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2 3 4 2020 PDS Regional Power Summit Agenda Welcome Council Updates Ethics & Conflicts of Interest CDA PD Specialist™ Coaching CDA PD Specialist™ Solution Driven Decisions 5 Table of Contents Best Practice Graphic & Areas of Best Practice ............... 6-7 Conflicts of Interest & Ethics ............................................. 8-18 Coaching Skills ............................................................... 20-37 Social Media Guidelines ................................................ 38-40 6 7 Eight Areas of Best Practice Potential • As a coach/mentor, tapping into the Candidate's potential. Knowledge • Using your professional expertise. Competence • Knowing the elements of your role as a PD Specialist™. Performand • Compliantly executing the policies and procedures governing the PD Specialists™. Experience • Applying your collective experience in the Reflective Dialogue. Ethics • Relying on the Council’s set of ethics to guide decisions. Development • Continuously developing yourself professionally and encouraging the same for the Candidate. Vision • A clear perception of your role and contributions as a PD Specialist™. 8 9 10 The Role of the CDA Professional Development (PD) Specialist™ As a CDA PD Specialist™ and an early childhood professional, you are trained, contracted, and endorsed by the Council to utilize your expertise in early childhood education to facilitate the final stages of the credentialing process for candidates within your local communities. You have the knowledge and the know-how to support the professional development of early childhood care and educational professionals. Furthermore, by being a CDA PD Specialist™, you are recognized as an excellent resource and facilitator of the credentialing process. As part of your role as a CDA PD Specialist™, you will review and verify for the candidate the procedures and documents required to complete the CDA® assessment system. You are charged to use this manual conscientiously as a resource to perform your responsibilities as a CDA PD Specialist™. It is critical that you always conduct CDA Verification Visits™ in a professional manner that preserves and builds the integrity of the CDA® assessment system. The CDA PD Specialists™ are expected to: Prepare for each CDA Verification Visit™ by following training and contractual agreements, and by using: • The Pre-Verification Visit Checklist; • The Candidate’s correct setting and CDA® Competency Standards book; • The CDA PD Specialist™ Procedures Manual and Resource Library; and • The External Specialist Engagement Team as needed Conduct the Candidate’s CDA Verification Visit™ using the R.O.R. Model® within one day, unless a situation arises that requires you to use the 7-day assessment window. Access YourCouncil to submit individual Candidate scores within 48 hours of the CDA Verification Visit™. Agree to keep all information in YourCouncil current. Respond to CDA PD Specialist™ related inquiries from Candidates and the Council by email and/or phone within 48 hours. Participate in CDA PD Specialist™ training and continuing education for professional development to increase knowledge and skills related to early care and education best practices. 11 CDA PD Specialist™ Ethical Principles Because CDA® Candidates are credentialed by the Council, the early childhood education community holds CDA PD Specialists™ in high esteem. Therefore, the Council expects you as CDA PD Specialists™ to perform with a conscientious effort that exemplifies the highest ethical standards. Principle I: Ethical Conduct Amongst Candidates As the CDA PD Specialist™, you have both a personal and professional responsibility to demonstrate characteristics that will help candidates take responsibility for their own actions and choices. You will lead by example in the following ways: • Treat each candidate considerately and justly when clarifying issues according to the Council’s CDA PD Specialist™ Procedures Manual. • Avoid intentionally exposing a candidate to disparagement. • Manifest a positive mentoring role in the candidate’s assessment. • Maintain confidential information concerning candidates. • Submit facts without distortion, bias, or personal prejudice. • Respect a candidate’s freedom of choice. • Not steering candidates for your financial gain. Principle II: Ethical Conduct for Practices and Performance You will always assume the responsibility and accountability of your performance and continually strive to exhibit the competence of a CDA PD Specialist™. You will endeavor to maintain the dignity of the position by respecting and abiding by Council policies, and by showing personal integrity. The following list of practices will always ensure your ethical conduct: • Agree and accept candidate assessments based on professional qualifications. • Be truthful in providing your professional qualifications and avoid misrepresentations. • Continue to grow professionally by receiving training and