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Individual Excellence
Building effective teams
Overview
Builds cohesive teams of people within the organization; shares wins and success such that each team member feels valuable and appreciated; guides teams to establish and achieve goals.
Proficiency level
Level 1: Basic / Level 2: Intermediate / Level 3: Advanced / Level 4: ExpertCan organize people into teams / Blends people into teams / Builds cohesive teams of people within the organization, valuing team spirit / Simultaneously develops and manages numerous productive teams within an organization
Acknowledges wins and successes for the team / Shares wins and successes / Shares wins and successes such that each team member feels valuable and appreciated / Enthusiastically broadcasts team’s successes, crediting and honoring the whole group
Promotes value of team continuity and cohesiveness / Promotes and builds team continuity and cohesiveness / Builds mission-driven, cohesive teams / Builds mission-driven, cohesive teams that project a team spirit that inspires and motivates departments and organizations
Compassion
Overview
Genuinely cares about people; is concerned with their academic and non-academic problems; is available and ready to help; demonstrates real empathy with the joys and pains of others.
Proficiency level
Level 1: Basic / Level 2: Intermediate / Level 3: Advanced / Level 4: ExpertShows a healthy concern for others / Cares about how those around him/her are doing / Makes a point to understand a person's personal situation / Regarded as not having a selfish bone in his/her body
Fairly good at understanding feelings, emotions / Good at picking up other people's feelings / Can articulate the joys and pains of others / Remarkable ability to put himself/herself in other people's shoes
Spots the needs of others / Supportive during times / Thinks of others' needs first / Sought out by others because of his/her empathy, compassion
Tries to help when people approach with a problem / Puts others' needs first when necessary / Never hesitates to go the extra mile to help another person / Has an instinct for detecting the joys and pains in others
Customer Focus
Overview
Commits to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external stakeholders; acts with stakeholders in mind; values importance of providing high-quality customer service.
Proficiency level
Level 1: Basic / Level 2: Intermediate / Level 3: Advanced / Level 4: ExpertSeeks to meet the expectations and requirements of internal and external stakeholders / Commits to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external stakeholders / Dedicated to and openly communicates to staff that customer service to stakeholders comes first / Strategically plans ways to demonstrate superior customer service for district stakeholders
Considers stakeholders’ needs to be important / Gets firsthand stakeholder information and assesses it to measure stakeholder satisfaction / Interacts regularly with stakeholders to gain feedback and to ascertain ways to improve services / Investigates and analyzes external indicators to project stakeholders’ future needs
Establishes relationships with stakeholders and gets firsthand stakeholder information / Builds and maintains effective relationships with stakeholders and gains their trust and respect / Acts with stakeholders in mind and considers customer service of paramount importance / Establishes and nurtures relationships with stakeholders, regularly inviting feedback and suggestions
Directs staff to ensure stakeholder trust and respect for the organization
Humor
Overview
Has a positive and constructive sense of humor. Can laugh at himself/herself and with others. Is appropriately funny and can use humor to ease tension.
Proficiency level
Level 1: Basic / Level 2: Intermediate / Level 3: Advanced / Level 4: ExpertGenerally uses humor in a positive way / Uses humor to bring people together / Knows exactly when and where a joke or story will be effective / Can see humor in almost everything
Is conscientious about timing and setting for humor / Uses humor to boost morale or decrease tension / Has a great sense of timing / Sought out by others for guidance in this area
Tries to defuse tense situations with appropriate humor / Uses humor to make for a more relaxed and productive atmosphere / Realizes when and where humor will backfire, and withholds / Uses humor as a uniting dynamic across a range of situations
Can laugh at self and others / Allows others to be funny / Understands that laughter makes a more comfortable meeting, classroom, etc. / Recognizes and appreciates a great sense of humor in others
Integrity and trust
Overview
Is widely trusted; is seen as a direct, truthful individual; presents truthful information in an appropriate and helpful manner; keeps confidences; admits mistakes; doesn't misrepresent himself or herself for personal gain.
Proficiency level
Level 1: Basic / Level 2: Intermediate / Level 3: Advanced / Level 4: ExpertIs seen as trustworthy / Is widely trusted and seen as a direct, truthful individual / Is known to consistently adhere to ethical principles and expects others to follow suit / Is known to espouse and apply a high set of ethical and moral principles
Openly values honesty / Presents truthful information in an appropriate and helpful manner / Is respected as a credible source and a proven confidant / Is indisputably trusted to keep confidences and to protect sensitive information, even to his or her own detriment
Understands and values the importance of trust / Can be trusted to keep confidences / Keeps confidences even when pressured to compromise / Keeps confidences and promotes the value of trust and respect for personal confidences throughout the organization
Is conscious of his or her personal value system when faced with difficult situations / Consistently applies personal values to appropriately address difficult situations / Stays true to his or her values even when it is unpopular to do so / Stays true to his or her values, regardless of internal and external pressures
Interpersonal skills
Overview
Is warm and easy to approach; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact to diffuse tense situations; has a style and charm that immediately puts others at ease and disarms hostility.
