Clint Davidson on Helping Duke Employees' Careers
Primetime employee forum on professional/career development draws 300
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
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Durham, NC -- Clint Davidson, vice president for Duke Human Resources, stood before an estimated crowd of 300 employees in Griffith Theater and read the question aloud: “My impression is that promotions are a function of who you know rather than what you can do - is this true?”
“Yes,” Davidson replied.
Building relationships with coaches, mentors and role models is central to development at Duke, he said. “Relationships are enormously valuable,” he said. “Seek out those who have succeeded; those who will share and teach about their success.”
The question was submitted by an employee for the Feb. 22 Primetime forum on professional and career development at Duke.
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vidson’s remarks came during the second Primetime – the quarterly forum held to promote dialogue between Duke administrators and employees. Provost Peter Lange presented at the first Primetime in November on Duke’s strategic plan. The next Primetime forum will be this spring. The forums are sponsored by Duke Today and Working@Duke.
Bobbie Collins-Perry, special publications editor for the Duke University Talent Identification Program, made a special trip to West Campus to attend Primetime. .
“This was the first Primetime event that I have attended, and I value the opportunity to get Duke leaders’ views of and initiatives for the university,” she said. “And, for me, since I work off-campus, it is a treat to come to campus and feel more a part of the university community.”
Davidson began the Primetime in February with 10 tips for professional development at Duke. He also described the distinction between professional and career development. Professional development is not only about being promoted; it is about expanding knowledge, skills and abilities in ways that lead to career development, a long-term, continuous process, he said.
“Someone once said that people spend more time trying to decide what car or truck to buy and negotiating the deal than they spend in planning for and executing their career, which may be a 30- or 40-year journey that will cover many more miles,” Davidson said. “The most important thing we can invest in is career development, and developing a plan that will tell me where I am now; where is it that I want to go; and what are the strategies, options and resources available for me to get there.”
Networking and building professional relationships with supervisors and coworkers are the foundation for personal references, an essential element in competing for new jobs. Building these relationships is a skill enhanced through resources available from Duke’s Learning & Organization Development and the Professional Development Institute.
“In today’s world of work … if you are a person who is not inclined to develop relationships, you are at a decided disadvantage,” Davidson said.