{"id":211,"date":"2016-12-26T03:16:13","date_gmt":"2016-12-26T11:16:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/road-to-l3\/?p=211"},"modified":"2019-04-29T08:02:26","modified_gmt":"2019-04-29T15:02:26","slug":"why-self-reviews","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.magicjudges.org\/road-to-l3\/2016\/12\/26\/why-self-reviews\/","title":{"rendered":"Why self-reviews?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hi all,<\/span><\/p>\n

On a couple occasions recently, an L3 checklist was returned citing an insufficient self-review, even though the self-review had previously been validated by the Verification Committee. Let me explain why this is happening and clarify the purpose and standards of the self-review.<\/span><\/p>\n

Self-reviews are a great tool to check where you are and where you\u2019re going. It\u2019s a useful exercise to do either periodically or after significant events. It helps you formulate a self-development plan and check that you\u2019re following it at the desired pace. It\u2019s first and foremost a tool for your own benefit and it works even if no one else than yourself reads the self-review.<\/span><\/p>\n

So why do we even require it in the L3 process? There are two main reasons:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. For yourself, in order to make sure you know about the value of this tool and don\u2019t scatter your efforts all over the place. Writing a self-review might help you realize that you\u2019ve already achieved much more than you thought, and what\u2019s left in order to become L3 is a focused effort in a small number of areas. Or it might help you realize the road is longer than you thought, and in that case it helps you choose the next checkpoint, when you will update the self-review.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. For others, in order to show your mentors that you\u2019re serious about self-improvement and that they can too spend some effort mentoring you towards L3. Writing an L3 recommendation is a significant investment on the part of your mentor, so the self-review is the least you can do to show them you\u2019re serious too.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    As a reminder, there are two moments in the L3 process where we ask for a self-review, in bold:<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Submit an <\/span>initial self-review<\/b> to the Verification Committee.<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. Ask for L3 recommendations.<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Submit a complete checklist, including a <\/span>self-review<\/b>.<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. The checklist is validated and you proceed to testing and interviewing.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      You can use the same one at both moments, although it’s often a good idea to update it between these moments (process requires update after 6 months). Let me explain why.<\/span><\/p>\n

      The purpose of the first one is essentially what\u2019s described above – a tool for you and a proof of effort.<\/span><\/p>\n

      The second one is somewhat different: it will be used by yourself to check that you\u2019re ready to test, and by your interviewers to understand exactly where you stand and where to direct feedback. It\u2019s also used to assess your Self-Evaluation skill, one of the 9 Qualities. Judging requires adaptation, be it to new policies, new procedures, new judges, new organizers. It requires ability to learn and question oneself in order to never stagnate. These are elements we\u2019ll be looking for in your checklist self-review, so your views also need to be supported by examples.<\/span><\/p>\n

      As you know, in order to be promoted to L3, you need to show competence across all 9 Qualities. At most two of them can be Minor Deficiencies, that is significantly below what\u2019s expected from a beginning L3. That means the second self-review must compare your performance to that of an L3.<\/span><\/p>\n

      To recap, what we\u2019re looking for:<\/span><\/p>\n