Proficiency level
Level 1: Basic / Level 2: Intermediate / Level 3: Advanced / Level 4: ExpertIs pleasant and friendly and builds rapport with people / Is warm, pleasant, and gracious; easy to approach and engage in conversation / Builds constructive and effective relationships inside and outside the organization / Easily builds lasting, constructive, and mutually beneficial relationships with other individuals and groups
Builds constructive relationships with people in his or her area / Builds strong relationships with others inside and outside his or her area or organization / Makes an extra effort to put others at ease with a warm, friendly, and accepting demeanor / Has a style and charm that immediately puts others at ease and disarms hostility
Tolerates others' idiosyncrasies / Uses diplomacy and tact to diffuse tense situations comfortably / Diffuses even high-tension situations; respected as a diplomat, treating others with respect, patience, and consideration / Values diversity, generating an air of acceptance and goodwill toward everyone
Intuitively gifted in diffusing volatile interpersonal situations and disarming troublemakers
Listening
Overview
Practices attentive and active listening; has the patience to hear people out; can accurately restate the opinions of others even when he or she disagrees.
Proficiency level
Level 1: Basic / Level 2: Intermediate / Level 3: Advanced / Level 4: ExpertIs attentive and listens to others / Listens carefully, paying full attention to the speaker / Has a good reputation for patiently and politely listening to others / Practices attentive and active listening, often paraphrasing the message of the speaker to ensure understanding
Allows others the opportunity to speak / Has the patience to hear people out / Takes time to digest what he or she hears before responding / Makes solid eye contact, intuitively absorbing the gist of the message
Is considerate of the opinions of others / Considers opinions of others even when he or she disagrees / Refrains from interrupting or correcting the speaker, allowing the other person to make his or her point / Accurately restates the opinions of others even when he or she disagrees
Managing relationships
Overview
Responds and relates well to people in all positions; is seen as a team player and is cooperative; looks for common ground and solves problems for the good of all.
Proficiency level
Level 1: Basic / Level 2: Intermediate / Level 3: Advanced / Level 4: ExpertRelates well to peers and to those in positions of authority / Responds and relates well to peers and to those in positions of authority / Responds and relates well to people in all positions, inside and outside his or her organization or field of expertise / Responds and relates extremely well to people in all positions, initiating and maintaining relationships inside and outside his or her organization and field of expertise
Can be a team player and is cooperative / Is seen as a team player and is cooperative / Quickly finds common ground and tries to solve problems for all / Builds trust and leads teams, encouraging others to step out of their comfort zones to form new interpersonal relationships
Can solve problems with peers with a minimum of noise / Looks for common ground and solves problems for the good of all / Values experience and likes to learn from those who have been there before / Esteems those with experience, and openly relies on their expertise to benefit the organization
Is confident, relaxed with, and well-regarded by peers / Represents his or her own interests and yet is fair to other groups / Encourages collaboration and easily gains trust and support of others / Has a knack for diplomacy and fosters goodwill between groups and organizations
Managing vision and purpose
Overview
Communicates a compelling and inspired vision or sense of core purpose; makes the vision sharable by everyone; can inspire and motivate entire units or organizations.
Proficiency level
Level 1: Basic / Level 2: Intermediate / Level 3: Advanced / Level 4: ExpertCommunicates a vision or sense of purpose to those within sphere of influence / Communicates vision and purpose with enthusiasm and encourages others to buy in / Creates a compelling and inspired vision or sense of core purpose and clearly communicates it to the organization / Is a gifted visionary, anticipating future trends and artfully crafting a broad vision incorporating many groups and organizations
Is optimistic about future possibilities / Talks beyond today and is optimistic about his or her role in impacting the future / Generates a sense of expectancy and optimism in others, vibrantly recruiting support for the vision / Impassions others with a strong sense of purpose, and convinces them of the need and urgency to wholeheartedly give their support
Can inspire and motivate others within area or group / Consistently inspires and motivates others within area or group / Inspires and motivates entire units or organizations / Instinctively discerns what drives his or her audience and deftly ignites and steers their sense of purpose to a common goal
Motivating others
Overview
Creates a climate in which people want to do their best; can assess each person’s strengths and use them to get the best out of him or her; promotes confidence and optimistic attitudes; is someone people like working for and with.
