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Personal Versus Professional Needs Questions & Answers
Dr. Ott Makes the claim that you should not seek to meet any of your personal needs in a professional context.
Do you agree or disagree? Why?
How does your understanding of vocation affect your response?
Is it even possible to keep those two types of needs separate?
Why is balance important related to personal and professional needs?
Share your thoughts! Also, FYI Dr. Ott doesn’t believe these can be completely separate, but we do need balance!
Identifying Wandering Case Studies
Review these scenarios for issues related to balancing professional and personal boundaries and write up a short reflective response on each one. Consider responding to the following: Are there issues of wandering happening? What might be behind the boundary crossing? What suggestions would you offer if you were giving advice to the main character in the scenario?
Scenario #1
Michael is working with a group of middle school students as a program/teaching assistant. As a way to bond with the kids, Michael has made up signature handshakes with each student. After a particularly difficult day, one of the youngest kids, who is often bullied because of their size and who has experienced physical abuse in the past, asks Michael for a hug instead of a handshake. Michael knows he is not supposed to have close physical contact with any of the youth, which is why he created the handshakes. Michael shrugs his shoulders and whispers in his head, “Rules are made to be broken,” as he bends to give a hug.
Scenario #2
Janelle often provides a listening ear during sessions with her clients. The check-ins are weekly and are unstructured beyond collecting up-to-date information on client’s housing, employment, and financial situations. She uses the rest of the time to develop relationships so clients feel accountable and she can better respond to their needs. One client in particular, Denise, has recently needed extra attention and come through a number of setbacks. Janelle is feeling particularly connected with Denise. She decides to share her personal mobile phone number and suggests Denise friend her on Facebook as a “reward” for Denise working hard and doing so well. Janelle often posts inspirational messages as part of what she sees as her vocation to her Facebook friends. She also wants Denise to be able to contact her no matter the time or emergency.
Scenario #3
Alex loves work. He has been with this organization for about five years. Everything about the job lines up vocationally, so putting in extra hours and helping with additional tasks never seems like “work.” In fact, Alex feels like co-workers are family. He has become a supervisor in the last two years and has great pride in the fact that supervisees come to him to troubleshoot work issues and deal with life problems. Alex is helpful–checking in on co-worker’s families, friendships, even dating relationships, sometimes doing their work for them when stress is high. His co-workers appreciate this, but increasingly it seems like Alex uses these personal issues to do everything for his team. Shelly approaches him after a particularly tense staff meeting. She asks Alex to give her some space on an upcoming initiative so she can plan and problem solve on her own. Her request is interpreted as unappreciative of Alex’s help on her last project.
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