Pathways to Leadership

Overview

This programme is for faculty managers, school/centre managers and managers of sections and units in central administration who wish to further enhance their leadership skills. As an indicative guide, this is likely to be staff in the range HEW 8-10

UWA recognizes the importance of providing development opportunities to its leaders, which will equip them to face the many challenges of leadership in the university sector. This new programme, part of the UWA Leadership Framework, has been designed to meet the needs of professional staff. It will support the development of enhanced leadership capacity, enabling participants to have a significant impact on their faculty school/centre, section or unit. It will encourage the development of new insights, knowledge and skills as well as the opportunity to expand networks.

The programme runs from May 2008 to December 2008.

Sponsors

The programme is sponsored by:

• Professor Margaret Seares, Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor
• Peter Curtis, Executive Director (Academic Services) and Registrar
• Gaye McMath, Executive Director (Finance and Resources)

Sponsors will

• Endorse the programme and provide support and encouragement to participants
• Provide input to the selection of programme participants
• Attend some sessions as guest speakers, including helping to define the role expected of leaders in faculties, schools and offices in the University
• Provide support / sponsorship to action learning projects, which will be undertaken by participants and drawn from high priority leadership/management issues
• Host opening and closing dinners

Aims

This programme aims to

• Enhance leadership skills and understanding
• Encourage cross-institutional sharing
• Enhance capacity to lead and manage human, financial and physical resources
• Extend personal networks
• Provide support for leaders working in a complex environment

Principles

Mix of central administration and faculty staff

This programme supports the ‘one staff one university’ principle and will provide opportunities for professional staff located in faculties and in central administration to work together in a rich learning environment. The opportunity to share information, skills and experiences is intended to help ‘break down the silos’ that exists between different areas of the University. Networking will be a major focus, and we hope that participants will build strong working relationships which will strengthen your leadership practice for years to come.

Mix of genders

The programme is open to both men and women and will have 25 participants.

Selection by invitational and self-nomination processes

Participants on the programme will be chosen by a mix of invitational and self-nomination processes. We use this approach to promote diversity within the programme cohort and to ensure that a wide range of views and perspectives will contribute to a rich and varied learning environment.

• Invitational:

  Those participants invited to attend will be chosen with a view to ensuring a balance of new and experienced staff; ensuring representation from a variety of schools, faculties, offices and sections; representation of on-campus and off-campus locations; and a spread of ages/generations.

• Self-nominating:

  In addition to those invited to participate, up to eight places have been made available for people to self-nominate so that individuals can use this opportunity to further develop their leadership potential. If you are self-nominating, you will need to complete the application form (see bottom of this page).

Link to PDR

Whether selection is by invitation or self-nomination, there will be a link to the PDR process. Special consideration will be given to applicants who have had leadership development identified as a desirable future activity in their PDR discussions.

Programme elements

The programme will contain the following elements:

• 360-degree feedback to identify areas of strength and developmental needs
• Foundation residential workshop with opening by sponsors
• DiSC profiling tool to understand behavioural preferences as leaders and how these impact on others
• Individual leadership plans for self-directed learning
• Action learning in cross-institutional teams dealing with a real and high priority leadership/management issues
• Participation in networking group ‘Food for Talk’
• Case Study of an imaginary School in financial difficulties
  • Contextualized experience of financial and human resource and other skills needed in complex leadership/management situations
• Four half-day workshops on topics relevant to the needs identified for the cohort
• Closing dinner attended by sponsors

360-degree feedback process

The Quality Leadership Profile (QLP) is a 360-degree feedback process which summarises self, peer, staff and supervisor perceptions of your leadership and management behaviour in your current role. QLP survey assesses eight key competencies of leadership behaviour. The results of the survey provide valuable information which will help you devise a development plan specific to your needs and context. The 360-degree feedback process will commence in May and be completed before the Foundation Residential Workshop in June.

Foundation Residential Workshop

The residential workshop will be held at The Vines Resort on Wednesday 25 and Thurs 26 June 2008. It will include theory and practical exercises, and provide a foundation for the activities/learning for the remainder of the programme. It is also an important opportunity to build networks and a strong group cohort. It will include the opening dinner, which will be hosted by the sponors.

DiSC Profiling tool

This self-assessment process will help you identify the preferences that you have for leadership, communication and teamwork. This understanding will strengthen your ability to act flexibly as a leader in varying contexts.

Action Learning Projects

You will be asked to participate in a small, manageable group project, which will address a university issue of your choosing. Working with other participants you will identify the problem/issue you wish to address, the performance indicators which will identify whether the problem has been solved/alleviated, and a reward that you would like to receive for meeting the performance indicators and successfully completing the project. The outcomes expected are:

• To solve/alleviate an important issue/problem
• Cross institutional sharing of ideas and practice
• Enhanced collegiality
• Receive a reward for successfully completing your chosen objective

Margaret Seares, Peter Curtis and Gaye McMath, will review intended projects, performance indicators and rewards and will act as sponsors of the projects.

Case Study of a School in Financial Difficulties

This one day case study will provide an opportunity to explore the complex interaction of financial and human factors which are inherent in managing a school or office out of a deficit. This case study is also part of a broader university programme, and in addition to yourselves, invitees will include Deans, Heads of School, Faculty Managers, School Managers and Directors of relevant areas including Human Resources and Financial Resources.

Workshops

As a result of the 360-degree feedback, the DiSC analysis and other needs analyses undertaken at the Foundation Residential Workshop, we will identify up to 4 half day workshops addressing development needs within the group. These will be scheduled, in consultation with you, between July and December 2008.

Food for Talk Network

You will be given the option to attend selected Food for Talk lunchtime networking meetings, to increase the opportunity for you to meet with other leaders, to share information, discuss issues and build working relationships.

Time commitment

The time commitment will be to a 2 day residential workshop, a one-day case study and up to four half day workshops. There will also be work on a project of your choice, which will be a current strategic initiative within your area of responsibility. It is therefore likely to be substantially part of your leadership responsibilities and workload, although there will be some extra time required to meet with other members of your project team drawn from the Pathways to Leadership cohort.

Application process

• Invited participants

  Sponsors will nominate up to 17 participants of cohort of 25. If you are invited by your Head or Director to attend, please contact Vivienne Blake on 2136 (vivienne.blake@uwa.edu.au) to confirm your attendance.

• Self-nominated participants

  The remaining 8 places will be offered to people who self-nominate.

  • Those who self-nominate will need to complete the application form.
  • Selections will be made by a selection panel consisting of
    • A representative from each sponsor
    • OSDS facilitator Vivienne Blake
    • one independent person.