Identifying and Using Leadership Cmpetencies t Grw Leaders in Higher Educatin Lri Lamb, Vice Chancellr fr Human Resurces Anita Ris, Directr, Staff and Leadership Develpment Tdd Thrsgaard, Directr, Supervisry Training Minnesta State Clleges and Universities Backgrund Since fall 2004, the Minnesta State Clleges and Universities has made a cncerted effrt t grw ur wn leaders with targeted leadership develpment prgrams fr mid-level leaders and first-line supervisrs. T better frame ur leadership develpment effrts and ensure that we are develping and delivering the right mix f prgramming t ensure ur leaders success, we began an effrt t identify and begin using leadership cmpetencies. A cmpetency is an underlying characteristic f an individual that cntributes t jb r rle perfrmance and t rganizatinal success. Cmpetencies extend beynd the basic knwledge, skills and abilities necessary t perfrm a specific jb t thse that cntribute t success in multiple jbs, jb categries, r the entire rganizatin. Methdlgy fr Identificatin f Cmpetencies A crss-disciplinary grup, called the Staff and Leadership Develpment Steering Cmmittee, cmprised f 20 staff frm acrss the Minnesta State Clleges and Universities, led an effrt t identify the cmpetencies needed t lead ur cmplex system f 32 clleges and universities effectively int the future. Brad cnsultatin tk place and input was received frm a wide range f cnstituents, including mst chief administrative fficers frm each functinal divisin (i.e., academic and student affairs, human resurces, finance, and IT) acrss ur system. The gal f this prcess was t develp a set f cmpetencies that described the essential set f knwledge, skills, abilities and ther qualities required t be an effective leader within the Minnesta State Cllege and Universities system. Mre than 100 leaders participated in interviews r fcus grup sessins during 2006 and 2007 t help begin answering the questin: What des it take t be a successful leader in the Minnesta State Clleges and Universities? Frm the feedback cllected, members f the steering cmmittee began t identify cmmn cmpetencies that were repeatedly generated in the interviews and fcus grups. The steering cmmittee als cmpared these cmpetencies t ther well-knwn leadership cmpetency sets frm Lminger, PDI, and thers. The cmpetencies were then aligned t be cngruent with strategic directins set by the Bard f Trustees fr Minnesta State Clleges and Universities. Strategic Directin 1: Increase access and pprtunity Strategic Directin 2: Prmte and measure high-quality learning prgrams and services 1
Strategic Directin 3: Prvide prgrams and services that enhance the ecnmic cmpetitiveness f the state and its regins Strategic Directin 4: Innvate t meet current and future educatinal needs The result was the develpment f a set f Leadership Cmpetencies that are predictive f leader success in the Minnesta State Clleges and Universities which include: Leader f Self: Understands Self and Others Acts with Integrity Leaders as Relatinship Builder: Values Diversity Cmmunicates Effectively Builds Trust Leader as Manager: Demnstrates Custmer Service Orientatin Builds Organizatinal Talent Demnstrates Gd Stewardship Leader as Innvatr: Articulates Visin and Missin Builds Organizatinal Capacity t Meet Future Challenges Demnstrates Effective Decisin-Making Using Leadership Cmpetencies The Minnesta State Clleges and Universities are currently using these cmpetencies fr framing all systemwide leadership develpment prgrams. Fr example, curses are designed t help build these cmpetencies fr leaders at several levels in ur rganizatin: supervisry, mid-level leaders, and administratrs. Here is a chart shwing hw we used the leadership cmpetencies t align with develpment prgrams that have been identified as needed by administratrs in ur rganizatin. (Nte: the Administratr Develpment prgram is in develpment; the purpse f this chart is t illustrate hw develpment tpics might be srted by what cmpetency they supprt.) Cmpetency Leader f Self Understands and manages self Acts with Integrity Administratr Develpment Tpic 360 degree leadership inventry Stress Management fr self and thers Balancing wrk and life fr self and thers Managing my career Building an ethical culture 2
