Employee Learning Week (ELW) is a global campaign sponsored by the Association for Talent Development to highlight the important connection between learning and achieving organizational results. Each year, the Department of Human �ƹ���Ƶ (HR) celebrates ELW by recognizing and promoting employee learning across campus.

This year Human �ƹ���Ƶ is featuring several activities for ELW, including a daily focus on our campus core competencies. Established in 2019, the campus core competencies translate values into behaviors, and helps to align those behaviors with the campus culture and vision. HR invites you to learn more about our core competencies and begin discussions with your colleagues on how these competencies play a role in your own work and learning. We invited campus colleagues to illuminate each core competency in a series of commentaries featured through Employee Learning Week. 

Core Competency: Innovation

Creating new and better ways for the organization to be successful. Adapting to change and engaging in continuous learning and critical thinking to promote the growth of the individual and the organization.

Commentary by Terri Fiez, PhD., Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation and Dean of the Institutes

Terri Fiez, PhD. oversees the $630+ million research enterprise at CU Boulder, including its 12 research institutes. The Research & Innovation Office (RIO) catalyzes and supports research operations, grows cross-disciplinary collaborations, cultivates research partnerships with other universities, and coordinates the cross-campus Innovation & Entrepreneurship initiative.

Terri Fiez, PhD., Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation and Dean of the Institutes

• What is one skill that someone could do on our campus to embody this competency? 
  • "Creativity!  It is so critical to a dynamic organization and breathes life into everything that we do.  A creative idea doesn’t have to be earth shattering and brainstorming is a great team sport.  My favorite way to think of solutions to challenges at CU Boulder is with a  group of people with different jobs and backgrounds.  Add to this the necessary ingredient of laughter and out comes a memorable, creative solution.  Try it!"

• What are the effects and outcomes when an organization truly embraces this competency? 
  • "It has a ripple effect.  Creativity is contagious (in a good way   ).  When someone smiles at you, you naturally feel inclined to smile back.  When you smile, you feel happier and more relaxed.  Creativity has a similar affect.  A creative organization can take on any challenge, find new opportunities and build team camaraderie along the way."

  Learn more about the Campus Core Competencies

To learn more about the campus core competencies, please visit the performance page of the Human �ƹ���Ƶ website. 

Key Behaviors of the Innovation Competency

• Develops useful ideas that are new, better, or unique.                                                               
• Introduces new ways of looking at problems.
• Can take a creative idea and put into practice.
• Embraces diverse perspectives to promote or nurture innovation.
• Fosters interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary work.
• Adapts to change.
• Promotes growth of the individual and the organization.
• Engages in continuous learning.
• Engages in critical thinking.
• Takes risks.

How to get involved

• Explore the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative
• Attend campus events focused on innovation
• Subscribe to the Research & Innovation Office eNews

The Department of Human �ƹ���Ƶ (HR) creates success through others as we all strive to achieve the goals and fulfill the mission of CU Boulder. HR contribute leadership, ideas, and services that allow each person – whether an individual contributor or manager; a member of the faculty or staff – to do what they do…better. Visit /hr to learn more about HR.

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Employee Learning Week (ELW) is a global campaign sponsored by the Association for Talent Development to highlight the important connection between learning and achieving organizational results. Each year, the Department of Human �ƹ���Ƶ (HR) celebrates ELW by recognizing and promoting employee learning across campus.

This year Human �ƹ���Ƶ is featuring several activities for ELW, including a daily focus on our campus core competencies. Established in 2019, the campus core competencies translate values into behaviors, and helps to align those behaviors with the campus culture and vision. HR invites you to learn more about our core competencies and begin discussions with your colleagues on how these competencies play a role in your own work and learning. We invited campus colleagues to illuminate each core competency in a series of commentaries featured through Employee Learning Week. 

Core Competency: Inclusive Excellence

Exemplifying excellence through diversity by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment that maximizes the success and inclusion of all students, staff, and faculty.

Commentary by Alphonse Keasley, Associate Vice Chancellor

Alphonse Keasley serves as the Associate Vice Chancellor in the Office of Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement.