education when opportunities arise. • Comply with program policies, applicable community laws, and regulations that are not in conflict with the Council’s ethical expectations. • Adhere to the official policies of the Council. • Account for all pre-authorized expenditures for specific candidate assessments. Principle III: Ethical Conduct Towards Professional Colleagues In exemplifying ethical relations with colleagues, you agree to treat all members and early childhood educators equitably and with fairness. As a CDA PD Specialist™ and professional early childhood educator, you will: 12 • Maintain confidential information concerning colleagues and candidates. • Refrain from willfully making false statements about colleagues and candidates. • Understand that your role is not to evaluate the program or agency during CDA Verification Visits™. Principle IV: Ethical Conduct Towards Program and Community As a CDA PD Specialist™ and professional early childhood educator, you will: • Make concerted efforts to communicate to the candidate all information needed to support the candidate’s completion of the assessment process. • Contact the candidate’s program director or supervisor to inform them about the upcoming candidate’s CDA Verification Visit™. You should also show appreciation towards the director for supporting the candidate and answering any general questions related to the CDA Verification Visit™. • Strive to understand and respect the values, traditions, and religious beliefs of the diverse cultures represented in the program and in the candidate’s classroom. • Comply with local, state, federal and/or national laws, in addition to Council policies. Determining Conflicts of Interests Although you may meet all the general eligibility requirements to become a CDA PD Specialist™, there are times when a conflict of interest may occur. It is your duty to discuss with the Candidate any possible ethical conflicts of interests and decide accordingly. Outlined below are specific relationships that disqualify you from serving as a CDA PD Specialist™ for a Candidate: You may NOT serve as a Candidate’s CDA PD Specialist™ if: You are the Candidate’s: • Relative • Current direct supervisor • Former direct supervisor within the past 3 years • Co-worker in same group or classroom You have • A child in the Candidate’s class or group • Served as the Candidate’s CDA PD Specialist™ for another CDA® credential. • Served as the Candidate’s CDA PD Specialist™ and the Candidate is re- applying for the same credential. 13 If a CDA PD Specialist™ is in any of these types of relationships with the Candidate, the CDA PD Specialist™ may not, under any circumstances, accept the assignment. Additional Ethical Considerations During the CDA Verification Visit™, you must remain unprejudiced, and have an unbiased perspective on the Candidate’s efforts to obtain the CDA® Credential. You, more so than the Council, know about the local situation. The Council relies primarily on the CDA PD Specialist’s™ judgment and capability to bring an independent perspective. There are many other types of relationships requiring both the Candidate and the CDA PD Specialist™ to consider carefully when determining potential ethical conflicts. Situations that require ethical consideration by both the Candidate and the CDA PD Specialist™ are when the CDA PD Specialist™ or Candidate is: • An indirect supervisor • A trainer, either indirect or direct • Any person or representative of an organization that has financial/contractual considerations related to the candidate or may benefit in any way from the candidate’s credentialing outcome. • The candidate is the employer • A co-employee in the same facility, not in the same group/classroom • Any person who may have a personal or professional bias toward or against the candidate, or any group of which the candidate is a part (such as peer/friend/foe) • A licensing agent The Council discourages any CDA PD Specialist™ with a relationship that may fall in one or more of the categories in the list above from conducting the CDA Verification Visit™. The Council reserves the right to take further action and reject/return the Candidate’s application at any time should a question of conflict of interest arise. As standard practice, all CDA PD Specialists™ and Candidates are required to sign a Statement of Ethics. 