Encourage working learners to share specific examples from their experiences, highlighting both their successes and areas for improvement. Supervisors should provide constructive feedback and actively support the student’s ongoing growth and development as a valuable team player.

• Reflect on a recent team project or collaboration where you showcased your ability to listen attentively and understand the perspectives of others. How did your active listening contribute to the project’s success, and what challenges did you face while honing this skill?
• Conflict is a natural part of teamwork. Can you share an example of a time when you successfully navigated a conflict within your team? How did you approach resolving the issue, and what strategies did you employ to ensure respectful interactions among team members with unique personalities?

• Collaborate with team members to address and resolve conflicts or misunderstandings that arise in the workplace.
• Collaborate with other student employees to complete a joint task, such as organizing a campus event or developing a presentation.
• Share tools, resources, or information that can help fellow team members succeed in their tasks.
• Assist in training new student employees by sharing knowledge, tips, and best practices to help them adjust to the role.
• Distribute the workload evenly among team members and assist each other with tasks to meet deadlines efficiently.

• View the Ted Talk, How To Turn a Group of Strangers Into a Team.
• Discussion questions:
  • Why are hospitals and animation groups good examples of stranger teaming? 
  • What work requires an “unstable” team? 
  • What is “professional culture clash” in teaming? 
  • What caused the teaming in Chile to be a success?

• As a team, decide what free service you would want for the next five years: cook/nutritionist, chauffeur, housekeeper, masseuse, personal trainer, or personal secretary. Discuss the pros and cons of each service. 
• Create a slideshow presentation about an agreed-upon topic (favorite movie genre, place to vacation etc.) Present it as a team.

Encourage open and honest communication throughout the discussion. Give the working learner space to share their experiences and growth, while also offering constructive feedback and guidance as a supervisor.

• As a role model in your position, how do you approach tasks with confidence and a positive attitude? Can share an example your positive mindset significantly boosted team morale or productivity? What strategies do you use to consistently maintain this positive outlook?
• Consider a recent project or task where you took on a leadership role. How did you inspire and motivate both yourself and your team to work towards a common goal? What specific strategies did you use to build trust and foster a supportive environment for your team throughout the project?

• Alternate leading team meetings.
• Create events and opportunities that the working learner(s) think(s) would be helpful to UCF students.
• Lead projects and oversee the work of their peers.
• Take ownership of projects by continually applying recommendations and making improvements.
• Act as a positive ambassador for the department or campus organization at events or in interactions.
• Take the lead on tasks or challenges without waiting for direction.

• Create your ideal leader, and explain the qualities that define them. Take the leadership style quiz. What surprised you about the results? What didn’t? How can you make the best use of this knowledge?
• Discussion Questions:
  • What qualities do you appreciate and respond to in a leader? 

• Review the types of leaders in the Forbes article. Then, have everyone take the leadership style quiz. Guess what type of leader each person in the group is.
• Discussion Questions:
  • Were there any correct guesses? 
  • How can different leadership styles work together effectively?
• Collaborate with others in a digital Hogwarts escape room. Did anyone naturally take on leadership roles, or were there multiple leaders? How did this affect the overall outcome?

Encourage working learners to share their experiences with technology and how they have used it to achieve strategic goals. The supervisor should provide feedback, suggest further training if necessary, and explore opportunities to deepen their technology skills in their role.

• Leveraging technology to boost efficiency is a crucial skill. Share an example of a task or process where you applied technology to increase productivity in your college student employment role. How did this technological solution optimize your workflow, and what specific advantages did it offer to your work?
• In today’s fast-paced digital world, quickly adapting to new technologies is crucial. Share an experience where you effectively adapted to a new or unfamiliar technology with minimal disruption. What strategies did you use to ensure a smooth transition when encountering new technological challenges?

