Reflections on my Social Media Presence and Professional Identity.

Blog #1

Auditing my social media presence and professionalism prompted me to reflect on a deeper level than I would have otherwise on these topics. Not surprisingly my social media audit validated what I already knew: I have next to no social media presence! That being said, the audit did result in me deciding that I should strengthen this aspect of my professional identity. My first step in increasing my social media presence is to create LinkedIn and Twitter accounts. Next, my goal is to grow my professional network beyond North West British Columbia. Getting to know my fellow classmates in the Master of Health Studies program I am enrolled in through Athabasca University will help me achieve this goal.

Auditing my professionalism was an interesting exercise for me. The audit led me to compare and contrast my work history as a registered, regulated, Dietitian to that of a recent un-regulated position I held in the health sector as a longterm care services manager. As a practicing Dietitian I belonged to the College of Dietitians of British Columbia; being part of this professional organization required me to demonstrate that I met and maintained provincial regulatory standards in the areas of practice competency, ethics and professionalism. Working as an un-regulated manager in the health sector, expectations of my performance and conduct were based on my yearly workplan and relevant organizational policies, respectively. While I myself no longer belong to a particular professional body within the health sector, health programs that I oversee do. For example, the regulatory body for the College's Access to Practical Nursing program is the British Columbia College of Nurses and Midwives. As such, I work closely with a number of professional bodies that oversee health professions.

Working in leadership roles in both the health sector and post-secondary has led me to pursue a professional identity that is grounded in the following values:

1. Authentic: I take pride in being true to myself, both inwardly and outwardly.

2. Adventurous: I approach my work and my life like an adventure, with curiosity and a willingness to take risks.

3. Integrity: I strive to do the right things even if that means having to make an unpopular decision or admitting I was wrong.

My professional values, as noted above, serve as my compass and the backbone of my professional identity. I am mindful that my actions both in and outside of work should be in keeping with respectful, professional conduct. And, clearly in-step with Coast Mountain College's Employee Code of Conduct policy. Holding myself accountable to the highest of standards as they relate to professionalism is important to me – if I myself am not modelling an exemplary level of professionalism it would be unfair of me to expect such standards from my team. Further, I believe it would be hypocritical of me to engage in performance support and/or management interactions with team members stemming from unprofessional behaviours.

Reflecting on my social media and professionalism audits highlighted for me the importance of taking an active role in establishing and maintaining my professional identity.