported in their educational pursuits are more likely to experience higher engagement, leading to a positive work environment and a deepened commitment to MSU’s mission.
  • Adaptability to Change: Adaptability is a key attribute in the ever-evolving professional landscape. Continuous learning instills resilience and the ability to navigate change effectively. Those empowered to participate in ongoing education will be well-positioned to embrace new challenges and contribute to the university’s culture of innovation.

Educational Assistance Programs

MSU exemplifies its commitment to the educational journey of support staff through robust educational assistance programs designed to remove financial barriers to learning. Please review your employee contract for specific details.

  • Tuition Assistance Programs:
    • The Tuition Assistance Program at MSU is a testament to the university’s commitment to making education accessible. Staff can pursue undergraduate or graduate degrees with financial support, aligning their educational aspirations with their career goals. Attending MSU credit-granting programs means you will receive a waiver upfront on the cost of tuition.
    • Tuition for non-MSU degree programs provides reimbursement according to your contract.
  • Non-Credit Assistance:
    • Each employee group can take programs offered by HR’s Organization and Professional Development or IT Services, non-credit programs, seminars, and conferences. Most staff employee groups have $800 or$900 available annually for non-credit programs. APA members can utilize this amount toward credit classes.

How to access:

Log into the EBS Portal, select My Career and Training from the top navigation, and then select the tile for Courses for Employees at MSU (HR or IT Services classes), elevateU, or Educational Assistance System.

  • Programs run on an academic calendar in general, adjusting for variances in start/stop dates.
  • Beginning January 2024, APA and APSA employees are eligible for these benefits at the time of hire.

For more information: 

MSU’s unwavering commitment to continuous learning and educational assistance for staff reflects a dedication to fostering a community of excellence. By investing in the growth and development of its employees, MSU not only enriches individual lives but also ensures the continued success and vibrancy of the entire university. Through continuous learning and educational assistance, MSU empowers its staff to excel in their roles, contribute meaningfully to the institution, and embark on a journey of lifelong learning.

Sources:

Photo by David Tett via Centre for Ageing Better

Relaunch: New Leader Development Series

We are thrilled to introduce the latest iteration of our New Leader Development Series, designed to empower and inspire leaders at every stage of their journey. This refreshed program brings you a strategic blend of targeted skill development, strategic thinking and leadership mastery, ensuring that you are equipped with the tools and insights needed to thrive in today’s dynamic work environments.

What’s in Store?

Visit our website for a detailed overview of the program including schedule information, learning tracks, and application details.

Whether you’re a supervisor, manager, or leader, there’s a tailored experience waiting for you.

How to Get Involved:

  • Registration Application: Opens Friday, December 15 at Noon and will close Friday, January 5, at 5:00 p.m.
  • Explore the Program: Dive into the details on our website.
  • Contact Us: Have questions or need more information? Contact our office at prodev@hr.msu.edu – we’re here to help.

This is your chance to elevate your leadership journey. Join us for the New Leader Development Series and unlock the potential for leadership excellence.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Additional Upcoming Learning Opportunities

Work-Related Goals with Resources to Help You Achieve Them

Updated December 2023

For many, the start of a new year brings a desire to set new goals – both professionally and personally. As you think about the past year, try to pinpoint areas you’d like to work on. Check out What’s Your Plan: Six Steps to Align Your Goals with What’s Important to You if you don’t know where to start. You’ll learn how creating a personal strategic plan can provide a “vision and structure for your professional life and an anchor for you to connect with during periods of change.”

Review the following common work-related goals below to see if any resonate with you and use the articles and learning opportunities provided by HR’s Organization and Professional Development (OPD) department to help you reach them.

As you think about what you want to work on in the coming year and beyond, consider tying them to your Performance Excellence goals (for support staff). For more information about how to set yourself up for success as you identify goals, check out this When SMART Meets HARD: Setting Goals that Matter article.

