SCOTT MASSEY
Inspirational Speaker
& Resilience Coach
FROM HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT TO PHD
I started drinking when I was 12 and became a high school dropout by the time I was 15. In my twenties, I was waking up without knowing where I was or how I got there. My life didn't have meaning or purpose.
After thirty years of alcohol abuse, I decided to check into rehab and made an action plan for my life. It's been a difficult journey, but I'm almost 20 years sober now.
was a high school dropout, addicted to alcohol, and lacked hope. Now, I have a PhD, teach at the university level, and successfully run two businesses. I know adversity. I know struggle. And I know success.
Now I want to help you unleash the power to transform your life.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF YOUR LIFE
I believe each person has the ability to transform their life. Regardless of your past, you can make your future successful. Whether you’re struggling with addiction, broken relationships, or financial issues, you can enhance your life.
TESTIMONIALS
Dr. Scott Massey’s ability to talk with others about his past and how he got through it is amazing. Two members of my family struggle with alcoholism, and it’s difficult to watch, so his story resonated with me. He has and will continue to help others with their personal struggles.
—Katlyn B.
I have a lot of respect for Scott as a person. I’m twenty-two and living the young, “fun” stage of life, but his talk helped me realize the decisions I need to make now. I enjoyed his presentation; he spoke fearlessly.
—Danielle C.
Scott is incredibly inspiring! He took control of his life even when he didn’t have others supporting him. I enjoyed hearing his story. He did a great job making it relatable to everyone and challenged us to reflect on our own lives.
—Ellie W.
I felt the most impact when Dr. Massey talked about what makes him a better person. I personally deal with anxiety and think about things I can’t do instead of focusing on what I can do. After hearing Dr. Massey share his motivations, though, I’m inspired to set my mind on the things I can do!
—Danielle C.
Listening to Scott gave me hope for my future. He posed challenging questions that truly got me thinking. I think others can benefit from reflecting on his story and his questions, too.
—Brittany S.
Scott has a powerful story and I hope he continues to share it. He realized he wasn’t the person he wanted to be, so he made decisions that turned his life around. He created a plan of action and changed his life—we can do the same.
—Isaac D.
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
Scott Massey is available for coaching or speaking at your next event!
Take the first step and book an appointment with Scott today!
RECENT POSTS
Working with Consultants Volume 4
Working with a Consultant: Best Practices
As presented by Medea Valdez, Ph.D.
From her webinar, “Consultants and Accreditation Support”
It's great to see you again! If you’re following the current blog series, you’ll remember that last week, we discussed the many reasons why a PA program would need the help of a consultant when preparing for accreditation.
Today, we’ll talk about best practices when working with a consultant. What do they expect from you; likewise, what can you reasonably expect from them? Let’s see how you can work together to produce the best results.
Give yourself enough time!
I cannot stress this enough: You must allow yourself and your program sufficient time to prepare for the rigors of the accreditation process. Especially if the program realizes that it has really lost focus, extra time and effort are absolutely needed to get back on track!
Preparing for your ARC site visit ideally starts years in advance. But programs often don’t think they have the time to do that. Then, accreditation and preparing for the application become critical last-minute concerns. It becomes stressful and overwhelming for the program director and the entire team.
You must allow a minimum of 12-15 months from application submission. However, I strongly recommend allowing more time than that: beginning 18-24 months ahead of time. A time period approaching two years permits the work to do all this while still running your program.
I like to work with my programs in “waves.” In the first wave, we do some hard work on a certain component, then there is a break before the next wave begins. Conquering individual challenges is much better than waiting until the last minute to tackle everything. That wave will knock you flat!
Adopt a collaborative mindset
In Blog 2 of my series, we talked about the importance of a collaborative mindset among your program’s faculty, staff, and administration. Now, it’s time to include the consultant in that collaboration. You must be ready and willing to work hard, weigh what the consultant says through your program’s missions, goals, and structure, and most importantly, be willing to implement change!
A consultant cannot do everything for you or wave a magic wand and fix all the problems. Preparing for accreditation will be hard work for everyone, and it will be harder to the greater degree your program has lost focus. Having a consultant on board will help ensure that all your hard work leads in the right direction and produces long-term practical results.