• Manage and analyze data using spreadsheets or database software, ensuring accuracy and proper data entry.
• Use email, Teams, and digital collaboration tools to communicate effectively and coordinate tasks with team members.
• Utilize common office software (e.g., Microsoft Office, Google Workspace) to create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
• Manage and update social media accounts, including creating posts, analyzing engagement metrics, and running campaigns.
• Create multimedia and provide administrative assistance for technology platform(s) while using various technological tools for project management.

Give working learners the opportunity to practice using systems such as Microsoft Office 365 and Teams. They could complete tasks or projects using these tools, receiving personalized feedback to improve their skills. This practical approach helps build their confidence and proficiency.

Host a “Tech Skills Quiz Show” where students participate in a fun, competitive game focused on technology-related questions and scenarios. The quiz can cover topics such as Teams, Qualtrics, and Microsoft Office 365 (as examples). Use a format like Jeopardy or multiple-choice questions, and offer small prizes for top performers. This activity is easy to set up and provides an engaging way to reinforce technology skills.

Encourage the working learner to openly share their experiences, challenges, and growth in understanding different viewpoints in their role. The supervisor can support this process by offering constructive feedback and discussing ways to improve the work environment for everyone.

• Interacting with people who have different perspectives offers important opportunities for learning and personal growth. Reflect on a time when you had an international or cross-group experience and explain how it broadened your understanding of others. How have you applied the insights and lessons from these experiences to improve your workplace?

• Seek and incorporate input from individuals with varied perspectives to enhance decision-making.
• Contribute to practices that promote fairness, collaboration, and continuous improvement within teams and organizations.
• Support efforts that ensure all individuals have opportunities to contribute and succeed.
• Engage in experiences that expand understanding of different viewpoints and enhance personal and professional growth.
• Remain open to new ideas and different approaches to problem-solving.
• Identify challenges that hinder participation and access, and work toward practical solutions.
• Adapt to different environments and situations with flexibility and awareness.
• Recognize and address factors that may create imbalances in opportunities and outcomes.

Personal Reflection on Perspectives:

Goal: This reflection encourages self-awareness, and you can follow up with how their personal perspective can influence their workplace interactions and decision-making.

Activity: Ask the student to think about a time they’ve encountered someone with a perspective or background very different from their own. You could guide the conversation with questions like: “How did you react in that situation?” and “What did you learn from that experience?”

Values Mapping:

Goal: Helps students articulate their own values and recognize that different values can lead to perspective awareness.

Activity: Have students map out their core values on a chart, then discuss how these values align or differ from those of others in the group. This could involve a brief conversation about how differing values might influence professional decisions.

Encourage the working learner to reflect on their communication experiences, both successes and areas for improvement. The supervisor can offer feedback and suggestions on enhancing their communication skills to become even more effective in their role.

• Clarity and organization are key aspects of communication. Describe a situation where you communicated a complex idea or task in a clear and organized manner, making it easy for others to understand. How do you approach tailoring your communication to accommodate diverse learning styles, individual communication abilities, and cultural differences?
• Prompt communication is crucial for smooth workflow and avoiding delays. Reflect on a situation where you promptly informed relevant parties when you needed guidance or support with your assigned tasks. How do you balance seeking assistance while also attempting to troubleshoot and solve problems independently when appropriate?

• Answer phone calls as well as in-person questions while providing great customer service.
• Interface and support faculty, staff, and students with their questions and needs.
• Ask appropriate questions to clarify tasks and goals, engaging in Teams channels, responding to email requests in a timely manner.
• Send emails on behalf of the department/organization to outside community members or potential guest speakers.

• Read “What Type of Communicator are You?” and discuss the different types of communicators.
• Discussion Questions: 
  • Which one are you? 
  • How can you enable effective communication between different styles?

• Take the Communication Styles Quiz and discuss the results. Do you agree? Disagree?
• Create a short (5 minutes or less) lecture on anything you feel passionate about, and present to your co-workers.

Encourage the working learner to provide specific examples of their professionalism and how they demonstrate these skills in their daily work. The supervisor should offer feedback and support to help the student continue to excel in their professional development.