• What is one skill that someone could do on our campus to embody this competency? 
  • "First, it should be understood that Inclusive Excellence is the goal and that “making excellence inclusive” (MEI) is the process and skills that we engage to achieve Inclusive Excellence.  To work toward “making excellence inclusive,” it is advisable to review the description of excellence that your department submitted for its Inclusive Excellence 2-page narrative.  If the document is not readily available, this might be the first task for building MEI skills.  For some campus members, this process has been helpful in re-defining what excellence is for each unit.  Once your unit’s excellence is articulated for all to know and be aware of what to strive for, then you and your colleagues are ready to attend to making it inclusive. 

A skill related to inclusion is to un-learn/re-learn.  Unlearning (“proactive interference” is a phrase that is also used for this concept) is difficult, so I typically suggest that people begin by re-learning.  An example: In my class, students reframe their definition of feminism after reading bell hooks’ definition in Feminism Is For Everybody “Feminism is a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression” (ii).   So, the task for building your inclusivity skill is to seek recommendations on worthwhile material to read that can assist with the re-learning/un-learning process. Another action you might take is to participate in public events involving groups that you have a strong desire to learn about to re-learn/un-learn. As you and your colleagues begin to build your inclusivity skills, knowledge and abilities that lead to competence, you can work to reframe your department’s excellence definition towards making excellence inclusive."

• What are the effects and outcomes when an organization truly embraces this competency? 
  • "If each department encourages all of its members to develop an extensive recommended reading list and participate, not just observe, interactions around the campus, city and county, it would serve as a first step toward cultural competency for all.  As knowledge, another component of competency, grows, the overall departmental cultural competence begins to advance toward improving the departmental climate and creating a welcoming environment.  Further, as the climate deepens, departmental members’ abilities, yet another component of competence, to interact across differences expands.  Ideally, this overall process becomes ingrained in the departmental culture, thus becoming a department-of-choice for members from historically marginalized communities to work.  Within time, Inclusive excellence will be a reality for the department and the practice for all current and new employees."

  Learn more about the Campus Core Competencies

To learn more about the campus core competencies, please visit the performance page of the Human �ƹ���Ƶ website. 

Key Behaviors of the Inclusive Excellence Competency

• Actively seeks and engages with diverse perspectives.                                            
• Identifies and mitigates bias on a personal, institutional and process level.                 
• Identifies and addresses barriers to inclusion on the personal, institutional and process levels.
• Fosters the health and wellbeing of our campus community by welcoming and encouraging participation of all.
• Contributes to building diversity
• Accepts and honors diverse perspectives
• Understands the importance of diversity and inclusion
• Recognizes and mitigates dynamics created by power differences and hierarchy

How to get involved

• Review the  Inclusion, Diversity and Excellence in Academics (IDEA) Plan
• Attend an upcoming Diversity & Inclusion Summitt
• Serve on one of the four Chancellor’s Advisory Committees

The Department of Human �ƹ���Ƶ (HR) creates success through others as we all strive to achieve the goals and fulfill the mission of CU Boulder. HR contribute leadership, ideas, and services that allow each person – whether an individual contributor or manager; a member of the faculty or staff – to do what they do…better. Visit /hr to learn more about HR.

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Employee Learning Week (ELW) is a global campaign sponsored by the Association for Talent Development to highlight the important connection between learning and achieving organizational results. Each year, the Department of Human �ƹ���Ƶ (HR) celebrates ELW by recognizing and promoting employee learning across campus.

This year Human �ƹ���Ƶ is featuring several activities for ELW, including a daily focus on our campus core competencies. Established in 2019, the campus core competencies translate values into behaviors, and helps to align those behaviors with the campus culture and vision. HR invites you to learn more about our core competencies and begin discussions with your colleagues on how these competencies play a role in your own work and learning. We invited campus colleagues to illuminate each core competency in a series of commentaries featured through Employee Learning Week. 

Core Competency: Integrity/Responsibility/Ethics

Gaining the confidence and trust of others through honesty, authenticity, and acceptance of responsibility.

