Leadership Competencies

The following leadership competencies represent the range of knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and behaviors that are present in participants at many levels. IAspire Leadership Academy seeks to enhance as many of these competencies as possible and facilitate opportunities for life-long development of all of these leadership competences:

Core Competencies

Managing conflict: to use a range of strategies to deal with conflict between self and others; to mediate conflict among others; to recognize the root causes of conflict; to engage in difficult conversations appropriately to both resolve the conflict and strengthen the relationship; to manage microaggressions in a constructive way; to understand the costs of conflict to a group or organization; and to seek outside help or third-party mediation to resolve conflict.

Fostering collaboration: to see issues and opportunities from many perspectives; to link resources - public and private, national and international; to balance the needs and expectations of many stakeholders; to foster team science; and to facilitate programs that collaborate across structural, organizational, and international boundaries.

Leading change: to recognize the need for innovation without indulging in change for change sake; to have a vision for the future and communicating that to others; to monitor the external and internal environment for trends that anticipate change; to understand the range of reactions to change, including resistance, anxiety, and uncertainty; to develop and implement a change process appropriate to the organization and the degree of change; to provide information and education to facilitate change; and to measure the progress of change and ensure the benefits of change; to develop skills to assess outcomes and adjust initiatives a needed.

Communicating effectively: to listen carefully and use questions skillfully to encourage honest responses; to communicate clear, direct, and honest messages to individuals and groups through speaking, writing, and the use of technology; and to maintain composure in stressful situations.

Valuing and advocating for diversity and inclusion: to express sensitivity and awareness of the diversity inherent in and vital to a modern society; to value and actively encourage discussion about human differences in social and professional settings; to develop the capacity to facilitate multi-cultural and inclusive relationships; to build and value collaborations and teams that are reflective and inclusive of the diversity around you; to be an active part of creating organizational cultures that value diversity and inclusion.

Secondary Competencies

Developing a deeper knowledge and appreciation of higher education: learn to understand higher education in its many different models; to understand the unique needs of STEM disciplines and their unique contributions to institutions of higher education; to understand the history and traditions of the educational system; to compare and contrast different models of higher education public service and outreach; and to understand the role of research, academics, and outreach in producing economic, social, and environmental change and how it depends on local, state, and federal partnerships.

Developing self and others: to seek and use self-assessment and feedback to enhance understanding and performance; to provide others with appropriate and timely feedback, mentoring and coaching to enhance performance; to create opportunities for development of self and others; to coach others to develop awareness and appreciation of the value of diversity; to create long-term self-directed and life-long learning and professional development; to volunteer for and excel at performing various leadership responsibilities, often outside the specific requirements of position or role; to seek feedback on leadership performance from groups and organizations; to use performance objectives and assessment for development; and to create an environment where risk and innovation is rewarded.

Leading with integrity and values: learn to understand and honor organizational and cultural values; to communicate personal values that influence personal leadership; to demonstrate consistency between espoused values and values in action; to respect the values of others; and to act ethically.