I.  Visionary Leadership 

Engages others to create a shared vision for the future of the unit. 

Key Actions

  • Communicates the shared vision in a compelling and inspiring manner. 
  • Embraces a possibility mentality.
  • Anticipates the future of the discipline. 
  • Is perceptive about the desires and needs of stakeholders (i.e. students, faculty, administration, industry, donors, academic leaders, alumni). 
  • Is strategic -- able to establish a vision, mission, and goals; and tactical -- able to identify tactics, measurements, and action plans, to achieve a vision.
  • Leads change initiatives and is an effective sponsor of change. 
  • Demonstrates willingness to take risks in the pursuit of excellence and innovation. 
  • Reflects the culture of service leadership with the heart for and willingness to serve, has a consistent leadership presence, and embodies the value and the role of the academic administrator in such a way that it inspires succession planning. 
  • Recognize existing strengths and the importance of maintaining these.

II.  Ethics and Integrity 

Consistently demonstrates the ethical principles and values of the institution and the profession, and models professional conduct with unimpeachable integrity. 

Key Actions             

  • Accepts all that comes with being entrusted with the responsibilities of the institution and its policies and procedures, including the legal, financial, and ethical implications that go with these. 
  • Articulates the alignment of one’s own values with the organization and the profession.
  • Clearly and consistently demonstrates ethical behavior and integrity in all aspects of daily work such as teaching, mentoring, commercialization. 
  • Provides guidance on, and is a role model of, ethical behavior. 
  • Fosters trust through the consistent demonstration of integrity.
  • Courageously challenges in situations where ethics or integrity are threatened. 
  • Is scrupulously fair and honest in all interactions. 
  • Recognizes the principles of conflict of interest and is able to respond appropriately.   

III.  Communication

Writes, verbally communicates, and demonstrates interpersonal skills in a way that fosters open dialog, builds relationships and advances the work of the unit.

Key Actions

  • Makes clear and convincing presentations, in writing or orally, that achieve their purpose, tailored to the audience.
  • Listens perceptively, responding to others in a way that reflects understanding of spoken content and accompanying emotions.
  • Knows when and how to hold difficult conversations.
  • Expresses thoughts, information and proposals in a clear and convincing manner, in writing or orally. 
  • Is sophisticated in use of consultation skills, interweaving communication and problem solving with individuals and groups. 
  • Regularly communicates to advance the work of the unit. 
  • Models civility, mutual respect, and common courtesies.
  • Possesses the appropriate disposition to deal effectively with faculty, administrators, and staff within the college and campus structure and across the institution. 
  • Demonstrates emotional intelligence and is sensitive and empathetic.
  • Treats others with understanding, dignity, and respect; fosters an environment of mutual trust and helps develop a sense of belonging and pride in the university community.
  • Is able to discern appropriate method of communication i.e. email, face-to-face meeting, group process.

IV.  Building Collegiality

Fosters an environment so that colleagues feel they belong to a community united in a common purpose and respectful of each other’s abilities to work toward that purpose.  

Key Actions

  • Creates a sense of belonging for individuals and camaraderie within the unit.
  • Provides transparent leadership, is consistent and predictable, and keeps appropriate parties informed in order to foster a culture of trust.
  • Maintains an open door to all constituents encouraging open communication, feedback and discussion. 
  • Is candid and honest with all, including those above and below in the organization.
  • Fosters networking for self and others. 

V.   Leading Through Conflict – Managing Conflict

Handles conflict situations effectively, working collaboratively with others to establish common ground.

Key Actions

  • Recognizes diverse viewpoints, brings conflicts into the open and approaches them as opportunities for growth, and involves appropriate parties to find common ground or acceptable alternatives.
  • Mediates conflicts, working out tough agreements to settle disputes equitably.
  • Builds partnerships and works collaboratively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives.
  • Analyzes conflict situations to gather data and determine stakeholder interests.
  • Is willing to make hard choices and stand firm on decisions, and effectively deals with difficult and disruptive behavior. 
  • Challenges upper administration with the aim of influencing for the best outcome, while modeling positive attitudes and respect for differing roles and responsibilities.
  • Avoids bias and is able to act as a neutral third party without regard to the professional status of the individuals involved in the conflict. 
  • Understands and holds knowledge of systems available and resources available for conflict management such as policies, campus offices, guideline documents.
  • Is perceptive to faculty concepts and able to anticipate conflicts and know when to step in.
  • Engages in appropriate record keeping around substantive conflict issues.

VI.  Values and Cultivates an Environment of Diversity and Inclusion

Understands, appreciates, and leverages differences to create value and synergy.

