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Welcome to this video-lecture of Live Text Access –
Training for real-time intralingual subtitlers.
This is Unit 4 - Entrepreneurship and service competence.
Element 2 - Stress management and personal skills.
My name is Julia Borchert and this lecture is about professionalism
and the term code of conduct.
The materials are created by SUBTI-Access and ZDF Digital.
This is the learning outcome:
The trainee can remain objective, neutral and follow a code of conduct
in the interaction with end-users and customers at work.
Here you see the agenda.
At first something about the principles of professionalism.
Then we will have a look at the importance of objectivity.
And at the end, I will say something about the code of conduct.
Principles of professionalism.
In summary, this learning outcome includes to act professional
in the working environment and to abide by some rules.
So, what does it mean to be professional?
Let's have a look.
Both words - professional and professionalism
derived from the Latin term "prosseion",
which means confession, commerce or profession.
However, professionalism refers to more than simply a profession.
Professionalism, especially in the working environment,
is based on the autonomy of the acting people.
This autonomy allows independent decisions and unbiased judgment.
The autonomy of the people is ensured by guidelines,
such as professional ethics and codes of conduct.
Which are mostly managed by associations and institutions.
A code of conduct
provides confidence among customers and employers.
In addition, professionalism relies on expertise.
This expertise is ensured, among other things,
through professional education and training.
Furthermore, professionalism is characterized by experience
profound knowledge and the successful application of it.
Professionalism is a behavior and this becomes apparent,
for example in the successful management of crisis situations.
Imagine following example:
An airplane is in the air and turbulence occurs.
How should the pilot act now?
How much truth can passengers tolerate?
How much authenticity?
There is a thesis that it often takes less authenticity
to prove professionalism.
To completely informe passengers now about the current situation
and possible dangers - no matter how unlikely they are -
would be irresponsible.
This example makes clear that professionalism
is less about factual knowledge and more about a behavioral norm.
Knowing that passengers would panic,
if the situation were described in detail,
aprofessional pilot announces only the most necessary information
and prepares it in such a way that passengers can handle it.
This ultimately helps everyone in this situation.
Objectivity.
In this example of the plane the pilot acts professional
and very carefully.
So in the end, this makes it possible for him
to handle the problem easier and to solve it.
Objectivity in the working environment also means using fair
and well-balanced criteria for making decisions.
Decisions concerning employees, the interaction with customers
or company problems.
Objectivity aims to eliminate decisions based on personal bias,
cultural differences, prejudices, discrimination
partiality, inhibition and any other criterion,
that cannot be measured or proven.
What's the difference between objectivity and subjectivity?
To look at a thing subjectively means to evaluate it personally
through one's own feelings, experiences or an instinct.
We like something, find someone likable and attractive.
But all that is only in the eyes of the observer.
To judge something objectively, on the other hand,
is to attempt a sober, purely factual observation.
Only rational arguments, data and facts count.
The mind decides, not the heart.
Objecticity is not determined by feelings and prejudices,
but is factual, unbiased and impartial.
The primacy effect is the technical term
for the usually completely subjective first impression.
We decide whether we like the other person or not within of seconds.
This assessment is based entirely under appearance,
body language or the smell of the other person.
And once the judgment has been made, everything that comes now,
is assigned to this judgment.
The primacy effect makes it enormously difficult for us
to recognize people as they really are.
For example, once someone is unappealing,
he or she will probably be always unappealing.
We ignore the other - objectively also existing - sites.
Where the primacy effect prevails the recency-effect is not far behind.
It forms the companion piece at the end.
The power of the last impression.
Because this last impression remains.
For example, a serious faux pas or a stupid line at the end
can cause that all the trust and sympathy, build up, are gone.
Just like the first impression,
the last impression continues to shape our judgment of a person
for a long time.
These two affects are only a selection
of examples of subjective perception, which takes place very often.