14 Best Practices for CDA PD Specialists™ Why are best practices necessary? The integrity of the Child Development Associate® (CDA) assessment system, in large part, rests on individuals like you: trained and endorsed CDA Professional Development (PD) Specialists™. The major driver for implementing best practices for CDA PD Specialists™ (PDS) is to ensure that total compliance with the Council’s policies and procedures. As a CDA PD Specialist™ and an early childhood professional, you are trained, contracted and endorsed by the Council to use your expertise in early childhood education to facilitate the final stages of the credentialing process and to adhere to these policies and procedures. Best Practices Best practices are to be implemented during all Verification Visits. Each PDS should integrate them into their Verification Visit practice and routine so that the Council knows the same quality is provided to each CDA Candidate by every PDS. Specifically, the CDA PD Specialist should: • Read, understand and adhere to the policies and procedures in the PDS Procedures Manual. • Read and become familiar with the Competency Standards Book(s) for their endorsed setting(s). • Perform with a conscientious effort exemplifying the highest ethical standards. • Engage the CDA PD Specialist™ Standards of Practice (see page 36 of the PDS Resource Manual). • Conduct only two Verification Visits per day and no more than three per week. • Observe one candidate at a time. Group Verification Visits are prohibited. • Conduct the Verification Visits in the four (4) hour timeframe: o Professional Portfolio – One hour o Observing as a lead teacher – Two hours o Reflective Dialogue – One hour • Respond to all Candidate requests within 48 hours. Complete Pre-Visit Checklist at least 48 hours prior to the Visit. (see page 8 in the PDS Manual). • During Pre-Visit Checklist, emphasize to the Candidate that s/he must serve as the lead teacher during the Visit. • Conduct Verification Visits with integrity, in accordance with the Council’s policies and procedure. 15 • Submit Verification Visit scores within 48 hours of the Visit. • Stay abreast of news and communications from the Council. • Maintain professional awareness and knowledge through all Council communication. • Regularly update their availability in the YourCouncil online calendar. • Participate in all Council-sponsored professional development trainings. • Not market nor endorse themselves using Council intellectual property. • Not represent themselves as an employee, officer or agent of the Council for Professional Recognition. • Manage all matters related to the CDA® credentialing process and the Council for Professional Recognition confidentially. • Build trust with the CDA Candidate, their supervisor and place of work. • Protect the privacy rights of Candidates and the Council. What is at stake? When a PDS does not practice integrity and/or uses short cuts, the impact has a ripple effect on the entire credentialing process, including: o Loss of integrity o Damage to the reputation of both the PDS and the Council o Damage of established trust o Risk Of the Council rescinding awarded credentials Of appealing the Council’s decision due to procedural violations Of loss of revenue Of negative public relations issues Of a terminated PDS contract A CDA PD Specialist™ is an essential quality control factor in the CDA® assessment system. As such, it is essential that consistency and quality occur during each assessment you do so that we can maintain the reliability, validity and credibility of the CDA® assessment system. You are recognized as an excellent resource and facilitator of the credentialing process. Keep in mind the Council depends on you to conduct each Verification Visits in compliance with policies and procedures. 16 Professional Ethics & What It Means to Me Write down your thoughts of what each section means to you as a PD Specialist Personal and business behavior To me, this means… Values Guiding principles Proper course of action Ethics is the study of right and wrong in human endeavors Method by which we categorize our values and how we pursue them 17 IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS… 18 NOTES 19 20 21 The GROW Model of Coaching and Mentoring A Simple Process for Developing Your People As a leader, one of your most important roles is to coach your people to do their best. By doing this, you'll help them make better decisions, solve problems that are holding them back, learn new skills, and otherwise progress their careers. Some people are fortunate enough to get formal training in coaching. However, many people have to develop this important skill themselves. This may sound daunting but, if you arm yourself with some proven techniques, practice, and trust your instincts, you can become a great coach. The GROW Model is a simple yet powerful framework for structuring your coaching or mentoring sessions. GROW stands for: • Goal. • Current Reality. • Options (or Obstacles). • Will (or Way Forward). The model was originally developed in the 1980s by business coaches Graham Alexander, Alan Fine, and Sir John Whitmore. A good way of thinking about the GROW Model is to think about how you'd plan a journey. First, you decide where you are going (the goal) and establish where you currently are (your current reality). You then explore various routes (the options) to your destination. In the final step, establishing the will, you ensure that you're committed to making the journey, and are prepared for the obstacles that you could meet on the way. Tip: In its traditional application, the GROW Model assumes that the coach is not an expert in the client's situation. This means that the coach must act as a facilitator, helping the client select the best options, and not offering advice or direction. When leaders coach their team members, or act as mentors to them, this may or may not apply. On one hand, it's more powerful for people to draw conclusions for themselves, rather than having these conclusions thrust upon them. On the other hand, as a team leader, you'll often have expert knowledge to offer. Also, it's your job to guide team members to make decisions that are best for your organization. 