By Brenda Selman, AACRAO Vice President for Admissions and Enrollment Management, and University of Missouri-Columbia, Assistant Vice Provost and University Registrar.
Spring is upon us. Living in the Midwest, I enjoy the changing seasons. The temperatures, scents, and foliage of spring are always invigorating to me. I feel rejuvenated. It leads me to new perspectives much like starting a new painting. We
are so much more than our professional persona. Incorporating our non-professional side can enhance our work.
I like to borrow from my experience in creating art and apply it to the challenges and opportunities I find working in higher education. It helps me break out of my rut. (Insert, “But we’ve always done it this way…”). And
it can help me evaluate responding to new ideas and issues that seem to flummox me.
Because my artwork is two-dimensional, I start with a blank canvas or sheet of paper and a subject. A work issue can be approached much the same. The issue is the subject. Starting with a mental “blank sheet” about a work issue helps
me avoid mindlessly following the steps I usually take and keeps me from racing to the standard conclusions. It helps me listen with a more open mind, much like the blank canvas is open to all opportunities.
Next, I determine my position in relation to the subject. Am I close? Far away? What angle is best? How can I change the lighting to emphasize the focus? This will help guide the audience to see the piece in the way I intend. I want the audience
to have a certain engagement with the piece whether it is to be realistic or is created to evoke an emotional reaction… or a bit of both.
Achieving Focus
In our work, whether it’s in admissions, the registrar’s office, or enrollment management, we need to think about our position in relation to the issue at hand. If it’s something that is challenging us, are we too close or too far
away? Do we need to do some research to better understand what’s happening? Do we need to change our angle? Or do we need to find a way to clear out the clutter like when I form two interlocking “L’s” with my hands
to help me focus and block out extraneous images that I don’t want to include in the finished piece.
If I’m struggling with a painting perhaps I need to engage more with the subject matter. I might need to go for a walk at sunset and examine the light on the various grasses to help me figure out how to capture them on the canvas. Similarly,
at work, if it’s an issue that a student is having, maybe I need to step through the process as a student. Maybe I need to re-read the website and figure out why the student is not finding what they want or find the processes confusing.
I often ask others to give me feedback on my paintings. In our work, it’s helpful to seek out others' insights as well. Their perspective is often not mine and therefore helps me improve the project or process in ways I would have
missed without their help.
Sometimes I just have to stop painting and walk away for a while. The paint gets “muddy” and the colors aren’t what I want. When I return I can usually see where I am off course with the wrong color shade or where I’ve
overworked it. A little time makes the problem – and the solution - more clear. The same happens for me at work. When the emails and chats are too much or I’m frustrated with a project, stepping away can really help
– especially if I can take a walk outside and gain a new perspective from the emerging blossoms.
I encourage you to try some of these ideas or find other ways to tap into your full self and refresh your perspective this spring.