Understand the scope of the work
Do some self-reflection. What does your program need? What is the scope of work that needs to be done? Is it just a document review? Maybe you need a consultant on an hourly fee. Or, perhaps you would rather have someone on retainer who walks alongside you throughout the process and is more available to work with you longitudinally.
Avoiding / Addressing adverse actions
No program wants a citation, but sometimes issues cannot be fixed in time. A consultant can assist in minimizing the extent of a possible adverse action. You may need someone to help you create the action plans that will allow you to come into compliance in the areas you know you’re not. Don’t ignore those areas! Have a plan and be able to address those areas of risk.
Establishing the Agreement
You and your consultant should have a clear and realistic understanding of the following aspects of your relationship with a consultant.
Deliverables. Having a clear notion of when things are expected keeps a cadence throughout the process. This includes due dates for everything: documents, narratives, and even website reviews.
Accountability. Knowing who is responsible for what is critical!
Flexibility. This work is iterative and can sometimes feel repetitive and frustrating. Documents may come back repeatedly with suggestions and edits. New recommendations from the ARC-PA might be announced, requiring another review of specific components. Because the whole process is longitudinal, you may reach a point where it feels like some facet has been completed, only to learn that it needs tweaking again. Be prepared for that feeling and understand that it’s simply the nature of the beast.
Communication. Up front, decide how meetings, emails, and phone calls will be handled and how often you can expect an information exchange.
Transparency. Agree that problems should be addressed sooner rather than later! If something isn’t working on either side of the relationship, agree to speak up.
Honesty. You should be open about what you were expecting from your consultant; likewise, you should understand that the consultant may have to relay bad news about your program’s procedures or status. The best path is to own the truths and get back to working on solutions.
Transformation. Everyone involved should view this approach as a framework for your program's future. Your consultant will help you change the way you do things—or, in some cases, confirm that your processes are reliable.
Next Time…
I hope you’ll join me again! In the next blog in my series, we’ll take a deeper dive into your program’s ongoing system of self-assessment and how a consultant can hone these structures to:
Align with ARC-PA expectations
Be sustainable and faculty-friendly
Be reviewable and adaptable to change when assessment gaps are discovered
See you then!
SCOTT MASSEY
Inspirational Speaker
& Resilience Coach
FROM HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT TO PHD
I started drinking when I was 12 and became a high school dropout by the time I was 15. In my twenties, I was waking up without knowing where I was or how I got there. My life didn't have meaning or purpose.
After thirty years of alcohol abuse, I decided to check into rehab and made an action plan for my life. It's been a difficult journey, but I'm almost 20 years sober now.
was a high school dropout, addicted to alcohol, and lacked hope. Now, I have a PhD, teach at the university level, and successfully run two businesses. I know adversity. I know struggle. And I know success.
Now I want to help you unleash the power to transform your life.
YOU HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY OF YOUR LIFE
I believe each person has the ability to transform their life. Regardless of your past, you can make your future successful. Whether you’re struggling with addiction, broken relationships, or financial issues, you can enhance your life.
TESTIMONIALS
Dr. Scott Massey’s ability to talk with others about his past and how he got through it is amazing. Two members of my family struggle with alcoholism, and it’s difficult to watch, so his story resonated with me. He has and will continue to help others with their personal struggles.
—Katlyn B.
I have a lot of respect for Scott as a person. I’m twenty-two and living the young, “fun” stage of life, but his talk helped me realize the decisions I need to make now. I enjoyed his presentation; he spoke fearlessly.
—Danielle C.
Scott is incredibly inspiring! He took control of his life even when he didn’t have others supporting him. I enjoyed hearing his story. He did a great job making it relatable to everyone and challenged us to reflect on our own lives.
—Ellie W.
I felt the most impact when Dr. Massey talked about what makes him a better person. I personally deal with anxiety and think about things I can’t do instead of focusing on what I can do. After hearing Dr. Massey share his motivations, though, I’m inspired to set my mind on the things I can do!
—Danielle C.
Listening to Scott gave me hope for my future. He posed challenging questions that truly got me thinking. I think others can benefit from reflecting on his story and his questions, too.
—Brittany S.
Scott has a powerful story and I hope he continues to share it. He realized he wasn’t the person he wanted to be, so he made decisions that turned his life around. He created a plan of action and changed his life—we can do the same.
—Isaac D.
BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
Scott Massey is available for coaching or speaking at your next event!
Take the first step and book an appointment with Scott today!
RECENT POSTS
Working with Consultants Volume 4
Working with a Consultant: Best Practices
As presented by Medea Valdez, Ph.D.
From her webinar, “Consultants and Accreditation Support”
It's great to see you again! If you’re following the current blog series, you’ll remember that last week, we discussed the many reasons why a PA program would need the help of a consultant when preparing for accreditation.
Today, we’ll talk about best practices when working with a consultant. What do they expect from you; likewise, what can you reasonably expect from them? Let’s see how you can work together to produce the best results.
Give yourself enough time!
I cannot stress this enough: You must allow yourself and your program sufficient time to prepare for the rigors of the accreditation process. Especially if the program realizes that it has really lost focus, extra time and effort are absolutely needed to get back on track!
Preparing for your ARC site visit ideally starts years in advance. But programs often don’t think they have the time to do that. Then, accreditation and preparing for the application become critical last-minute concerns. It becomes stressful and overwhelming for the program director and the entire team.
You must allow a minimum of 12-15 months from application submission. However, I strongly recommend allowing more time than that: beginning 18-24 months ahead of time. A time period approaching two years permits the work to do all this while still running your program.
I like to work with my programs in “waves.” In the first wave, we do some hard work on a certain component, then there is a break before the next wave begins. Conquering individual challenges is much better than waiting until the last minute to tackle everything. That wave will knock you flat!
Adopt a collaborative mindset
In Blog 2 of my series, we talked about the importance of a collaborative mindset among your program’s faculty, staff, and administration. Now, it’s time to include the consultant in that collaboration. You must be ready and willing to work hard, weigh what the consultant says through your program’s missions, goals, and structure, and most importantly, be willing to implement change!
A consultant cannot do everything for you or wave a magic wand and fix all the problems. Preparing for accreditation will be hard work for everyone, and it will be harder to the greater degree your program has lost focus. Having a consultant on board will help ensure that all your hard work leads in the right direction and produces long-term practical results.
Understand the scope of the work
Do some self-reflection. What does your program need? What is the scope of work that needs to be done? Is it just a document review? Maybe you need a consultant on an hourly fee. Or, perhaps you would rather have someone on retainer who walks alongside you throughout the process and is more available to work with you longitudinally.
Avoiding / Addressing adverse actions
No program wants a citation, but sometimes issues cannot be fixed in time. A consultant can assist in minimizing the extent of a possible adverse action. You may need someone to help you create the action plans that will allow you to come into compliance in the areas you know you’re not. Don’t ignore those areas! Have a plan and be able to address those areas of risk.
Establishing the Agreement
You and your consultant should have a clear and realistic understanding of the following aspects of your relationship with a consultant.
Deliverables. Having a clear notion of when things are expected keeps a cadence throughout the process. This includes due dates for everything: documents, narratives, and even website reviews.
Accountability. Knowing who is responsible for what is critical!
Flexibility. This work is iterative and can sometimes feel repetitive and frustrating. Documents may come back repeatedly with suggestions and edits. New recommendations from the ARC-PA might be announced, requiring another review of specific components. Because the whole process is longitudinal, you may reach a point where it feels like some facet has been completed, only to learn that it needs tweaking again. Be prepared for that feeling and understand that it’s simply the nature of the beast.
Communication. Up front, decide how meetings, emails, and phone calls will be handled and how often you can expect an information exchange.
Transparency. Agree that problems should be addressed sooner rather than later! If something isn’t working on either side of the relationship, agree to speak up.
Honesty. You should be open about what you were expecting from your consultant; likewise, you should understand that the consultant may have to relay bad news about your program’s procedures or status. The best path is to own the truths and get back to working on solutions.
Transformation. Everyone involved should view this approach as a framework for your program's future. Your consultant will help you change the way you do things—or, in some cases, confirm that your processes are reliable.
Next Time…
I hope you’ll join me again! In the next blog in my series, we’ll take a deeper dive into your program’s ongoing system of self-assessment and how a consultant can hone these structures to:
Align with ARC-PA expectations
Be sustainable and faculty-friendly
Be reviewable and adaptable to change when assessment gaps are discovered
See you then!
© 2023 DR SCOTT MASSEY