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This month we speak with
Ray Hingst who teaches in the Faculty of Business.
What is your biggest
surviving university tip for first years?
Time and effort are the two critical ingredients for success. It is
assumed that every student has the ability to succeed at their program
of study, then the factors over which they are able to exercise control
are time and effort applied to their learning. Having a plan and the
self discipline to commit to it flow from this.
Describe one of your funniest teaching moments.
Facial hair and hair length have a big impact on the impressions
people form of you. They may not notice subtle variations but can be
totally thrown off when there are dramatic changes. (Easier for men than
women). When I returned from the USA last year, my appearance showed the
signs of significant neglect in the hair department. So much so that
even good friends did not recognise me despite engaging them in extended
conversations! I don't know what students thought when one week they
were confronted by an extremely hirsute lecturer and the next, a
clean-shaven, flat-topped character turns up - maybe they were just too
busy or polite to notice. It sure kept me amused for a few days.
(Above) Ray enjoying Halloween festivities in 2006.
What is the learning
and teaching activity that you think students find most useful or
effective in your courses?
Being treated as professionals participating in off-the-job
professional development. This probably works more for me than it does
for students, however, I really do want students to consider themselves
in the mantle of what they aspire to be while they're here - managers
participating in off-the-job professional development. Is that such a
stretch of the truth?
I also
always build up this first tutorial activity which I think has a
positive affect on student expectations. I'm sure there are some who
turn up out of curiosity, if nothing else!
It involves props such as a
'sorting hat' (Harry Potter style), tiny pieces of paper, a small amount
of magic, and the self-disclosure of three 'secrets'; the excitement of
meeting a 'stranger' and having someone unknown to you, seeking you out
from the crowd - all the elements are there, suspense, excitement and
discovery. I find it motivates even the most jaded 'too cool for cats'
types.
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What are your main course responsibilities?
Creating the environment for learning and learning from it.
I think that, in
a situation where students can obtain all the course materials from a
package that there has to be an edge they can obtain by turning up and
participating. In the lectures it tends to be more one-way; me to them;
so I guess the spotlight is on moi! I would hope they don't find what
we're doing boring so I try and have some fun by introducing as much
theatrics, humour, anecdotes, self-disclosure and magic tricks as I can
get away with without pissing people off. Usually there's one or two who
participate enough to make it more than a solo affair. In tutorials
though, I like to hand it over to students to inject a bit more
excitement. The chatroom for one course this semester has been enlivened
by a couple of younger on-campus gents which I think has made a great
connection to external students.
Course-wise, I teach MGT1200 Business
Communication in first year.
What attracted you to teaching and research in management?
This is difficult to answer I've been running a parallel career for
19 years with the Army and this keeps me grounded in the 'real but
unusual world' of leadership and management in a military context. It's
scary sometimes because it is a career of enormous privilege and immense
obligation. I have enjoyed every stage of my career, from starting work
as a lad in large-scale, heavy industry, more reminiscent of the 19th
than 20th century, to train control, to accounting, administrative and
credit management, museum research and operational roles like deck-hand
(Leadman), Chainman, labourer, bricklayer, and truck driver. I can't say
it's all been fun but I've learned from every step.
I also did radio announcing and production as part of an
undergraduate internship with 4ZZZ. This was special - and intense. I
was studying full-time, working full-time and doing radio announcing
plus volunteering as door staff at gigs in Bris Vegas in the
80's. I didn't need (or get) much sleep then. I also managed to run
three half-marathons a week in my spare time.
I'd 'done' a lot of different things and thought that the way to
unite them all (and in the darkness bind them) was to teach.
What is your research about?
Group development in the context of changing membership with a
particular focus on the call centre environment.
Call centre research (group development) has taken me around the
world to present at conferences and meet people in jobs few of us can
understand, or relate to, beyond initial frustration. I guess research is
just what academics do, but I feel very inspired and excited by it. I
just wish there was more time for it and I was better at it!
What are you most likely to be doing when you are not at work?
Trying to get the time to work on my (motor) bikes (7 or 8) and
sometimes riding them. Bikes have been a part of my life
since I got my licence over thirty years ago. There's been lots of
thrills and plenty of spills - there's nothing like it.
I like to run too, and reading Phantom comics.
Thanks for talking with us Ray!
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