New and In-Person Fall Professional Development Courses

With the contagious energy from students starting a new year of learning and the Educational Assistance benefit resetting with the fall semester, now is a perfect time to consider your professional goals and how you can work toward achieving them. HR’s Organization and Professional Development (OPD) department is excited to offer a variety of new and in-person programs this semester to support your learning and development.

Registration is now available in the EBS Portal for both in-person classes and virtual courses to provide expanded options and best meet your learning needs and preferences.* View all current in-person and virtual OPD programming on HR’s website and learn about highlighted courses below.

New Fall Courses

Facilitating Process Improvement | Tuesday, October 18, AND Thursday, October 20 | In Person

Strengths Based Leadership | Wednesday, October 26 | In Person

Mitigating Bias in Hiring | Tuesday, October 11 | Virtual

Crucial Conversations for Accountability | Wednesday, November 2, AND Thursday, November 3 | In Person

Additional In-Person Courses

All in-person OPD programming will be held in East Lansing.

Communication

Grammar Refresher | Wednesday, October 19

Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue | Wednesday, November 16, AND Thursday, November 17

Conflict Management and Non-Escalation  | Tuesday, December 6, AND Wednesday, December 7

Management

Building Cohesive Teams | Wednesday, October 12

Performance Management for Hybrid Teams | Tuesday, December 6

Managing and Leading Across Locations | Tuesday, December 13

Personal Development

Creating and Sustaining a Positive Workplace  | Wednesday, October 12

Ready, Set, Change | Thursday, November 17

Identify and Maximize Your Strengths  | Tuesday, December 13

Register for OPD courses in the EBS Portal today! Questions? Contact Organization and Professional Development at prodev@hr.msu.edu.

Sources

Image by jannoon028 on Freepik

Summer Organization and Professional Development Courses

Updated May 2023

The Organization and Professional Development (OPD) team in MSU Human Resources is proud to offer a variety of courses to support you in achieving your goals. Since Educational Assistance benefits for support staff reset with the fall semester, use your remaining benefits this summer on a personal or professional development course from OPD. 

Please note that courses vary between virtual and in-person, so be sure to check the format before enrolling.

Business Analysis Courses

Communication Courses

Customer Service Courses

Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Courses

Finance And Accounting Courses

Human Resources Courses

Leadership Courses

Management Courses

Operations Courses

Personal Development Courses

You can find all current OPD courses on the HR website. Sign up through the EBS Portal. Questions? Contact Organization and Professional Development at prodev@hr.msu.edu.

Reframe Failure to Increase Success

When was the last time you celebrated failure? We are taught from a young age that failure is bad and something to fear. Because failures may bring negative repercussions, they are often hidden, ignored and downplayed. In reality, failure can be a powerful learning experience and is essential to success. When we embrace the idea of “failing forward”, we develop perseverance, confidence and a new perspective on what it takes to succeed.

Types of Failure

Not all failures are the same, but each has important lessons to teach us.

  • Preventable failure happens in automated processes when a piece of equipment fails, a step is neglected or there is some other kind of malfunction. For this category, it’s important to determine how to best troubleshoot preventable failures. What safeguards are in place regarding people, equipment and environment? Make sure that all precautions have been taken to keep preventable failures from happening in the first place.
  • Complex failure happens when events or situations come together in unexpected ways that cannot be foreseen.

  • Intelligent failure is common in innovative projects and processes, where trial and error are simply part of the experiment.

Organizations and individuals best learn from all types of failures by having procedures in place, along with the willingness and readiness to actively detect, analyze and experiment within the workplace to catch errors quickly, learn from them, and embrace the growth and improvement that can be generated as a result.

Ideas for Action

  • Depending on the type of work you do, one of the three types of failure is probably more common than the others. Consider which is most likely to happen at your workplace and think about how you might handle that type of mistake or failure should it occur.
  • Come up with an example from your life for each type of failure: preventable, complex, and intelligent. Why did they happen, and how were they handled? Were the situations resolved? How did they affect you and others? Take some time to reflect on what you learned from these particular failures.

