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Geotechnical News • December 2012
www.geotechnicalnews.com
ASFE NEWS
obligation or having to pay a deposit.
Call 301/565-2733 or e-mail
sara@
asfe.org.
) Before deciding on whether
or not to take advantage of FOPP,
consider what some of the FOPP 21
participants had to say. For example,
when asked, “Based on your experi-
ence, would you recommend FOPP to
someone else in your position?” 68 of
68 respondents said, “Yes.” Respon-
dents were also asked to identify some
of the benefits the course provided.
Typical comments were:
• Writing skills, professional role/un-
derstanding of profession(s), com-
munication implications and conse-
quences, and business skills.
• Improved communication. Project
liability awareness. Met with great
geoprofessionals. Dispute resolu-
tion.
• Pride in my profession. Improved
my writing skills. Good opportu-
nity for social networking in the
profession.
• Reinforcement of business risks
knowledge. Awareness of possibili-
ties for outreach. Interaction with
other professionals. Re-affirmation
of how much I, we, am/are worth.
• Expand the goal of my career be-
yond producing billable hours. Ac-
tive listening introduction was ex-
tremely helpful to me.
• Community is the key. Get involved
in your organization. Be profes-
sional and be proud. Be a change
in the world.
• Active listening and solutions
based approach. Awareness about
improvement in writing skills for
professional communication. Risks
that professionals face in routine
work.
• The critical importance of commu-
nication (as a shy person this has
been a big hurdle). The power of
professionalism. Renewed inspira-
tion to be proactive and structured
about making changes I’d like to
see in my world.
• Professional liability insurance (my
research assignment). The impor-
tance of professional writing. The
need to promote our profession
through community involvement.
• Seminar group activities. Seminar
presentations. Research project.
Practice Management… book.
• It has been a great exercise in teach-
ing me professionalism and aspects
of conducting business in different
situations. I have been able to learn
valuable lessons without having
to make the mistakes myself, but
learning case histories. Expanded
my professional network.
Another important question: “Has
participation in the program changed
your attitudes in any way?” For the 62
who said “Yes,” these comments are
typical:
• I have changed my attitude about
the content of my writing and the
implications of my writing. I have
become more critical of all aspects
of professional life and understand
the importance of community in-
volvement.
• Attitude toward professional liabil-
ity. Communication. Importance of
community involvement.
• My attitude on continuing educa-
tion has drastically changed for the
better. Before/during this course,
my attitude was, “I didn’t want to
do continuing education because
it was too difficult/time consum-
ing. Now I have the motivation to
actively engage in continuing my
education.
• Pride in what I do. (I had but it’s
been quite a boost.) Awareness of
our possibilities.
• Being aware of how and what I
write. Need to be involved in com-
munity to better the future of geo-
professional practice.
• The critical importance of commu-
nication. Also, I had no real sense of
professionalism before this course.
I have not only a firm concept of it,
but also a sense of community and
pride in my fellow engineers and
geoscientists.
• The importance of professional-
ism. By reading about it, I began to
think about it. By thinking about it,
I began acting more professional.
By acting more professional, I will
become more professional.
Read the complete survey report and
get more details about FOPP at
http://
www.asfe.org/index.cfm?pid=10284
New app puts ASFE in the palm
of your hand
Keep up to date with ASFE/The
Geoprofessional Business Associa-
tion by downloading the new
ASFE-
TGBA
app. See news, descriptions of
coming events, a list of members, the
ASFE NewsLog
newsletter (40 years’
worth!), and much, much more!
Continuing ASFE’s commitment to
sustainability, the new
ASFE-TGBA
app is the only complete source of
information and materials for ASFE
meetings. The app provides the latest
information about schedules, activities
and their locations, attendees, topics,
and speakers. It also provides links to
speaker presentations and hand-outs.
The app will be updated as changes
are received; a benefit paper materials
cannot provide.
According to ASFE Executive Vice
President John P. Bachner, “The new
app builds on the tremendous success
of our previous
ASFEFall11
meeting
app, by broadening content to include
information relevant to ASFE as a
whole. Members will find it a useful
guide to resources available to them,
and nonmembers can see all that
ASFE has to offer.”
ASFE-TGBA is available free for
Android, Blackberry, iOS (iPhone
and iPad), and Windows Mobile
devices at
http://www.asfe.org/index.
cfm?pid=12855
(for Androids, in the
Google Play store as well). Download
it. Use it. Then let us know what you
think…and what you think can be
improved. ASFE is on the move when
you are!