22 How to Use the Tool To structure a coaching or mentoring session using the GROW Model, take the following steps: 1. Establish the Goal First, you and your team member need to look at the behavior that you want to change, and then structure this change as a goal that she wants to achieve. Make sure that this is a SMART goal: one that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time- bound. When doing this, it's useful to ask questions like: • How will you know that your team member has achieved this goal? How will you know that the problem or issue is solved? • Does this goal fit with her overall career objectives? And does it fit with the team's objectives? 2. Examine the Current Reality Next, ask your team member to describe his current reality. This is an important step. Too often, people try to solve a problem or reach a goal without fully considering their starting point, and often they're missing some information that they need in order to reach their goal effectively. As your team member tells you about his current reality, the solution may start to emerge. Useful coaching questions in this step include the following: • What is happening now (what, who, when, and how often)? What is the effect or result of this? • Have you already taken any steps towards your goal? • Does this goal conflict with any other goals or objectives? 3. Explore the Options Once you and your team member have explored the current reality, it's time to determine what is possible – meaning all of the possible options for reaching her objective. 23 Help the Candidate brainstorm as many good options as possible. Then, discuss these and help her decide on the best ones. “The GROW Model of Coaching and Mentoring” (September, 2019), https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_89.htm 24 Facilitating an Open Dialogue – The POD Approach The purpose of the Reflective Dialogue is to discuss with the Candidate areas of strength or growth for the purpose of setting professional goals. Facilitating the Reflective Dialogue can be a little challenging; especially if the CDA Candidate is nervous, feeling apprehensive or unsure of the expectations. The P.O.D. questions are designed to help you engage the Candidate, create a meaningful conversation and help put the Candidate at ease during this portion of the Verification Visit. The POD questions are based in three domains: • Professional • Opportunity • Development If you stay on just these three domains, we’re sure you will not run out of things to discuss and share with the Candidate. P.O.D. Questions Professional Opportunity Development Who or what do you need to know? How will you know: When What What resources or support do you need? What are the next steps? Professional - Opportunity - Development 25 26 Top Ten Effective Coaching Skills Coaching is about providing the right balance of two things to your coachee: support and challenge. There are several essential skills a good coach needs in order to do this: 1. Listening This is so important, we put it at the top of the list. You can’t be a good coach unless you really, really listen. Note, it doesn’t just mean listening to what is being said. It also means listening to what is not being said. This is where you can really help your coachee – by asking insightful questions about what you notice might be going on for them. The GROW model identifies four levels of listening skills: • Attentive listening – giving someone full attention. • Accurate listening – understanding the issue at hand fully. • Emphatic listening – showing appreciation of the other person’s feelings on the issue at hand. Putting yourself in their shoes. • Generative listening – fully understanding the issue at hand, which allows you to ask enlightening and insightful questions. 2. Questioning Asking questions is at the heart of great coaching. They are the tools of your trade. There are so many different types of questions that can be used. Some are more helpful than others. The best questions are ones that give insight into the person you are coaching. The best way to remind yourself of open questions is ‘5 Bums on a Rugby Post’. This will help you to remember to use open questions by starting a question with either: what, where, when, who, why, and how (the ‘H’ is the Rugby post!). Over time you will develop a set of great coaching questions that work for you. Here are a few of our favorites: • What would the wisest person you know advise you to do right now? • What would be a crazy/ radical/ brave thing to do? • If you could wave a magic wand, what would be happening differently? • What’s stopping you? • What’s really going on for you? • What else? (ask this several times over, you’ll always get more ideas) • What is the best question I could ask you now? • Is there anything you believe about yourself that might be holding you back? • What have you learnt/ are you learning about yourself through this process? • What’s the best/ worst thing that could happen? Our best tip for asking great questions? Go with your own curiosity. 