The Blame Game

If failure is essential to success, why does it feel so terrible when it’s happening? Failure and fault are virtually inseparable in most cultures and organizations. Every child learns at some point that admitting failure means taking the blame, and that pattern may then be reinforced in the workplace. One tremendous benefit of creating and encouraging a culture of psychological safety, in which the rewards of learning from failure can be fully realized, is that greater innovation and individual and organizational growth can occur.

The added challenge when it comes to reframing our ideas of failure is that the experience of failing is more than emotional — it’s also cognitive. We all favor evidence that supports our existing beliefs rather than alternative explanations. We also tend to downplay our responsibility and place undue blame on external or situational factors when we fail, only to do the reverse when assessing the failures of others—a psychological trap known as fundamental attribution error. The courage to confront our own and others’ imperfections with honest reflection and a focus on improvement and learning is crucial.

Ideas for Action

  • List a small number of failures you’ve experienced over recent months. Can you recall how you felt and what thoughts occurred? Make a note of these feelings and thoughts. Can you identify a pattern? Is there a repetitive loop that you repeat every time you fail at something?
  • Take one of the failures from above, which initiated the repetitive loop you have identified. Write an alternative account of what happened.

The Importance of Leaders in Building a Learning Culture

Learning is inherently about failing. Leaders can create and reinforce a culture that counteracts the blame game and makes people feel both comfortable with and responsible for surfacing and learning from failures. They should insist on developing a clear understanding of what happened — not of “who did it” — when things go wrong. This requires consistently reporting failures, small and large, systematically analyzing them and proactively searching for opportunities to experiment. A work culture that recognizes the inevitability of failure in today’s complex organizations and is willing to catch, correct and learn from failure leads to success, employee satisfaction and loyalty. A work culture that wallows in the blame game will not.

It’s imperative for leaders to move beyond the false notion that if people aren’t blamed for failures, they’ll become “lazy” and stop putting in the effort to do their best work. In actuality, a culture that makes it safe to admit and report on failure can coexist with high standards for performance. Not all failures are created equal. Taking the time to analyze the reasons behind why a failure occurred before determining appropriate action will do far more for a team than assuming that assigning blame will lead to improvement in the long run.

One interesting study asked executives to estimate how many of the failures in their organizations were truly blameworthy; their answers were usually in single digits — around 2% to 5%. They were then asked how many failures were treated as blameworthy; they admitted that was closer to 70% to 90%. One unfortunate consequence of this scenario is that many failures go unreported, and their lessons are lost.

Ideas for Action

  • Assess whether your teams offer a sense of psychological safety. Do the members of the team have confidence that the team will not embarrass, reject or punish them for speaking up with ideas? Questions? Concerns? Mistakes? Are each person’s contributions valued? If you answered yes on each measure, that team possesses a strong sense of psychological safety.
  • Leaders and supervisors need to actively create psychological safety because their position of power or status naturally suppresses people’s ability to speak up. This can be done by publicly acknowledging their own fallibility and emphasizing the need for each person’s contributions. They can also respond positively when people do bring things forward. From the results of the preceding exercise, choose a team with a low or mid-level of psychological safety. Develop an action plan for how the team leader or manager can improve the level of psychological safety.

Like everything in life, reframing failure becomes easier with practice. When failures inevitably occur, remind yourself and others that failure is temporary, and failure is good even if, undeniably, it feels really bad when it happens. When something goes wrong, practice saying, “Something good is happening here.” Look for the greater message of the experience and expect it to, eventually, turn out for the good. Need some additional encouragement and exercises to help you with this learning journey? Check out the curated collection of Reframing Failure elevateU resources, with short videos, audiobooks and more.

