Definitions for the Engagement Area

Relational

A strong culture that places importance on relationships, connections and care throughout the entire institution. Employs specific skills that aid in how self and relationships are effectively managed.

Each competency within the Engagement area can aid in achieving:

professional and personal bests
stakeholder buy-in, acceptance and value
team, institution and community results

At any given time, proficiency for each competency will fall at some point along the outer ring of the framework: Awareness, Application, Influence.

The following competency definitions are offered as a guide and are to be used in conjunction with your institution’s interpretation of how these competencies can be applied on your campus.

Competency Definitions

Building Trust

Definition

The consistent demonstration of and adherence to ethical principles, values and practices that inspire confidence and strengthen working relationships.

In Action

Practicing open, honest and respectful communication in the workplace
Being considerate of all coworkers, employees and customers
Supporting others in achieving their professional goals and aspirations
Navigating problems with patience and compassion
Admitting and promptly addressing errors and mistakes
Acknowledging and celebrating the success of others
Following up on requests and inquiries in a timely manner
Encouraging others to practice behaviors that build trust and teamwork

Leadership Lens

Engaging groups in activities that foster growth and understanding of one another
Outlining clear expectations and responsibilities for team members and campus collaborators
Creating a shared vision and mission among team members and campus collaborators

Assessment Questions

How do you address your own professional mistakes?
How do you address the professional mistakes of others?
How do you react when you don’t have an answer for a particular question or situation?
How willing are you to help develop a newer or less experienced employee?
How do you think others in your organization perceive you?
How do you support others?

Coaching

Definition

An approach for strengthening specific knowledge, skills and abilities. Coaching for growth is the practice of inquiry, reflection and curiosity to support learning and to encourage effective behaviors. Coaching for correction is a process for providing advice, feedback and guidance with the intent of modifying ineffective behaviors.

In Action

Asking open-ended questions that help others reflect on goals, challenges, opportunities, and next steps
Encouraging learning through reflection on experience, feedback and/or new responsibilities
Offering perspective and support without prescribing solutions
Providing timely, specific feedback to address behaviors or outcomes that are misaligned with expectations
Clarifying expectations and performance standards when gaps emerge
Redirecting ineffective behaviors through constructive conversation
Addressing concerns early to support improvement and prevent escalation
Offering guidance or skill‑building support to improve effectiveness
Distinguishing when coaching is sufficient versus when a formal disciplinary process is needed

Leadership Lens

Using established and/or recognized coaching models and frameworks to build a coaching culture

Assessment Questions

What experience do you have being coached?
What experience do you have coaching others?
What skills do you feel are essential to the coaching process?
In what situations would you coach an employee, peer or subordinate?
What methods or approaches do you use to deliver feedback?
When do you believe coaching should be elevated to a more formal process?

Collaboration

Definition

The ability to interact across organizational, cultural and professional boundaries in service of shared goals.

In Action

Working with other peers, teams or departments to achieve set goals and outcomes
Recognizing and being able to adjust to different working styles
Inviting others to contribute to group efforts and discussions
Taking others’ opinions, ideas and feedback into consideration
Ensuring goals, updates and expectations are communicated clearly and regularly to all involved in a particular project

Leadership Lens

Facilitating projects in cross-functional work groups across the department and across the institution
Creating opportunities for project sharing and peer learning
Fostering relationships through the higher education community
Sharing positive and development feedback to foster collaboration

Assessment Questions

What opportunities have you encountered for collaboration?
What additional opportunities for collaboration can you identify?
How often do you work with others within your department?
How often do you work with others outside of your department?
How comfortable are you sharing your ideas and feedback with others?
How confident are you in your ability to communicate clearly?
What strategies or approaches do you or would you use to resolve a conflict between yourself and someone with whom you must collaborate?
How comfortable are you facilitating collaborative processes?

Constructive Inquiry

Definition

The ability to ask productive questions and think through potential constraints and contingencies in order to evoke clarity and aid in providing solutions.

In Action

Awareness and utilization of organization-specific information sources, such as intranet systems, handbooks and other employees with experience or expertise
Requesting clarification or confirmation when something is unclear
Analyzing processes, proposals and projects to identify areas of objective ambiguity
Asking pointed or targeted questions of a process, proposal or project
Thinking through a process, proposal or project and asking questions based on potential contingencies
Considering divergent perspectives for processes, proposals or projects, as well as how these different perspectives may result in alternate approaches and needs

Leadership Lens

Fostering an environment that empowers curiosity and innovation
Building psychological safety, encouraging thoughtful questions, and seeking diverse information and perspectives to guide decisions
Challenging assumptions, including your own

Assessment Questions

How do you embrace your own sense of curiosity?
How comfortable are you with thinking creatively?
How comfortable are you voicing questions and concerns?
How comfortable are you with being asked questions?
How confident are you in your ability to analyze or evaluate ideas?
What information do you consider most critical when developing a new plan, process, proposal or other project?
What resources, methods or networks do you use to gather information?

Emotional Intelligence

Definition

The ability to recognize, understand, and manage one’s own emotions and to perceive, empathize with and respond constructively to the emotions of others.

In Action

Identifying and regulating personal emotions, such as frustration
Actively listening to understand others’ perspectives and feelings
Responding with empathy and respect, especially in challenging situations
Modeling emotionally intelligent behaviors

Assessment Questions

How do you react to high pressure situations?
How do you manage conflict between teammates?
How well do you receive feedback?
How do you demonstrate empathy when working with others?
What do you do when you feel stressed, angry or overwhelmed?