3. Building Rapport This is chronologically the first skill you need to use as a coach as it is the gateway to trust. The coaching process will not work unless you create a good rapport from the beginning, and it should be 27 maintained throughout the coaching relationship. Rapport is what allows coachees to feel relaxed with their coach and open up – so that personal barriers and fears can be identified. It also allows the coach to ask harder and more challenging questions. Some of the key things that emerge when building rapport are: empathizing (see below), the use of body language, the use of voice and language and the importance of being warm and personable. It’s easier, for example, to create rapport with someone who provides eye contact and smiles. It’s better to sit at right angles with your coachee than opposite them. You can also gently match and mirror their body language. It’s also worth noting that coaching is a bit like dating. There are just some people that you won’t click with. If you feel like you can’t develop a rapport together, it’s better to acknowledge this early and find the coachee an alternative coach. Rather this, than try and keep the coaching relationship going when the coachee is unlikely to open up and trust you. Successful coaching is a direct result of rapport. For effective coaching, you can make use of the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI®) to accurately identify the true capacity of the people you coach. 4. Empathizing Empathy can be defined as our ability to put ourselves in others’ shoes and appreciate how they are likely to be feeling or thinking in a given situation. What might it feel like to be them? Daniel Goleman, who coined the concept of ‘Emotional Intelligence’ stated that ’empathy is the most important people skill’. He says that empathy is an important communication skill, but it can be easily forgotten because we focus on what should be done in a situation, rather than on how the other person feels. The effect of empathy is to help you to understand the other person’s needs and to show an understanding of their views and feelings. This is really important when creating trust and rapport in the coaching relationship. It’s also worth remembering that empathy is different from sympathy. When we empathize, we become one with that person’s distress. You put yourself in their shoes and imagine what they are going through. You don’t necessarily share their feelings, however, but you understand it from their perspective. In contrast, sympathy is feeling compassion or sorrow for the hardships that another person is experiencing. 5. Summarizing and Reflecting The advanced listening skills of summarizing and reflecting help you guide your coachee to allow them to make sense of what they are grappling with. Summarizing means repeating what the coachee has said, taking the main points of the received message and reiterating them. Done in a logical and clear way, it gives the coachee a chance to correct something if necessary. Summarizing is useful as it keeps the coachee focused on the issue and their thinking progress so far 28 Reflecting means closely repeating or paraphrasing what the coachee has said to show comprehension. Reflection is a powerful skill that can reinforce the thoughts of the coachee. It allows the coachee to step back and look at an issue objectively. For further research and information on executive coaching, we suggest taking a look at Diane Coutu and Carol Kauffman’s excellent article for Harvard Business Review: ‘What Can Coaches Do for You?’. 6. Unlocking Limiting Beliefs This one is about using your intuition and then asking challenging questions. Underneath the initial symptom or issue, there is usually something deeper. Beliefs are ‘a principle accepted as true or real without proof’. Beliefs are strange things. We all have them and often don’t ever question them. We hold them as true even if we have no evidence to support them. Our beliefs have a major impact on our behavior. Some beliefs can help us become successful; others can hold us back; these are known as ‘limiting beliefs’. Limiting beliefs can get people stuck. Helping your coachee identify and challenge underlying limiting beliefs can, consequently, be one of the most powerful parts of the coaching process and can be an enlightening and even emotional process for the coachee. The role of a coach is to get people to question their inner beliefs. In order for a coach to do this, there has to be a foundation of trust and rapport. 