Commentary by​ Louise Vale, Director of Integrity and Compliance

Louise Vale, Director of Integrity and Compliance

• What is one skill that someone could do on our campus to embody this competency? 
  • "In your daily work always try to think of how your work and actions benefit the University and further the mission, vision and values.  Also put yourself in another person’s shoes and think of how they might interpret your work or actions and how it could impact them or their department.   In addition, being accountable and taking ownership in your decisions and accepting responsibility for your actions and your work is a key skill for this competency.
• What are the effects and outcomes when an organization truly embraces this competency?" 
  • "The effects and outcomes of these competences is an inclusive environment of excellence and results in doing the right thing to support the mission, vision and values of the University.   These competencies result in an organization that is highly respected and becomes a place that employees support and have a sense of pride and ownership in its success." 

  Learn more about the Campus Core Competencies

To learn more about the campus core competencies, please visit the performance page of the Human �ƹ���Ƶ website. 

Key Behaviors of the Integrity/Responsibility/Ethics Competency

• Accepts responsibility that come with working in the interest of the public good.
• Follows through on commitments- shows consistency between words and actions--does what they say they will do, and what they are expected to do—and makes sure others do the same.
• Accepts responsibility for one’s own conduct in creating a climate of inclusive excellence.                                          
• Acts with a clear sense of ownership.              
• Takes personal responsibility for decisions, actions, and failures.                                          
• Establishes clear expectations and processes, and uses data for monitoring work and measuring results.

Employee Learning Courses We Recommend

Interested in learning more? Visit the Employee Learning website to explore learning opportunities. For this competency, we recommend: 

• Crucial Accountability
• Managers Academy 
• Ethics & Compliance Monthly Education Series - Hosted by the Integrity & Compliance Office

The Department of Human �ƹ���Ƶ (HR) creates success through others as we all strive to achieve the goals and fulfill the mission of CU Boulder. HR contribute leadership, ideas, and services that allow each person – whether an individual contributor or manager; a member of the faculty or staff – to do what they do…better. Visit /hr to learn more about HR.

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Employee Learning Week (ELW) is a global campaign sponsored by the Association for Talent Development to highlight the important connection between learning and achieving organizational results. Each year, the Department of Human �ƹ���Ƶ (HR) celebrates ELW by recognizing and promoting employee learning across campus.

This year Human �ƹ���Ƶ is featuring several activities for ELW, including a daily focus on our campus core competencies. Established in 2019, the campus core competencies translate values into behaviors, and helps to align those behaviors with the campus culture and vision. HR invites you to learn more about our core competencies and begin discussions with your colleagues on how these competencies play a role in your own work and learning. We invited campus colleagues to illuminate each core competency in a series of commentaries featured through Employee Learning Week. 

Core Competency: Collaboration

Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.

Commentary by​ Charla Agnoletti, Director of Public Achievement, CU Engage 

Charla Agnoletti is the Director of Public Achievement for CU Engage. CU Engage supports programs and initiatives that work collaboratively with community groups to address complex public challenges through academic courses, research projects, and creative work.

Charla Agnoletti, Director of Public Achievement 

• What is one skill that someone could do on our campus to embody this competency? 
  • "One of the most straightforward and applicable ways to embody collaboration in any public sector or professional position is through multiple channels of feedback and communication.  Communication around collaboration should never be just a top down or single direction approach.  Communication about key decisions, feedback on the workplace and projects, and even interpersonal relationships should be happening in multiple directions in your office, class or organization.  In one sense this means listening.  In another sense this means looking closely at how power is structured in our organizations.  Who communicates what?  Whose voice is here and included?  Who is crafting the messaging and communication?  How are we seeking multiple sources of feedback?  Do we actually use and value feedback to inform our actions?  As strong collaborators we must provide space for multiple voices to not only be heard but given power within our organizations, offices, classrooms, and partnerships."
• What are the effects and outcomes when an organization truly embraces this competency? 
  • "When we truly embrace collaboration within our organization we can learn together and from each other.  We are able to challenge each other to improve our intersectional lenses in our work, to hear voices often marginalized or silenced, and to encourage critique which spurs innovation.  Although this work can bring up challenges, we must have the courage to face them through collaboration.  People are more motivated in the workplace towards a common goal when our voices and perspectives actually matter in collaboration.  We must go beyond feedback and evaluation for that gets tossed in the trash and provide multiple opportunities for people to contribute their voice and feedback to collectively improve our work as colleagues and leaders on campus."

