Seven Habits of Highly Ineffective Advisors
Don't fall into these advising traps!
The Absent Minded Advisor
Becoming distracted, finishing appointments quickly, answering multiple phone calls during appointments, "daydreaming"
- Control the office environment (turning phone ringer off, shutting or cracking door, reviewing notes, scheduling time in your day for e-mail queries), time management and stress control.
Great Answer, Wrong Question
Assuming the issue, jumping to conclusions, stereotyping
- Develop listening skills, restating questions, learning to use silence.
Judge & Jury
Advising students that they either "absolutely" can or cannot do something, especially as it relates to the students' goals (administrative policy is another story!)
- Help students create and realize their own goals, decision-making information, plan "B's", ability to set goals, and gentle confrontational skills.
The Lo-Calorie Advisor
Avoiding discussing issues with which you don't feel comfortable or knowledgeable enough in an area, including issues handled by other offices on campus
- Use empathy, listening skills, interacting with other services on campus, role-playing tough situations.
The Fairy God Advisor
Doing the work for the student, making that phone call, going on the internet to find career information, etc., limiting the student's self-initiative or self-responsibility
- Advisors need to understand themselves and their advising styles so that they can reflect on that and then understand that helping others doesn't also mean doing everything for them.
The Amazing Human File Cabinet
Being an experienced advisor has its drawbacks: assuming that, since you know the information, it must be correct; not recognizing that things change often, not making the effort to update your information; not double-checking
- Be a lifelong learner, using on-going training, professional development, and professional networks to keep you up-to-date.