7. Staying Focused It’s really important as a coach to make sure that the coaching session stays on track and does not degenerate into a general discussion or chat. It’s also important to ensure the coachee doesn’t digress too much or get caught up in too much detail. Staying focused can involve summarizing and guiding the flow of the conversation back to a framework such as the GROW model, using further questioning. It can also mean interjecting from time to time to pull things back on track. 8. Being Non-Judgmental and Open-Minded This is a critical skill which is the foundation of good coaching. As a coach, it’s simple: we don’t get to judge another human being. Being a great coach is about being curious and having an open and inquisitive mind. This will allow you to focus on doing the best for your coachee by reflecting, providing feedback and asking great questions. Being open-minded means understanding that other people have different points of view, and that in their view of the world, they may be right. 9. Giving Constructive Feedback One of the most useful things for your coachee can be you pointing out to them things you are noticing about them, for instance, their behavior, their reactions to questions, and their facial expressions. Sometimes people don’t see stuff about themselves and often others won’t be brave enough to tell them. As a coach, you have a privileged position of trust where you can point these things out to them, so it is well received and helps them with their issues. The picture below highlights some of the important areas to cover when giving great feedback. There is an art to giving supportive feedback so that it lands well. Not being judgmental (see Skill 8 above) is key. Furthermore, make sure your feedback is constructive, specific and observed, ‘here’s something I’m noticing’ is a good way to start. 29 10. Resisting Temptation to Tell Not telling your coachee what you think the answers are or giving advice. We have talked about this a lot in this article, but it’s so important we thought we’d mention it again! It is hard to master so we’ve classed it as a skill. A good coach is self-aware. To understand oneself, one’s coaching style, and how it is perceived and received by employees, is a critical first step to becoming a valuable and effective coach. Self- awareness is a journey unto itself. Source: https://www.makingbusinessmatter.co.uk/coaching-skills-ultimate-guide/. 30 Non-Verbal Signs of Attentive or Active Listening This is a generic list of non-verbal signs of listening, in other words people who are listening are more likely to display at least some of these signs. However, these signs may not be appropriate in all situations and across all cultures. Smile Small smiles can be used to show that the listener is paying attention to what is being said or as a way of agreeing or being happy about the messages being received. Combined with nods of the head, smiles can be powerful in affirming that messages are being listened to and understood. Eye Contact It is normal and usually encouraging for the listener to look at the speaker. Eye contact can however be intimidating, especially for more shy speakers – gauge how much eye contact is appropriate for any given situation. Combine eye contact with smiles and other non-verbal messages to encourage the speaker. Posture Posture can tell a lot about the sender and receiver in interpersonal interactions. The attentive listener tends to lean slightly forward or sideways whilst sitting. Other signs of active listening may include a slight slant of the head or resting the head on one hand. Mirroring Automatic reflection/mirroring of any facial expressions used by the speaker can be a sign of attentive listening. These reflective expressions can help to show sympathy and empathy in more emotional situations. Attempting to consciously mimic facial expressions (i.e. not automatic reflection of expressions) can be a sign of inattention. 31 Distraction The active listener will not be distracted and therefore will refrain from fidgeting, looking at a clock or watch, doodling, playing with their hair or picking their fingernails. Positive Reinforcement Although a strong signal of attentiveness, caution should be used when using positive verbal reinforcement. Although some positive words of encouragement may be beneficial to the speaker the listener should use them sparingly so as not to distract from what is being said or place unnecessary emphasis on parts of the message. Casual and frequent use of words and phrases, such as: ‘very good’, ‘yes’ or ‘indeed’ can become irritating to the speaker. It is usually better to elaborate and explain why you are agreeing with a certain point. Remembering The human mind is notoriously bad at remembering details, especially for any length of time. However, remembering a few key points, or even