A Note from Ujima Donalson,
POD Director
In the summer issue I mentioned my anticipation of reading Crucial Accountability: Tools for Resolving Violated Expectations, Broken Commitments, and Bad Behavior. I’m happy to report that I kept my commitment! In fact, much of my reading over the past several months has helped me think more deeply about accountability and its significance, and that has prompted a two-part series on the subject here in the Leading Edge. Although accountability may seem like a relatively straightforward topic, creating a culture of accountability is quite complex.
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"The weakest link in a chain is the strongest because it can break it." ~ Stanislaw Jerzy Lec
Breaking Through the Accountability Barrier
Ujima Donalson, POD Director
As the book Crucial Accountability aptly illustrates, most of us simply aren’t comfortable with confronting people—whether that’s the stranger who cuts in line at the movies or the employee who misses a deadline. Looking the other way in the movie line is one thing; that only affects us at a specific place for a short time. We will get to the front of the line, and only a few seconds or minutes later than without the breach.
One might think that in the workplace, where the stakes are higher and the impacts longer-term, people would be more likely to speak up. But research, as well as many of our own experiences, shows that few excel at holding others accountable. The good news is that, daunting though it may seem, we can break through the cultural barrier of staying silent as well as the nearly universal personal barrier of avoiding confrontation. Read more
Your Part in The Whole U
Kimberly Mishra, Director, HR Marketing, Communications, & Engagement
Kettlebells, cooking demos, talent showcases, and family photo days. UW leaders and scholars offering insights and advice. Social groups, team and individual challenges, discounts, and contests. So, what is this Whole U thing exactly, and what role can you play in it?
As we prepared to launch The Whole U last year, many endeavored to define it. Some characterized it as a wellness program while others categorized it as employee engagement. The Whole U is both of these things—and so much more. It’s difficult to pigeonhole because it was intended to be both global and individual, broad and specific. The program is designed to be different things to different people so that faculty and staff can take full advantage of the University’s amazing resources and experts in myriad ways.
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"Never interrupt someone doing what you said couldn't be done." ~ Amelia Earhart
Ask an Expert: Successful Succession Planning
Renée Hanson, Training & Organizational Development Consultant, POD
After thirteen years at the UW I had a final challenge, a double whammy that many of you will one day face: positioning one or more successors and transitioning to retirement. As is common at the University, my role was multi-faceted, and the hats I wore as manager of POD’s University Consulting Alliance, senior consultant, and facilitator of the Leadership Agility Series needed to be passed on. For my consultant role, POD Director Ujima Donalson set us up for success by involving me in the candidate interviews, onboarding my successor as early as possible, and asking that I introduce our new hire—Linda Callecod—to my network. Read more
"Work like a dog being taken for a walk, instead of an ox being yoked to the plow." ~ Paul Graham
Thorud Leadership Award Nominations Open
Consider nominating a colleague who inspires others through superlative leadership and service to the University. Award recipients will be chosen based on demonstrated leadership, innovation, teamwork, and the achievement of larger-scale goals.
Those selected to receive this year’s award will be presented with $2,500 and honored in the University’s Annual Awards of Excellence ceremony in spring. Visit the David B. Thorud Leadership Award site for more information and to nominate UW staff and faculty. Nominations close December 5.
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