Sources

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/18/a-psychologist-says-the-most-successful-people-reframe-failure-by-doing-4-things.html

https://elevateu.skillport.com/skillportfe/main.action?path=summary/VIDEOS/125821

https://elevateu.skillport.com/skillportfe/main.action?path=summary/VIDEOS/146739

https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2015/05/14/why-failure-is-essential-to-success/?sh=11e953df7923

https://hbr.org/2011/04/strategies-for-learning-from-failure

Developing a Continuous Learning Mindset

As the climate of rapid change and the nature of our work continues to evolve, our professional goals and expectations are becoming more dynamic and less predictable. Learning new technology and systems is often part of these changes. Although there are many factors over which we have little to no control, we can gain both confidence and competence by taking ownership of our professional development, whether it be related to technology or anything else new and unfamiliar. Choosing to adopt and strengthen a growth mindset is a key factor in understanding and adapting to new technology and can help you expand your existing personal capabilities.

The Growth Mindset

If you happen to be a caregiver for school-age children or have experience in education, you’re likely familiar with the emphasis on a growth mindset for students. The reality is that encouraging a growth, or continuous learning, mindset is just as important for adults. To develop a continuous learning mindset, it’s important to first recognize its characteristics:

  • Skills and intelligence are grown and developed
  • Concern is focused on learning and growing
  • Effort is necessary to learning
  • Mistakes are learning opportunities
  • Challenges are obstacles to be overcome

The Benefits of a Growth Mindset

Research has shown that adopting and utilizing a growth mindset at work leads to higher levels of satisfaction and engagement. When you invest in your own learning, growth and development, you typically become more involved in your work and demonstrate a greater interest in and capacity for innovation and collaboration. This can lead to being viewed favorably by supervisors and leaders and can increase your likelihood of new and expanded career opportunities and advancement.

Those who embrace lifelong learning and bring a growth mindset to their careers are more likely to take on new challenges and are typically better able to cope with disruption and adapt to change — key skills in today’s workplace. These attributes will serve you well, enhancing your career development both now and throughout your learning journey. 

Develop a Growth Mindset at Work

Understanding the components of a mindset dedicated to continuous learning is one thing but taking action and applying this knowledge to your job is critical. This requires steps including:

  • Recognizing and monitoring your own mindset
  • Sharing your mindset
  • Providing feedback for others’ growth
  • Striving for continuous team improvement

Ways to Take Action

One common obstacle to developing a growth mindset and embracing both new technologies and continuous professional development is the feeling of not knowing how — or where — to start. Below are ideas and resources to further your understanding of the growth mindset along with ways you can help ensure your success.

TIPS

  1. Just anticipating that you’ll enjoy the learning is important. Bring a positive and open mind to any new project and treat everything as a potential learning and development opportunity.
  2. Find the right resources for your learning process. Whether you learn best on the job, through instructor-led classes, or via self-directed learning, discovering and utilizing the resources that work best for you is key.
  3. Don’t hesitate to ask for help. Overwhelmed by options or feeling discouraged? Reaching out to trusted members of your team and your supervisor can provide support and new insights into ways you can increase your knowledge and continue your professional development.
  4. Share your learning with others. When you share what you’ve learned, it hones your skills in a greater way. This can happen in many different forms, from writing a how-to guide for your team to simply sharing new knowledge in a department meeting.

Recommended Resources

Live, Virtual Courses

MSU IT Training Courses

Process Mapping Series

Ready, Set, Change!

Identify and Maximize Your Strengths

elevateU Learning

Becoming a Continuous Learner (13-minute course)

Developing a Growth Mindset (24-minute course)

Microsoft Office 365 Learning Resources

MSU Summer Events, Activities and Courses Round-Up

Enjoy your summer with these campus activities, events, and courses to do with your family and friends!

Outdoor Activities

  • Get outside and hike the beautiful trails at the Kellogg Biological Station Bird Sanctuary Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m. Additionally, check out their calendar of virtual and in-person events, which now include daily bird and butterfly activities and walks throughout the property.
  • The W. J. Beal Botanical Garden on campus is an outdoor laboratory for the study and appreciation of plants. If you follow the W. J. Beal Botanical Garden Facebook page, you can see that along with the flowers and sprawling grounds, there is now a temporary art installation to check out! The garden is open for you to walk around and enjoy the plants and pond in a beautiful setting. Be sure to continue to follow current and posted COVID-19 guidelines.