the name of the speaker, can help to reinforce that the messages sent have been received and understood – i.e. listening has been successful. Remembering details, ideas and concepts from previous conversations proves that attention was kept and is likely to encourage the speaker to continue. During longer exchanges it may be appropriate to make very brief notes to act as a memory jog when questioning or clarifying later. Questioning The listener can demonstrate that they have been paying attention by asking relevant questions and/or making statements that build or help to clarify what the speaker has said. By asking relevant questions the listener also helps to reinforce that they have an interest in what the speaker has been saying. Reflection Reflecting is closely repeating or paraphrasing what the speaker has said in order to show comprehension. Reflection is a powerful skill that can reinforce the message of the speaker and demonstrate understanding. 32 Clarification Clarifying involves asking questions of the speaker to ensure that the correct message has been received. Clarification usually involves the use of open questions which enables the speaker to expand on certain points as necessary. Summarization Repeating a summary of what has been said back to the speaker is a technique used by the listener to repeat what has been said in their own words. Summarizing involves taking the main points of the received message and reiterating them in a logical and clear way, giving the speaker chance to correct if necessary. https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/nonverbal-communication.html 33 34 Copyright 2016 by Corwin. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Better Conversations: Coaching Ourselves and Each Other to Be More Credible, Caring, and Connected by Jim Knight. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, www.corwin.com. 35 During the Reflective Dialogue, I struggle most with: 36 ACTIVE LISTENING WORKSHEET 37 Copyright 2016 by Corwin. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Better Conversations: Coaching Ourselves and Each Other to Be More Credible, Caring, and Connected by Jim Knight. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin, www.corwin.com. 38 Social Media Guidelines for CDA Professional Development (PD)™ and Gold Standard (GS) Specialists™ The Council encourages and supports the proper use of social media as a professional communications tool for PD Specialists, GS Specialists, CDA candidates and others. Professional Development (PD) and Gold Standard Specialist (GSS) are required to uphold the integrity of the CDA Credential and Council in all instances where they represent the Council. The social media guidelines contained in this document are designed to ensure that the Council for Professional Recognition is professionally and accurately reflected in all PD and GS Specialists professional communications involving the use of email and social media of any kind. For the purposes of these guidelines, social media refers to but is not limited to the following sites or any online forum where text, videos/audio/digital or other images are used and distributed: • Popular social networks such as Twitter and Facebook • Photo-sharing websites such as Pinterest and Instagram • Professional social networks such as LinkedIn • Discussion forums such as the ones found on 4chan and Reddit • Question and answer-based networks such as Quora and Yahoo Answers • Review systems such as Yelp and Google Reviews • Video based websites such as YouTube • Blogs, websites, apps, or electronic newsletters. Additionally, these guidelines assist our external communities with the development and distribution of positive, accurate, informative and helpful social media posts. Why This Document Exists This document provides guidance to the PD and GS Specialist communities on the proper use of social media as it pertains to the Council for Professional Recognition, its branding, credentialing, employees, programs, copyrights and trademarked materials; and the Council’s rules managing the PD and GS Specialist’s social media use and public discussions and engagements. The Council requires that PD and GS Specialists be responsible for their own communications whether verbal, written, digital, audio or video. If a PD or GS Specialist engages in the use of social media for 39 professional purposes, as it relates to: the professional services you perform as a PD or GS Specialist; the CDA credential; and, the Council, its’ employees, services or products, the Council requires you to adhere to these guidelines. Protecting the integrity of the CDA Credential and the Council’s Reputation Given that the CDA is both a domestic (U.S.A.) and international credential, it is important to remember that online posts of any kind can have a global impact. Your post should be professional, good-spirited and accurately reflect the mission, vision and work of the Council. Requirements: o Identity yourself as an Independent