Proficiency level
Level 1: Basic / Level 2: Intermediate / Level 3: Advanced / Level 4: ExpertMaintains a climate in which people want to do their best / Creates and maintains a climate in which people want to do their best / Empowers others and energizes them to do and to be their best / Inspires and motivates whole organizations with ample positive energy
Is aware of each person’s strengths but does not consistently use this knowledge to motivate his or her actions / Assesses each person’s strengths and uses them to get the best out of him or her / Looks for positive attributes and concretely reinforces them, promoting confidence and optimistic attitudes / Recognizes each person’s strengths, development needs, and professional goals, and inspires them to succeed
Makes individuals feel his or her work is important; is someone people like working for and with / Invites input from each person and shares ownership and visibility / Designs and provides incentives to encourage widespread participation and regularly incorporates stress-busters to minimize pressure points / Appropriately rewards and acclaims individuals, groups, and organizations for stellar achievements
Able to motivate a limited range of individuals within the organization / Able to motivate a wide range of individuals, including direct reports, team members, and project members / Successfully motivates people and organizational units / Successfully motivates the entire organization
Negotiating
Overview
Can negotiate skillfully in difficult situations; can settle differences with minimum noise; can win concessions without damaging relationships; thoughtfully fashions creative solutions that satisfy all parties.
Proficiency level
Level 1: Basic / Level 2: Intermediate / Level 3: Advanced / Level 4: ExpertMediates equitable solutions in his or her area / Negotiates skillfully in difficult situations; settles differences with minimum noise / Takes on complex and controversial battles within and outside of the organization / Is a masterful negotiator; is sought out by organizations to mediate prolonged, complex, and difficult disputes
Can be diplomatic / Is direct and forceful, as well as diplomatic / Wins concessions without damaging relationships / Smoothly draws combatants to the table and calmly promotes compromise
Consciously studies motivations of counterparts during negotiations / Adeptly understands motivations of counterparts and incorporates knowledge into negotiations / Thoughtfully fashions creative solutions that satisfy all parties / Consistently crafts solutions with maximum value for all parties
Can garner others' trust / Gains trust quickly of other parties to the negotiations / Is known as a fair, unbiased mediator
Personal learning and development
Overview
Is personally committed to and actively works to continuously improve himself or herself; recognizes the need to change personal, interpersonal, and managerial behavior; actively seeks feedback.
Proficiency level
Level 1: Basic / Level 2: Intermediate / Level 3: Advanced / Level 4: ExpertParticipates in activities for self-improvement / Works to continuously improve himself or herself / Is personally committed to continually improving himself or herself and rigorously pursues multiple means to do so / Is dedicated to continuous learning and self-improvement, and aggressively undertakes activities to enrich intellect, to build new skills, and to hone existing skills
Recognizes the need to develop personal, interpersonal, or managerial behavior / Works to deploy strengths, compensating for weaknesses and limits / Readily gets involved in activities that will challenge and stretch current skills and intellectual prowess / Continually expends his or her talents and gifts to the fullest, participating in a variety of events and pursuits designed to build on strengths
Is aware that different skills and approaches are required for various situations / Picks up on the need to change personal, interpersonal, or managerial behavior quickly / Actively seeks feedback from others to determine areas in which he or she can best improve / Earnestly garners feedback, and acts upon it to improve perceived weaknesses and limitations and to build a repertoire of skills
Is responsive to reactions of others regarding his or her influence and performance / Watches others for their reactions to his or her attempts to influence and perform, and adjusts / Learns from success and failures, and helps others to benefit from their experiences / Is a role model for those who strive for personal excellence
Reacts to changing demands / Reads changing demands and responds accordingly / Monitors conditions to anticipate the need to change / Demonstrates mastery of agility in meeting changing conditions
Valuing diversity
Overview
Manages all kinds and classes of people equitably; supports equal and fair treatment and opportunity for all; fosters a climate of inclusion, where diverse thoughts are freely shared and integrated.
Proficiency level
Level 1: Basic / Level 2: Intermediate / Level 3: Advanced / Level 4: ExpertAble to work effectively with a diverse range of people / Manages all kinds and all classes of people equitably / Actively recruits people from diverse backgrounds to work together in groups / Demonstrates an honest respect and appreciation for cultural diversity
Sees value in having a diverse population in the organization / Deals effectively with all races, nationalities, cultures, disabilities, ages, and genders / Supports fair treatment and equal opportunity for all and enforces that policy within his/her sphere of influence / Incorporates consideration of all classes, races, nationalities, cultures, disabilities, and genders into organizational policy and promotions
Supports fair treatment and equal opportunity for all / Includes everyone in extending opportunity for employment and advancement / Provides programs to foster and enrich cultural understanding and promotes cross-cultural interaction / Creates a climate that treats interface between diverse people and groups as the norm
Is receptive to diverse thoughts and alternative perspectives, and incorporates them into his or her work / Actively seeks and integrates diverse thoughts and perspectives in order to develop more robust plans and solutions / Fosters a climate of inclusion, where diverse thoughts are freely shared and integrated to develop plans and solutions that are best suited to circumstances / Reputation for receptiveness to thought diversity makes this individual a magnet for diverse thoughts and perspectives; fosters an organizational climate of inclusion that integrates the best ideas from many varied voices
Culturally educates constituents and encourages cross-cultural interaction, both inside and outside the organization