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More than 200 advancement professionals from 17 Big Ten universities met recently at the annual B1G Development Conference at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. They came together to discuss best practices related to fundraising trends, strengths, and challenges across campuses in the U.S.
Andy Hibel, HigherEdJobs co-founder and chief operating officer, moderated a plenary session, “Cultivating Tomorrow’s Leaders: Strategies for Identifying, Developing, and Empowering Emerging Talent” at the event. He is also secretary of The Hibel Family Foundation and a planned giving advocate for the foundation’s Planned Giving Initiative.
Experts on the panel — who all hail from the University of Illinois — discussed the identification, empowerment, and development of emerging talent.
Hibel, whose career in higher education began in philanthropy, kicked off the conversation by setting the scene in the advancement realm. He described traditional requirements for leaders in advancement and how the aging workforce has opened doors for younger professionals.
Identifying Emerging Talent
Brent Roberts, Edward William and Jane Marr Gutgsell Endowed Professor of psychology, provided an overview of the best “soft skills” or qualities to look for in a leader.
He explained the five domains of soft skills including:
- Social engagement
- Cooperation skills, a genesis for teamwork, perspective, and trust
- Self-regulation, defined as strength of character and being conscientious
- Emotional resilience or stress tolerance
- Innovation skills, creativity
Brianna Marcelo, assistant chancellor for culture, learning, and engagement, talked about sharing the positive attributes about an institution to potential candidates.
She said that institutions should look at career paths differently and be open about how experiences can translate to the job you are filling.
“The fit has to go both ways, you want them, and they want you,” Marcelo said. Keep in mind that the approach needs to be in alignment, you’re not just there to sell the institution.
She also discussed preparing employees to thrive in an environment that values resilience and agility. Your new potential coworkers should be adaptable and creative.
“As an organization, are you training around issues — creating a culture that matches agility with recovery time?” This equates to how athletes recover after a big game, she said.
Ingrid Fulmer, advisor for strategic initiatives in the Office of the Provost, discussed the importance of career-related support systems and psychosocial assistance. She is also a professor and former dean of the School of Labor and Employee Relations.
Leaders often feel they should have all the answers, that they should be strong and self-reliant. They may also feel like they cannot talk to anyone in their organization due to image concerns, supervisory responsibilities, politics, and competition.
Fulmer said that psychological safety should be part of belongingness at your institution.
Demystify the myth of a hard-to-reach leader, she said. Leaders could share their stories of how they didn’t get to where they are alone and show vulnerability.
Other advice she provided:
- Have leadership support be part of the regular conversation with employees.
- Ask employees if they’ve thought about taking on leadership roles.
- As a leader, be willing to nominate people and be knowledgeable about people’s abilities.
Fulmer also discussed the support leaders can provide for a more sustainable and nurturing work environment.
Provide networking opportunities for people outside of work, she said. Interact with your teams as a person, not necessarily as a leader. Establish or nurture an environment where employees feel safe and will bring issues to you. Make what’s implicit explicit.
Empowering Emerging Talent through Support
Next, Marcelo described the frameworks that provide a foundation for success for teams with emerging talent.
Develop a growth mindset and implement the use of assessment tools. On the organizational level, highlight the organization’s values.
“Leadership happens at every level,” she said.
Roberts talked about how leaders can help their teams enhance essential skills. What strategies and policies can be implemented to support this approach?
“Think beyond the traditional learning approach of sitting in presentations,” he said.
Athletes get uncomfortable in their training to improve their performance. Training for leaders should function similarly, taking people outside of their comfort zones.
Quick fixes are not the right tactic, said Roberts. Provide space to fail if you try an approach that isn’t a hit.
If you need help with social skills, consider taking a theater class. If you aim to improve upon your empathy, consider working with hospice care. If you want to expand your creativity, consider learning to play a musical instrument.
“Embrace and love your failure,” he said.
Fulmer offered advice on how leaders can create a culture that encourages the development of new skills while also monitoring performance metrics.
She said that first, leaders should evaluate the organization’s culture to ensure things are going in the right strategic direction. Then, they should assess employee performance.
“What are the key jobs in the future, and what needs to happen to get you there?” she asked.
Keep conversations about criticism and improvements separate, Fulmer said.
Look for opportunities to help your team members expand upon what they are doing and to help them grow. This could mean contributing to a community-wide project, which allows employees to grow through experiences. Be thoughtful about succession planning and growth, too.
Developing Emerging Talent
The most effective leaders prioritize stress management and self-care habits. They do this consistently and proactively, rather than ignoring signs until their health suffers or burnout is imminent. However, this may be easier said than done.
Fulmer said leaders should make stress management an essential part of their toolkit.
“Invest in your own leadership,” she said. Or, as you hear at the start of a flight, put your mask on before you begin helping others.
Roberts said that leaders should be authentic, possess cooperation skills, and be willing to share their own experiences so that their teams better understand important concepts for leadership and teamwork.
“Be curious,” he added.
In an article published on HigherEdJobs, “Are You Asking Too Much of Your High Performers?,” the idea of “performance punishment” was discussed.
This means that leaders may expect more from high performers because they know they work at an elevated level. However, this can lead to employees becoming burned out or even put them at risk of leaving.
Marcelo said that rewarding high performance with a recovery period is key to balancing an employee’s development compared with setting unrealistic expectations.
“Don’t give them performance ‘punishment,'” she said.
