To ensure effective campus leadership now and in the future, UCSF is rolling out the Universitywide Leadership Development Initiative with two new programs this fall: the Leadership Academy and the Leadership Institute.
Both programs advance the UCSF Strategic Plan’s goal to cultivate a pipeline of diverse leaders by fostering organizational team building and communication skills in both senior and emerging leaders.
“We want to cultivate the people we have to ensure we are able to meet the increasing demand for effective leaders in the future,” said Don Diettinger, Human Resources Development and Training manager, adding that this is only the beginning of University staff leadership-driven endeavors. “This program is going to evolve into an integrated set of resources for leadership development, including more access to mentoring opportunities, executive coaching and on-the-job learning opportunities.”
Culled from the 772 management and senior professional (MSP) staff members within UCSF, 32 will be selected by a nomination process to participate in the academy, and 100 in the institute.
The Leadership Academy will provide senior leaders (MSP levels 5 and above) with experiential learning events, executive coaching, mentoring and collaborative problem-solving work groups. With a focus on leadership capacity, interactive classroom events through the academy will prioritize visioning, strategic planning, leading change, taking risks, communication, collaboration and embedding customer orientation in key business decisions. Academy graduates will receive an Advanced UCSF Leadership Certification.
The Leadership Institute – geared toward emerging leaders (MSP levels 1-4) – follows the academy’s model with a focus on leadership competency. The institute will provide mentoring, problem-solving group participation and a curriculum of interactive events geared toward developing and inspiring teams, communicating key priorities, integrating customer focus and leveraging resources. Graduates of the institute will receive a UCSF Leadership Certification.
“We have a host of talented, loyal people who work at this institution,” said Aja Duncan, Leadership Development Program coordinator. “With a small amount of investment, they can carry the University’s vision forward.”
Synthesizing Leadership Development
Sprung from a need to secure effective leaders to guide UCSF’s future and from a campuswide vision of leadership and collaboration, the Leadership Development Initiative was established in March to improve staff diversity, professional development and work climate. With emphasis on innovation, collaboration, respect, diversity, a supportive workplace and community service, the endeavor reinforces many aspects of the seven-point UCSF Strategic Plan.
The strategic plan states, “It is critical that UCSF develop the next generation of senior leadership for succession planning purposes. This will ensure that potential leaders have the necessary skills and experience when moving up the career ladder. Special attention must be paid to ensuring diversity among these potential leaders.”
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Eugene Washington, MD, noted that exceptional leaders work in teams to “create a shared vision, outline the strategies to get there and invest in people to help them fulfill their aspirations.” About UCSF in particular, he noted that the strongest leaders are wholly committed to the University. “You really have to be thinking about the institution,” he said.
A Leadership Development Programs and Resources survey of MSP levels 1 and above indicated that UCSF leaders see both personal and professional value in participating in leadership development programs and activities. Besides the Leadership Academy and Leadership Institute, many initiatives are underway through the Leadership Development Initiative, including:
• financial and other incentives for departments engaging in good faith efforts to achieve diversity in hiring;
• a career path system for staff seeking advancement within UCSF;
• a policy on civil workplace behavior; and
• training on diversity awareness, staff outreach, recruitment and retention.
The Leadership Academy will commence with a two-day session in September, and the Leadership Institute will begin in October. Both sessions will run through the end of the academic year.
A few spaces are still available for both the Leadership Academy and the Leadership Institute. The deadline to apply is Friday, July 11.
For more information on the nomination and application process, please visit http://leader.ucsf.edu, or contact Aja Duncan, 415/502-4528.
