L2-006 | Workplace Advocate

I asked BS to be my key workplace advocate. I also asked JB to provide support as a workplace advocate.

I felt strong when BS agreed the following:

1. weekly 30 minute meeting
2. willing to advise as a critical friend

We discussed the ethical considerations of this workplace relationship and agreed that we could be open and honest about our work practice.

I also felt strong when BS shared with me, unprompted, a critical incident of his own:

• having made a remark regarding the level of difficulty of a particular subject of learning
• the subject leader had spent more than 60 minutes discussing the remark with the HOF
• BS then received a detailed email from the HOF outlined that the subject leader was 'upset'
• BS then wrote a lengthy email in reply to the subject leader
• BS reflected that he thought colleagues would understand that 'spirit' that the comment was made in

• a member of his team with a particular strength in IT was sharing a enhancement to a system with BS
• he made a remark along the lines of "we can deal with that later"
• BS observed a change in body language of the team member
• BS felt at the time that this change indicated that the remark had not been received well
• BS then followed up, he said, with an unrelated question in person at another time
• and dropped in to the conversation a follow up remark about the incident
• BS said he did this to build a bridge and to bring the working practice back to the way it was

BS also shared that he had gotten a thicker skin as time had progressed for him in his role (I am estimating that this must now be approximately 12 years). BS remarked that his current motto is "Don't beat yourself up".

Following up from my previous post regarding the use of the word 'Don't' this might be rewritten as
Dwell on the strengths and achievements of your work practice. I felt strong when ...

{Instructions in Plone}
Workplace Advocates
Hopefully you have identified someone to act as a workplace advocate. This is a person who is familiar with your work and aspirations, someone who will be willing to advise you as a critical friend. It could be your line manager but this is not necessary. The choice is yours.