SWE Competency Model

SWE Competency Model

Competency Model for SWE Leaders

SWE’s leadership competency model was created through member interviews along with a survey of current SWE leaders and those involved in training SWE leaders. The data collected from these interviews and surveys helped us find themes of what is valued amongst the membership regarding leadership. The model was largely developed with the intention of guiding our professional development of future and current leaders within SWE. As SWE continues to grow its professional development program the competency model will serve as the basis for developing leadership skill-sets. In addition to informing our process of developing leadership curricula, the competency model will be used to help members reflect and assess where they may need to hone their leadership skills. The leadership model as it currently stands consists of four areas:

· Leadership Abilities

· Communication

· Business Knowledge

· Self Management.

These four categories each include several specific leadership competencies that a SWE leader should strive to learn. The competencies, or skills, that they learn and hone will serve them well as leaders within SWE and also within their career. One primary high-level goal is for the skills that our members develop through our professional development programs are transferable to the workplace. That is where we as a professional society provide value for our membership.

1 - Communication: cultivating effective and strategic relationships.

· Communicate plans and activities in a manner that supports strategies for teamwork.

· Conflict resolution and management by skillfully settling differences in a positive and constructive manner.

· Leverages diversity and differences by leading and supporting an inclusive environment. Seeks new perspectives to achieve the vision and mission of SWE.

· Influencing others through coalition building, inviting new perspectives, and clearly articulating the goals of SWE.

· Identify and collaborate with internal partners.

· Identify and collaborate with external partners.

· Build relationships that support SWE's mission and strategic objectives.

· Apply effective communication and interpersonal skills through actively listening to the needs of colleagues, sharing relevant information and expectations, and treating colleagues with respect.

2 - Leadership: applying leadership competencies when developing and executing strategy.

· Developing and empowering others.

· Visioning by taking the long view of the organization, building a shared vision for SWE members’ role, acting as a catalyst for organizational change, and inspiring others to succeed within SWE.

· Provide and support an environment for continuous improvement.

· Promote and support appropriate change as an essential part of SWE’s success as an organization.

· Maintain a high standard of professionalism and ethics.

· Be an advocate for the role of women in STEM.

· Results oriented through delivering on strategic goals.

· Evidence based decision making; using the best evidence available in making decisions that impact the organization.

· Taking initiative and making smart risks through the encouragement of creative. Thinking, supporting and guiding new ideas, and empowering others to take risks.

· Knowledgeable of change management strategies and processes.

3 – Business Knowledge & Management

· Strategic planning through the development of effective strategies consistent with the mission of SWE. Sees the big picture and understands how to determine organizational objectives and set priorities.

· Manage finances of SWE to meet organizational needs.

· Apply effective management skills (e.g., problem solving, interpersonal skills, delegation and supervision).

· Professional knowledge and skills by being aware of industry changes, developments and emerging issues affecting women in STEM.

4 – Self Management & Development

· Pursuit of lifelong learning through the mastery of new knowledge, embracing new ideas, and shares new ideas.

· Self-reflection and assessment through recognizing strengths and weaknesses, seeks feedback from others and learns from failure.

· Tolerates ambiguity by taking priority changes and unforeseen developments in stride as well as leads with a firm sense of purpose in an environment of uncertainty.

· Flexibility by being open to change and new information/perspectives.