Contractor. A Council PD and GS Specialist must disclose and be clear, in all social media communications, that their affiliation with the Council is as an independent contractor who is not an employee of the Council. Any reference to or appearance of employment by the Council on social media platforms or any other communications or representations is legally inaccurate and should not be made. o Use of the Council’s name or brand products. The Council’s brand, name, logos, and products are copyright and trademark protected. Only employees or designated entities, with the Council’s written approval, may use the Council’s copyrighted and trademarked products and/or names. Only the Council for Professional Recognition and designated employees tasked to perform social media duties are authorized to use the Council’s products. Unless specifically authorized by the Council, you are prohibited from using the Council’s copyrighted logos, trademarked products and names in your social media Communications (personal and professional). This includes the use of documents (i.e., stationary or business cards displaying any Council logo). o PD and Gold Standard Specialists distributing the Council’s products – It is prohibited for anyone to offer Council retail products for free or a reduced price to the public. No other entity is authorized to sell any Council products or branding materials. Best Practices The Council encourages the following as best practice: o Think before posting. This is the golden social media rule. Ensure your posting (including but not limited to, updates, photos, statements) will not result in a negative effect. These include creating arguments and divulging sensitive information. Given the Council’s credentials are both domestic and international, remember that your comments and posts made on an online platform can have an international impact. Maintaining a “world-view” will help to create and sustain an inclusive global community. When commenting on the Council, state a disclaimer that your expressed views are your own and do not necessarily represent the Council. As a PD and GS Specialist you represent the Council and your posts should be transparent, good spirited and reflective of our mission and vision. 40 o Sample Disclaimer – My expressed views are my own and do not reflect the work or opinion of the Council for Professional Recognition. o Check grammar and spelling before sending communications. o Refrain from making promises. The credentialing process (including awarding and denials) is determined by the Council through a process that assesses a candidate’s ability to successfully meet the requirements, submit documentation, pass examinations, and complete tasks. The Council prohibits a PD and GS Specialist from discussing scores and ratings or promising candidate success. This includes but is not limited to discussing how to pass exams, sharing exam questions and reviewing portfolios. These type of posts and/or discussions must not be shared on social media platforms. o Professional versus personal identity on social media – It may prove beneficial to create professional social media accounts to promote and protect your professional brand identity and provide information such as: enrolling in your training or one of which you are affiliated or to discuss how you personally conduct Verification Visits. o Complaints. Everyone makes mistakes. The Council values freedom of speech. PD and GS Specialist are encouraged to direct concerns to the Council by contacting our offices rather than posting on social media outlets (contact: pds@cdacouncil.org). o Negative Social Media Posts If there has been a negative or disparaging social media post regarding the Council refrain from responding. The Council prefers that you avoid the temptation to respond and forward the post to the Council’s spokesperson (pds@cdacouncil.org). The Council has a team of subject matter experts who will engage and respond based on the Council’s policies. o Don’t escalate issues. Responding to other social media users, especially concerning a contentious subject, can result in a heated argument. To avoid such arguments, it may be best to avoid commenting if you feel you may spark conflict. Correct your own mistakes. When you make a factual error in a post, create an update to correct it. Deleting or editing the original post should come at your own discretion, depending on the situation. o Beware potential security threats. Hackers can use social networks to distribute spam and malware. They can also launch phishing attempts. You should report suspicious activity, including questionable comments and friend requests. o Be careful when sharing information about yourself or others. Hackers can also use personal information to their advantage. Remember Be professional - Be responsible - Be kind - Connect - Have fun! 41 IMPORTANT TAKEAWAYS… 42 NOTES 43 TODAY I LEARNED…. 44 TURNS OUT I WAS WRONG 45 YAY, ME! I DID IT RIGHT 46 REFLECTIONS FROM THE DAY 47 48
