Leadership
The Leadership (LEAD) competency identifies skills, characteristics, and actions of a leader in the areas of education, training, development, and engagement. LEAD does not necessitate supervision of others (ACPA & NASPA, 2015). Regardless of management status, student affairs educators have an opportunity to develop their own leadership skills through participating in professional development workshops, building relationships with others, and learning about an institution’s organizational structure and political dynamics. According to ACPA and NASPA (2015), “leadership involves both the individual role of a leader and the leadership process of individuals working together to envision, plan, and affect change in organizations and respond to broad-based constituencies and issues” (p. 27). Therefore, LEAD refers to the development of leadership qualities in the self as well as leadership as an institutional process that contributes to the growth and direction of an organization.
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I have an intermediate level of knowledge and skills in theoretical principles of leadership. I am able to identify and describe the mission of the office where I am completing my internship as well as the mission, vision, and values of the company and department where I am employed. I am aware of my leadership strengths and areas for further growth based on my experience in several management roles. Additionally, I have experience leading project management and decision making, uniting different working groups toward a common goal, and have practiced adapting my leadership style to meet the needs of others. As an onboarding consultant, I serve as a leader for campus partners and work to understand the mission, vision, values, goals, and priorities at the unit, department, division, and institution levels. I must be confident in my capacity to quickly learn, internalize, problem-solve, and translate internal campus processes to external assessment platforms. A large part of that work is also knowing what questions to ask and when to ask "why?", which often helps to facilitate process discussions among campus leaders. Gaining in-depth knowledge of other campus processes and building relationships through face-to-face training and advising have allowed me to expand on my leadership capacities while also serving as an individual contributor.
I have an intermediate level of knowledge and experience in the areas of self-awareness, reflection, teamwork, and interpersonal skills. As a manager, I regularly practiced self-reflection and sought feedback from other managers and supervisees to continue learning and enhancing my abilities. I am a consistent promoter of teamwork and collaboration within an area and across departments, since the work being done in different departments contributes to the experience and satisfaction of campus partners. I also coached and mentored supervisees in becoming more independent problem-solvers and leaders within specialized areas.
I have a foundational level of knowledge in change management and innovation, with most of my applied experience coming from practice as a supervisor. HEA 618: Student Affairs Administration helped me understand leadership theories and different lenses for considering organizational structures and the impact of leadership styles and decision-making processes on campus constituencies. Applying knowledge of organizational culture, using technology, having a solutions-focused approach to problem solving, collaborating with other department representatives to make decisions, and instilling confidence in others to work independently and as part of a team were regular functions and responsibilities of my role.
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Artifacts
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Blog: DISC Personality Reflection
Through completing the DISC profile assessment and writing a reflection, I better understand my own strengths in communication, working with others, and leadership style, and can can apply this knowledge to improve relationships.
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I am able to articulate my leadership philosophy, including my values, professional identity, and the impact I hope to make throughout my career.
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Blog: Key Elements of Effective Supervision
By reflecting on elements of effective supervision, I am able to identify the traits I value most in supervisors and articulate the ways in which I effectively supervise and lead others.
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