June 2007 Issue
President’s Notebook
Are You Personalizing Professionalism?
BY JOHN McLEOD, P.ENG.
APEGGA President
In next month’s notebook, I’ll address the APEGGA strategic planning process. I’ll tell you where your newly elected Council sees the organization heading in the next 10 years, and what we hope to accomplish on your behalf and on behalf of the public of Alberta.
Suffice to say that there are still challenges ahead, even though ASET, APEGGA and the Alberta Government have made major strides towards an improved regulatory framework through the One Act, Two Associations model.
For now, however, I’d like to talk about the importance of member engagement. My belief — and it’s one I share with Council and the Executive Committee — is that we can always use more of it. This is your Association, and your involvement is crucial.
The catchphrase we’ve adopted over the past few years is “personalized professionalism.” This philosophy permeates everything we do as a self-governing Association, and it permeates everything you do in your working environment.
When you perform your duties in an ethical, professional and responsible manner, you are personalizing professionalism. When you make sure your professional designation appears on your business card, you are personalizing professionalism. When you stand up for the public’s interest and safety in the face of economic and other pressures, you are personalizing professionalism.
What else can you do? I have a few suggestions.
Your Democratic Right
You can participate in the democratic part of self-governance.
Self-governance operates on democratic principles. You can run for office, regardless of whether the Nominating Committee has generated your name. You should vote in elections and special ballots. And you should pay attention to the issues the Executive Committee and Council are discussing.
In the special ballot on One Act, Two Associations, 16.4 per cent of eligible professional members exercised their right. APEGGA mail-in elections tend to attract 15 to 20 per cent of the vote, year in and year out.
Experts in polling tell us that percentage is typical of self-regulating organizations. Should we settle for typical? I believe we’re better than typical and that our balloting should reflect that.
Regulatory changes listed in Sight Lines, the 2006 Annual Report, allow us to begin conducting votes electronically. One of our past presidents, Larry Staples, P.Eng., recently wrote an excellent article on the nomination process.
Sight Lines can be found online at www.apegga.org. Larry’s article, Your Vote Helps Chart Your Professional Future, can be found in the February 2007 PEGG Online.
Giving Back
Give back to your professions by directly taking part in APEGGA programs and
processes. Committees are often looking for new volunteer members, and they cover
the full gamut of regulatory and non-regulatory roles.
Our Outreach Program places members in schools to spread the passion about science, math and engineering to younger generations. This is a great way to have a direct influence on the future of the professions.
This is a small sampling of the opportunities available to give back. Watch The PEGG and the e-PEGG for specific requests, as they arise.
Our PD Programs
Take part in the programs we offer. Our Professional Development Program offers
seminars and presentations in everything from project management to balancing
your career with your personal life.
Programs take place at the Annual Conference and other times through the year.
Your branch likely offers other opportunities to engage in life-long learning, as well. Watch for electronic Branch Bulletins, and read The PEGG and the e-PEGG. For several years now, The PEGG has run a full PD section, covering in-house and some external professional development opportunities.
Connect with Government
Improve the prominence and influence of the professions by dealing directly with
governments. A story on page 6 of this month’s PEGG explains a
national program called Bridging Government and Engineers. It’s a project
of the Canadian Council of Professional Engineers (now known by its new business
name “Engineers Canada”).
This national project is geared for federal MPs and engineers, but its philosophy can be applied to other levels of government and all the APEGGA professions. Our professional voices and opinions can and should be used to influence government policy — we have something to say, and the professions and society benefit when our issues are on government’s radar.
Build Pride
Build professional pride by nominating people and projects for Summit Awards.
We belong to interesting and important professions, and we should celebrate the
achievements and careers of the top achievers among our peers. Too often professionals
finish a project and move to the next one, and their impact remains unacknowledged.
Let’s give more recognition to the excellent, world-class work done in
this province.
A series of articles on 2007 Summit Award winners begins in the centre section of this month’s PEGG. The official call for nominations is coming soon, but the program accepts nominations year-round. Whom do you know who deserves to be recognized?
Support Self-Regulation
Report people and companies misusing the APEGGA titles. And if you come across
a member you believe is practicing unprofessionally, file a discipline complaint.
These are critical functions for public safety and the future of self-regulation. Fulfill your professional obligations in these areas.
People Power
We can’t be a professional organization without people, of course. At its
most basic level, that’s all personalizing professionalism means.
Only you can make it mean much more in your own life and career.
Questions or Comments?
Contact me at president@apegga.org. All feedback is much appreciated.