Key Actions

  • Cultivates diversity – values diversity as exhibited in recruiting, hiring and retaining diverse talent, facilitating work, and leveraging the benefits of different perspectives.
  • Promotes a supportive and inclusive climate for all by recognizing, valuing and working to actively engage individuals of different ethnic, regional, cultural, economic and religious backgrounds, as well as people who are first-generation immigrants, people with disabilities, people who are parents, people of different sexual and gender identities and expressions, people of different ages, political viewpoints, veteran status, and many others. 
  • Fosters intercultural competence by shiftingcultural perspective and adapting behavior to cultural commonality and difference.  Possesses a deep cultural self-awareness and deep understanding of the experiences of people from different cultural communities -- in perceptions, values, beliefs, behaviors and practices -- and behaviorally shifts across these various cultural differences.
  • Competently addresses issues that arise with students or colleagues.
  • Understands institutional resources and responsibilities particularly related to reporting violations.
  • Recognizes the role of implicit bias in campus interactions.

VII.  Creative and Strategic Problem Solving 

Favors considered action and approaches problem solving with intellectual curiosity, strategic discipline, and a commitment to transformative results.  

Key Actions 

  • Frames questions that encourage exploration of problems. 
  • Utilizes data as a foundation for problem solving and making decisions.  
  • Utilizes and analyzes data and problems to identify root causes and systemic issues. 
  • Evaluates solutions before implementation.
  • Navigates obstacles and barriers.
  • Is adaptable, and models curiosity, perseverance, open-mindedness and flexibility.
  • Demonstrates both analytical and strategic thinking.
  • Intentionally utilizes collaboration as a method of problem solving.
  • Consults with pertinent institutional offices when appropriate (legal, human resources, fiscal accountability offices, research misconduct, Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance, Faculty Affairs, Faculty Relations, etc.)

VIII.  Developing Self and Others

Develops self and others to meet both career and unit goals.
Key Actions

  • Maximizes the ability of faculty and staff to meet their responsibilities through mentoring, coaching and guidance. 
  • Possesses keen self-awareness and is a reflective practitioner, prioritizing the work over self and not letting personal ambitions get in the way; is capable of conducting self-evaluation; and is authentic and empathetic. 
  • Provides support for the development of others through encouragement and fair allocation of resources. 
  • Listens to and learns from others. 
  • Is intentional in creating a learning environment for self and others. 
  • Demonstrates humility, owns mistakes, and fails well.
  • Solicits feedback about one’s own leadership performance for self-improvement.

IX.  Planning, Managing, and Organizing

Establishing courses of action for self and others to ensure work is completed efficiently.  

Key Actions

  • Utilizes time effectively – allocates time proportionally to relevant issues, responds promptly and with follow through, is appropriately available, balances waiting with responsiveness. Meets regularly but judiciously, ensuring that meetings are productive.
  • Convenes and facilitates effective meetings with well-designed agendas, holding to decision-making procedureswhile soliciting broad and diverse perspectives, facilitating collegial group and interpersonal dynamics, and ensuring collective decisions are communicated and implemented. 
  • Delegates with empowerment – delegates to appropriate individuals, provides focus and attention to detail, and empowers others with skills and authority.
  • Prioritizes and organizes -- clarifies priorities for self and others, determines course of action, and follows up to ensure progress.
  • Possesses the ability to make responsive and effective changes to organizational structures. 

X.  Resource and Financial Management 

Understands the academic financial model and leverages this understanding to optimize financial and resource decisions for the department. 
Key Actions 

  • Conducts thoughtful analysis of short and long-term departmental resource needs to make key financial and resource decisions and advocates effectively for the unit.
  • Understands the academic budget model and process, and decision making authority as well as the meaning and implications of this for the department.
  • Understands and oversees the budget management process at the department level and informs decision-making to ensure alignment between unit goals and financial expenditures.
  • Attends to appropriate external roles such as advisory boards and advancement. 

XI.  Unit, Institutional and Higher Education Knowledge

Provides administrative leadership for the effective functioning of the unit.

Key Actions

  • Possesses knowledge of institutional culture, practices, policies and procedures, and understands the values and structure of the academy.
  • Understands the interests and needs of all constituents -- students, staff, faculty, donors, industry representatives.
  • Understands the role, constraints, agenda and perspectives of others.
  • Balances the interests of one’s unit with those of other units and the university as well as the political environment.
  • Understands and appreciates the specializations, aspirations, and strengths of faculty and staff in the unit. 
  • Understands the university infrastructure and utilizes human resource practices, laws, legal guidance, relevant policies, experts and procedures as appropriate.
  • Provides intellectual leadership in the development of departmental programs, curriculum, unit hires, and planning in anticipation of the future of the unit.
  • Conducts due diligence in matters related to faculty and staff hiring, evaluation, merit and salary issues.