But to remain neutral it's necessary to to be objective.
Especially for a speech to text interpreter.
Because a speech to text interpreter supports the communication
between people with and without hearing impairment.
Therefore, the interpreter has a significant role in the debate
on equality in the society.
The text interpreter must have a professional attitude
towards clients, whereby equality is the starting point.
The text interpreter creates in consultation with a client
conditions for optimal communication and therefore the best possible work.
And with a professional and objective method
it is possible to recognize and eliminate prejudices,
which saves us from misjudgments and bias.
Code of conduct.
A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the norms,
rules and responsibilities or proper practices
of an individual party, a company or organization.
A code of conduct is intended to serve as a guideline
in the professional dealings with business partners.
For example customers, service providers, and colleagues.
It's necessary and helpful
for a respectful interaction with each other.
Like I mentioned before,
a speech to text interpreter has a significant role
in the debate on equality.
Because of that especially for this profession
it's important to have an ethical guideline.
Therefore, in every country, a code of conduct exists
for the work of text interpreters.
Here one example extracts of the code of conduct
for speech to text interpreting in Austria:
Speech to text interpreters translate for hearing, hard of hearing
and deaf people into written language.
They are bound by confidentiality and are committed to impartiality.
Guidance, assistance and explanations
are not part of speech to text interpreters duties.
They do not ask questions on behalf of their clients
and their translations remain unbiased.
Nor is it their responsibility to fill in forms for their clients.
Here one example extract of the code of conduct
for speech to text interpreting in the Netherlands.
Text interpreter is neutral in appearance,
is no participant to the situation,
keeps an appropriate distance to the clients,
reacts in a neutral way to the content of the situation
and is aware of the own norms and values
and prevents these are of influence to the transcript.
Here one last example extract of the code of conduct
for speech to text interpreting in Germany,
Texts interpreters practice their profession independently,
professionally, conscientiously, impartially and secretively.
They must be worthy of the respect and trust,
which the position and task of the interpreters require.
Furthermore, they must not jeopardize
the reputation of their job description and the profession.
This is especially true in the daily practice of the profession,
but also in the public statements.
Like you can see from these three examples,
the codes of conduct are a voluntary commitment
to follow aor refrain from certain patterns of behavior
and to ensure that no one gains an advantage
by circumventing these patterns.
These guidelines provide security in the work of the interpreter
and this for all involved characters.
So it's very important to know the respective code of conduct
of your country you are working very well
and to be aware of all aspects.
Summary.
Professionalism, especially in the working environment,
is based on the autonomy of the acting people.
This autonomy allows independent decisions and unbiased judgments.
The autonomy of the people is ensured by guidelines.
Such as professional ethics and codes of conduct.
Objectivity in the working environment
also means using fair and well-balanced crieria
for making decisions.
A speech to text interpreter must have a professional attitude
towards clients, whereby equality is the starting point.
Because with a professional and objective method
it is possible to recognize and eliminate prejudices.
A code of conduct is a set of rules outlining the norms,
rules and responsibilities or proper practices of an individual party,
a company or on organizations.
A code of conduct thus is important to follow or refrain
from certain patterns of behavior
and to ensure that no one gains an advantage
by circumventing these guidlines.
Exercises.
The exercises for this video lecture are in the trainers guide
and the PowerPoint file .
Thank you for your attention.
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LTA - LiveTextAccess.
Universitat Auṭnoma de Barcelona.
SDI - Internationale Hochschule.
Scuola Superiore per Mediatori Linguistici.
ZDF Digital.
The European Federation of Hard of Hearing People - EFHOH.
VELOTYPE. SUB-TI ACCESS.
European Certification and Qualification Association - ECQA.
Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.
Erasmus+ Project: 2018-1-DE01-KA203-004218.
The information and views set on this presentation
are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect
the official opinion of the European Union.
Neither the European Union institutions and bodies
nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use
which may be made of the information contained here.