Performance and Art

  • The Wharton Center is preparing for a full reopening in the fall, but if you are missing the theater, check out all of the great opportunities to learn and grow through Wharton at Home. You can also join instructors for a livestream class every Wharton Wednesday at 10:30 A.M. here.
  • The Broad Art Museum has multiple exhibits on display throughout the summer, including the “Interstates of Mind” ending on August 8 and “Where We Dwell” beginning on August 7. The Broad Art Lab on Grand River Avenue is also open once again for $16 per session. If you are looking for at home activities, the Broad Museum Online has virtual exhibits and art classes open to the public.

Learning

  • The Abrams Planetarium at MSU is now open for shows on Saturday and Sunday nights. You can register online here for either Big Astronomy or We Are Stars. Patrons can also book private showings for up to 20 people or check out Night Sky Chats, streaming on Facebook Live every Wednesday Night.
  • MSU HR is always updating the OPD Resources online, so this summer you can take a course on anything from Communication to Professional Development from the comfort of your own home. Check out the full list of course offerings here.

Health

  • MSU Health4U has multiple summer programs running every month for free, just register online and choose the program, or programs, right for you.
  • SPARTANfit Health and Wellness Program is offering a comprehensive virtual fitness assessment for MSU employees and their spouses! Get a three month plan from your assessment and start reaching your summer health and fitness goals.

Explore these great campus activities this summer but remember to continue to stay safe by wearing a mask if you are not fully vaccinated, wash your hands often, and maintain physical distance.

Happy National Online Learning Day!

September 15 is National Online Learning Day! Online learning provides convenience, flexibility, and personalization for all learners. Did you know MSU offers FREE online learning opportunities for all faculty and staff? Get access to online resources including books, videos, courses, and more via elevateU. 

Access elevateU here or log into EBS and look for the “elevateU” tile under the “My Career & Training” tab. You can access elevateU from your computer or through the Skillsoft Learning App for Android and iOS devices.  

There are programs that cover leadership, IT & desktop, business, finance, human resources, change management, project management, interpersonal skills and so much more. Resources are available in a variety of formats: 

  • Video-based and interactive courses 
  • Videos 
  • Books 
  • Resources to prepare for various professional certifications 

Watch the following video for a general overview of the resources available to you and how to access them:

Need help navigating elevateU? Click here for an additional video on how to use the search function and navigate through the resources available. 

Utilize the resources as reference tools to help answer your day-to-day job questions or as part of your ongoing personal and professional development. Many of the courses are even approved for Continuing Education credits! Remember, all courses are available to current staff and faculty at no charge.  

Happy National Online Learning Day! 

Job of the Week – Hub Project Manager

This week’s job of the week is a Hub Project Manager (#602040) for The Hub for Innovation in Learning and Technology. This position is seeking an individual with strong problem-solving and communication skills, who possesses a broad understanding and experience planning and managing a portfolio of product and/or service design projects.

The responsibilities for this role include providing project management strategy and guidance for The Hub, managing changes to projects’ scope, schedule, and costs using appropriate verification techniques, assisting in the development of project objectives and project plans, and working with Hub management on resource planning, availability and allocation to project objectives. Other responsibilities include conducting research and data analysis, preparing reports, and performing project close assessments to identify opportunities for growth, to maximize operational effectiveness, amend processes and procedures, and assess work performance.

The ideal candidate would possess knowledge equivalent to that which normally would be acquired by completing a four-year college degree program in design, business administration, research, education or field related to the employing unit; three to five years of related and progressively more expansive work experience in product and design project management, business analysis, facilitating/training with a focus on business management; experience working with multiple high-level stakeholders, work flow process analysis and implementation of strategic initiatives, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

For more details on the responsibilities of this position, and to view all our current postings, visit careers.msu.edu. Internal applicants should access postings through the Careers @ MSU tile in the EBS Portal.