MAA President's Message
April Message
As a member of this Association, you already understand the value of the networking, professional development and mentoring that this Association offers. As we move into the next 60 years of the Michigan Assessors Association, we will increase our mentoring commitment by formalizing a program to develop mentors and connect with those who wish to partner with a mentor.
In sports, every athlete has a coach or trainer to improve their performance. This is exactly how we must think of providing mentors to help improve the training, education and professional development of our assessing personnel. After every performance, the coach offers feedback, encouragement and advice to improve the athlete for the next opportunity. There is absolutely no reason that you should not expect to have similar coaching in your career.
When successful people reflect on their path to success, they always have some influencers to thank for setting them on a certain course, for changing the way they were doing something or for providing inspiration. We naturally gravitate to those leaders without even knowing we are doing it. Successful people learn from the successes of their coaches, mentors and predecessors. They also learn what not to do from their experiences, errors and missteps. Many times, the coach’s advice is something that the athlete may not have thought of on his/her own. How many times have you heard, “we don’t know what we don’t know”? The coach/mentor can bridge this gap. Who is your coach and who are you coaching? If you can help with this project with your time, talent and experience, please contact me at pjastifer@grcity.us. We need to hear from you.
By the way, if you have not been to an MAA conference, this year is the time to go. The committee is developing an excellent program. While you can read books on professional development, nothing is better than the personal connections you make during a professional conference. You are connecting with the smartest people in the profession. You should be there to find out what you don’t know.
So, mark your calendar for
August 11-14, 2019. These are the dates of the Annual Conference to be held at
Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville, Michigan. The education, networking and great company at the Michigan Assessors Association Conference provides each one of us the opportunity for professional development.
Finally, a big thank you to all the Michigan Assessors Association Instructors who have gone the extra mile and taken the time to share their experience, their knowledge and skills to train and educate others in this profession. Your commitment is greatly appreciated and vital to the quality of this profession.
All the best,
Paula Jastifer President