Ethics

Definition

The values, principles, standards and rules that guide an individual’s behavior and conduct, both in personal and professional settings.

In Action

Being familiar with and abiding by your organization’s code of conduct and values
Enforcing values and code of conduct standards with others in the organization
Providing advice and guidance on the organization’s code of conduct and values
Evaluating all decisions and employment actions in order to maintain compliance with the organization’s code of conduct and values
Reporting ethical violations or concerns through appropriate channels

Assessment Questions

Describe your institution’s mission, values and code of conduct.
How confident are you in your ability to abide by and model your institution’s values and code of conduct?
Are you familiar with reporting procedures for ethical concerns?
What experience do you have enforcing your institution’s values or code of conduct?

Mentoring

Definition

The process of fostering the professional growth of others by the giving of time, knowledge and advice.

In Action

Engaging in informal coaching activities
Lending expertise to internal skill development sessions or individual training
Connecting mentors with mentees within the organization
Guiding others on the mentoring process and proper mentoring strategies
Providing constructive feedback in support of an employee’s development
Supporting an employee through their own individual development plan

Leadership Lens

Identifying professional development opportunities for employees
Guiding and fostering personal and professional development
Creating a work environment that supports continuous growth

Assessment Questions

What experience do you have being mentored?
What experience do you have mentoring others?
How do you help others connect with mentors or mentees?
What methods or approaches do you use to deliver feedback?
How do you or how would you motivate or encourage a disengaged mentee?
How do you identify and effectively communicate someone else’s strengths and opportunities for improvement?
What methods, strategies or approaches do you or would you employ to track a mentee’s progress toward their goals?
What methods, strategies or approaches do you or would you use to transition out of a mentor/mentee relationship when appropriate or necessary?

Relationship Management

Definition

The development and management of interactions with and between others, undertaken with the end goals of service and institutional success.

In Action

Collaborating with others on projects and processes
Practicing open communication to effectively identify goals and challenges
Being an active and interested listener
Consistently delivering on promises
Engaging in de-escalation and mediation techniques to facilitate conflict resolution

Leadership Lens

Serving as a liaison by creating opportunities for team members and campus collaborators to connect

Assessment Questions

What experience do you have collaborating professionally with others?
How do you identify and work with the working styles and tendencies of others?
How confident are you in your ability to communicate clearly?
What strategies or approaches do you use to connect with others?
How do you manage clashing personalities in the workplace?
What strategies or approaches do you or would you use to resolve personal conflicts or disagreements between others?
What challenges have you had to navigate when building rapport with others?

Self-Awareness and Accountability

Definition

The ability to inspire trust, often as a result of behaving in a consistent manner, helping others, accomplishing work and communicating effectively. The ability to recognize and accept responsibility for your own thoughts, words and actions.

In Action

Creating and following an individual development plan
Proactively seeking feedback and input from others on your own performance
Taking constructive feedback into consideration
Taking responsibility for your own mistakes and identifying opportunities for improvement
Holding oneself accountable to deadlines
Practicing transparency and honesty
Seeking and participating in professional development opportunities
Consistently fulfilling obligations and expectations
Providing accurate and timely information
Giving, receiving and acting upon constructive feedback
Taking initiative to help and support others
Seeking help when necessary
Taking ownership of your own mistakes
Engaging in continuous improvement and education
Maintaining confidentiality (when doing so does not conflict with compliance, policy or institutional values)

Leadership Lens

Leading individual and team assessment activities
Incorporating integrity into team values and discussions

Assessment Questions

Do you readily admit to your mistakes or oversights?
Do you readily recognize your own achievements and contributions?
What are your professional strengths and weaknesses?
Have you participated in your own individual development plan?
How comfortable are you receiving constructive feedback or criticism?
How are you proactive in seeking opportunities for growth?
Do you consider yourself a credible person? Why or why not?
What steps do you take to establish your credibility with others?
What steps do you take to maintain your credibility once established?
How do you or how would you manage your credibility being questioned?

Team-Building

Definition

The ability to foster camaraderie and encourage positive interpersonal relationships between individuals working toward common goals, purposes and objectives.

In Action

Participating in group icebreaker activities
Participating in or coordinating team-building events and activities
Contributing ideas, thoughts and suggestions to departmental meetings
Gathering and leading a group to support a specific project
Establishing team goals, roles and expectations
Encouraging team efforts with positive feedback and reward mechanisms
Engaging in de-escalation and mediation techniques to facilitate conflict resolution

Leadership Lens

Leading conflict management processes and techniques to facilitate resolution
Strengthenin team effectiveness by shaping team culture, fostering inclusion, and aligning people’s strengths around shared goals and responsibilities

Assessment Questions

What opportunities have you had to work within a team?
What leadership roles have you had within a team?
What or what do you think is your leadership style?
What strategies or approaches would you use to introduce a new team?
What sort of annual or ongoing team-building events does your organization provide?
How have you participated in team-building activities or events?
What team-building activities or events have you organized?
What strategies or approaches do you use to create harmony within a team?
How do you or how would you manage interpersonal conflict within your team?
How do you or how would you navigate professional disagreements within your team?