  Learn more about the Campus Core Competencies

To learn more about the campus core competencies, please visit the performance page of the Human �ƹ���Ƶ website. 

Key Behaviors of the Collaboration Competency

• Understands and prioritizes the goals of the university (‘university first’)
• Understands how their work supports the  mission of the university
• Works in partnership with others
• Values and incorporates diverse perspectives
• Removes barriers to solve problems

Employee Learning Courses We Recommend

Interested in learning more? Visit the Employee Learning website to explore learning opportunities. For this competency, we recommend: 

• Crucial Conversations 
• Crucial Accountability
• Managers Academy 
• CliftonStrengths for Faculty & Staff

The Department of Human �ƹ���Ƶ (HR) creates success through others as we all strive to achieve the goals and fulfill the mission of CU Boulder. HR contribute leadership, ideas, and services that allow each person – whether an individual contributor or manager; a member of the faculty or staff – to do what they do…better. Visit /hr to learn more about HR.

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Employee Learning Week (ELW) is a global campaign sponsored by the Association for Talent Development to highlight the important connection between learning and achieving organizational results. Each year, the Department of Human �ƹ���Ƶ (HR) celebrates ELW by recognizing and promoting employee learning across campus.

This year Human �ƹ���Ƶ is featuring several activities for ELW, including a daily focus on our campus core competencies. Established in 2019, the campus core competencies translate values into behaviors, and helps to align those behaviors with the campus culture and vision. HR invites you to learn more about our core competencies and begin discussions with your colleagues on how these competencies play a role in your own work and learning. We invited campus colleagues to illuminate each core competency in a series of commentaries featured through Employee Learning Week. 

Core Competency: Communication

Ensuring that key and critical information is shared in a timely fashion. Developing and delivering information in multi modes that demonstrate the needs of different audiences.

Commentary by Kirsi Aulin, Ombuds Director

​Kirsi ​Aulin is the University of Colorado Boulder Ombuds Director. The Ombuds Office assists CU Boulder students, staff, and faculty with any university-related dispute or concern through confidential consultation. 

Kirsi Aulin, Ombuds Director

• What is one skill that someone could do on our campus to embody this competency? 
  • "Get curious! Try to keep an open mind when you hear something disconcerting and ask open-ended questions to understand better. Take care to hear both sides before making a decision. At the Ombuds Office, we often see contentious situations that are fundamentally caused by missing information or a misunderstanding.  It is also very helpful to state your intentions, in other words telling the “why” behind the “what. So much conflict on campus can be prevented if people slow down and really seek to understand the other person as well as be transparent about their own motivations."
• What are the effects and outcomes when an organization truly embraces this competency? 
  • "Communication can seem like an unimportant soft skill. However, communication is not only critical to good professional relationships and departmental culture, it has a direct effect on our bottom-line. Unclear communication can result in costly mistakes. Abrasive communication can result in a negative departmental climate and increase turnover. Vague communication can result in frustrated employees who do not know where they should be directing their efforts. The good news is that communication skills can be learned! There are great resources on campus for honing communication skills through the Ombuds Office, Organizational and Employee Development and Faculty Relations."

  Learn more about the Campus Core Competencies

To learn more about the campus core competencies, please visit the performance page of the Human �ƹ���Ƶ website. 

Key Behaviors of the Communication Competency

• Effective in variety of communications settings (groups, size, position, styles, diverse audiences), and adjusts to fit the audience and the message.        
• Attentively listens to others.                                      
• Provides and encourages the expression of diverse ideas and opinions.
• Engages in candid and constructive dialogue on difficult topics.
• Is respectful of each other’s unique backgrounds and perspectives.

Employee Learning Courses We Recommend

Interested in learning more? Visit the Employee Learning website to explore learning opportunities. For this competency, we recommend: 

• Crucial Conversations 
• Managers Academy 
• 6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team

The Department of Human �ƹ���Ƶ (HR) creates success through others as we all strive to achieve the goals and fulfill the mission of CU Boulder. HR contribute leadership, ideas, and services that allow each person – whether an individual contributor or manager; a member of the faculty or staff – to do what they do…better. Visit /hr to learn more about HR.

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