• Maintaining a positive personal brand is crucial for professional growth.
  • How do you ensure that your actions and behavior align with the organization’s values and contribute to a positive personal brand?
  • Can you share any steps you have taken to enhance your personal brand within the organization and beyond?
• Prioritization and goal completion are signs of a dedicated professional.
  • Describe a time when you successfully prioritized tasks to achieve organizational goals.
  • How do you handle competing demands to ensure that you consistently meet or exceed expectations?

• Demonstrates punctuality and fulfills work obligations, meeting deadlines and commitments.
• Maintains a professional appearance appropriate for the workplace setting.
• Effectively prioritizes tasks and manages time to balance work, academic, and personal responsibilities.
• Clearly and respectfully communicates with supervisors, colleagues, and clients in a professional manner.
• Builds and sustains positive, respectful relationships with colleagues and supervisors.

Discuss what your personal brand is with your supervisor. How would you explain yours? How does your personal brand fit into the culture of your workplace? How is this important?

Write an elevator pitch or powerful introduction. Present it to your supervisor and coworkers for them to critique. What elements make for a good introduction? Utilize VMock to fine-tune it.

Encourage your working learner to provide specific examples of their career and self-development initiatives. The supervisor can offer feedback and support their growth by discussing additional resources or opportunities to enhance their career development in the working learner employment position.

• Setting goals and plans for the future is an important aspect of career development. Describe the steps you have taken to develop plans and goals for your future career. How do you ensure that these plans align with your aspirations and values?
• Taking on new duties and seeking development opportunities can lead to professional progress. Share an example of a time when you assumed additional responsibilities or positions to further your professional growth. How do you proactively seek out opportunities to expand your skills and knowledge?

• Engages in self-reflection to identify strengths, areas for growth, and career interests.
• Sets clear, attainable career goals and develops actionable plans to achieve them.
• Pursues relevant training, certifications, or educational opportunities to enhance skills.
• Reflects on personal values, strengths, and interests to align career choices.
• Uses networking to explore career opportunities and gain insights into different career paths.
• Shows resilience in overcoming challenges and learning from setbacks in their career journey.

Update your resume with your current student employment role and have your supervisor and/or a teammate review it. Utilize VMock to fine-tune it.

Watch The Secret To Giving Great Feedback. Discussion questions:

• What are the two “camps” of giving feedback, and why are they generally ineffective?
• What is the four-part formula of giving good feedback? Do you agree with this concept?

Submit an Outreach Request Form to have a a guest speaker present to your working learners information about career and professional development.

Encourage the working learner to provide specific examples and share their approach to applying critical thinking skills in different situations. The supervisor should provide constructive feedback and guidance to help the student further enhance their critical thinking abilities in their role.

• Decision-making is an essential aspect of critical thinking. Can you share an example of a recent decision you made in your college student employment position using sound reasoning and judgment? How did you ensure that your decision was inclusive and considered different perspectives and stakeholders?
• Gathering and analyzing information from diverse sources is crucial for understanding complex problems. Describe a situation where you effectively gathered information from various sources and individuals to gain a comprehensive understanding of a challenge. How did this information influence the problem-solving process?

• Assess and interpret data from various sources, such as research, feedback, and reports, to inform decision-making processes.
• Demonstrate flexibility and problem-solving skills in adapting to new technologies, processes, or work environments.
• Apply innovative thinking to overcome obstacles or improve workflows within their work environment.
• Break down multifaceted issues in projects and assignments to identify key components and develop actionable solutions.
• Use lessons learned from past experiences to tackle new challenges or projects effectively.

Ernest Hemingway famously created his shortest work of fiction using just six words. For sale: baby shoes, never worn. Write a six word memoir to describe who you are. Six words. No more, no less.

Play 2 truths and a lie. Critically think about how to determine the lie. How can you use non-verbal communication?