Leader as Relatinship Builder Builds trust Respects and fsters a welcming envirnment Cmmunicates effectively Leader as Manager Builds rganizatinal talent Demnstrates custmer service rientatin Demnstrates gd stewardship Leader as Innvatr Articulates visin and missin Builds rganizatinal capacity t meet future challenges Demnstrates effective decisin making Building a culture f trust in an rganizatin 1B.1 Investigatr 1B.1 Decisin Maker Affirmative Actin Cultural cmpetency Facilitating effective meetings Presentatin skills Wrking with the legislature Wrking with the media The rle f the Dean (series) Team building Successin Planning: Creating a develpment culture Creating a service rganizatin Develping effective prgram measurement and accuntability Finance fr the Nn financial Administratr Grant writing Fundraising Creating a wrk plan that aligns with visin/missin/gals f the institutin and system Cmmunicating the visin t inspire and mtivate an rganizatin What every administratr shuld knw abut prject management Lean in Higher Educatin (WSU) Understanding AQIP and hw it can be used t imprve quality Leading change (Managing unslvable prblems) thrugh Plarity Management and Real time Strategic Change Making and cmmunicating decisins at the administratr level In additin t helping guide leadership develpment curriculum, leadership cmpetencies can be used as a framewrk fr hiring and selectin, setting expectatins and evaluating perfrmance, and successin planning. See the figure belw: 3
Mre specifically cmpetencies can be used t: 1) create cnsistency in develping curriculum fr campus-based r systemwide leadership develpment prgrams 2) help guide hiring decisins in selecting leaders wh demnstrate desired leadership cmpetencies 3) set emplyee perfrmance expectatins and prvide benchmarks fr evaluating emplyee perfrmance 4) identify the key cmpetencies needed t guide successin planning effrts In the Minnesta State Clleges and Universities, we are beginning t intrduce using cmpetencies int hiring prcesses, specifically when designing psitin qualificatins and interview questins. The fllwing is ne example f hw t use Minnesta State Clleges and Universities leadership cmpetency f Relatinship Builder as a psitin qualificatin fr varying levels f psitins: President: Maintain pen lines f cmmunicatins n campus and in the cmmunity, being accessible and visible and engendering trust and cnfidence in the Office f the President. Vice President: Maintain the rapprt necessary t build, maintain and/r strengthen partnerships and relatinships inside and utside f the campus. Dean: Maintains pen cmmunicatin channels with critical peers, management, and custmers. Effectively cmmunicates win-win alternatives fr all cncerned. Ability t relate and respnd t student needs. Mid-level manager: Fcuses n slving cnflict; maintains cnfidentiality; listens t thers withut interrupting; keeps emtins under cntrl; remains pen t thers ideas and tries new things. These same principles can be applied t any f the leadership cmpetencies applicable t the psitin. Be mindful that nt all leadership cmpetencies are applicable t all psitins. It is aximatic that the psitin qualificatins frm the basis f the interviewing and selectin prcess. All interviewing and selectin techniques must be based n determining the ability f an individual t perfrm the psitin qualificatins in rder t be valid. Thus, as yu are emplying varius selectin techniques and drafting interview questins, it is essential t als utilize the leadership cmpetencies that are embdied in yur psitin qualificatins. Varius selectin techniques are available including wrk sample tests (e.g. in basket exercises, qualificatins tests (e.g. typing r spreadsheet tests), preliminary interviews (fcused n qualificatins) and structured interviews (fcused n ability t succeed). Interestingly, the least reliable and valid tl fr selectin is the structured interview. Yet it is the mst cmmnly used. The reliability and validity f a structured interview can be greatly increased by asking questins in frm a behaviral perspective (past behavir inquiries and situatinal questins) and basing the questins n the cmpetencies cntained in the psitin descriptin rather than simply n past experience. 4
Using the examples abve regarding psitin qualificatins, the fllwing are sme examples f behaviral interview questins fcused n the cmpetency f Relatinship Builder. In the psitin f President, yu will be required t establish relatinships with a variety f cnstituent grups and balance the needs f all. Please prvide an example f hw yu have accmplished this in the past. What wuld yu differently, if anything, in this psitin? In the psitin f Vice President, yu will be required t build relatinships with faculty unin leadership. Describe yur plan fr ding s. Describe hw yu have built effective relatinships in the past. Tell me abut a situatin in yur past psitins where yu faced a challenge in building a relatinship with a new grup f individuals. Describe hw yu went abut this task. What did yu learn frm this experience? Please tell us abut a time where yu have had t adapt yur style t fit a particular situatin r grup f individuals. Hw did yu accmplish this? What was the utcme? What did yu learn frm this? Cnclusin Within the Minnesta State Clleges and Universities, we have begun t use cmpetencies as a framewrk fr leadership develpment, hiring, and perfrmance evaluatin at the system level. Because ur system is decentralized with 32 clleges and universities n 54 campuses, we have much wrk t d with ur Human Resurces partners, supervisrs, managers, and senir leaders thrughut the state t fully utilize the cmpetencies we have identified. The main gal in applying a cnsistent cmpetency-based framewrk is t increase ur cllective effectiveness in recruiting, retaining, develping and rewarding successful leaders wh are ready t lead ur system int the future. Resurces: Dubis, David D.; Rthwell, William J.; Stern, Debrah J; Kemp; Linda A. (2004) Cmpetency-based Human Resurce Management. Cnsulting Psychlgists Press, Inc. Lamb, Lri. (2009) Uses fr Leadership Cmpetencies. Minnesta State Clleges and Universities, Staff and Leadership Develpment Steering Cmmittee. Lawler, Edward E; Ulrich, Dave. (2008) Talent: Making Peple Yur Cmpetitive Advantage. Wiley, Jhn & Sns, Inc. 5
Presenter Bis: Lri Lamb Lri Lamb is the Vice Chancellr fr Human Resurces at Minnesta State Clleges and Universities and has been in this rle since July 1, 2009. Previusly, she was at Minnesta State University, Mankat as Directr f Human Resurces fr mre than six years. Prir t cming t Minnesta she wrked at Washingtn State University as an Assciate Vice President fr tw years and fr the Office f the Attrney General in Washingtn State fr eleven years. Her frmer litigatin practice fcused n emplyment and ther regulatry law fr varius state agencies. Lri has a license t practice law in bth Washingtn and Minnesta. She is a graduate f Gnzaga University and Gnzaga University Schl f Law, bth in Spkane, Washingtn. Lri is a frequent presenter t varius audiences n tpics related t emplyment law, gvernmental liability, human resurce management and leadership develpment. Anita Ris serves as the directr f Staff and Leadership Develpment fr the Minnesta State Clleges and Universities (MnSCU) System. She wrks with stakehlders thrughut MnSCU s 32 clleges and universities t meet staff develpment needs acrss the system. In additin t creating system-wide training and leadership develpment prgrams, Anita supprts individual campus-based training effrts thrugh cnsultatin, caching, and custmized delivery. Befre cming t MnSCU in January 2005, Anita Ris wrked at the University f Minnesta fr 18 years. She earned her masters degree in Human Resurce Develpment at the University f Minnesta and her bachelr s degree at St. Olaf Cllege in Nrthfield, Minnesta. Tdd Thrsgaard serves as the directr f Supervisry Training fr the Minnesta State Clleges and Universities. Tdd has ver 15 years experience wrking in leadership develpment, change and transitin management and quality imprvement. He has wrked as an internal cnsultant n large-scale change initiatives, designed, delivered and managed innvative leadership develpment prgrams and directed emplyee engagement effrts. 6