Leading on All Levels

Helping Individual Contributors Build Leadership Skills

In today’s workplace, a job title alone does not determine one’s ability or authority to lead. Individual contributors at the University make big contributions to our mission and can have a tremendous amount of influence on those around them.

The Leading on All Levels (LoAL) program can help you develop your leadership within the University's leadership competency model. This program will also equip you to better navigate your leadership journey at the University. Whether you manage projects, informally lead the work of others on teams, or want to plan your career path at the U, you can learn about your strengths and how to lead without formal authority.

Upcoming sessions:

The dates for the 2024 LoAL Cohort are being finalized. Sign up for notifications of future cohort offerings by signing up on our interested list

A Few Notes About the Online Cohort

  • Due to the online nature of the course, participants will need a computer, internet, microphone, and camera.
  • This cohort includes an average of from one to three hours of individual and group work between each session. 
  • Some content would be synchronous sessions (live via Zoom) and some would be asynchronous (on your own time). We understand that you may not be able to attend all the sessions (missing one is okay), however, to get the most out of this cohort you should try to join each synchronous session.
  • In all sessions, we work to create a cohesive and psychologically safe environment to share our professional development in a confidential way. That said, we appreciate and acknowledge that in our work environment children, partners, family members, and pets may also be in our collective workspace and we will normalize that.
  • Leading on All Levels is intended for individual contributors on all system campuses who are not supervisors who are interested in discovering how to develop and use their leadership skills to advance their careers at the University. 

Contact ltd@umn.edu with questions regarding the program.

Course Benefits

  • Receive a personal development assessment (Hogan Leader Focus) for insights into your leadership strengths. Note: Your results will not be shared with your supervisor.
  • Explore other forms of leadership beyond formal supervision.
  • Expand your professional network across the University.
  • Align your development to the University’s leadership competencies.
  • Build awareness of your strengths and opportunities for growth.
  • Participate remotely in a highly interactive group project and presentation.
  • Create an Individual Development Plan to continue building your leadership skills post-program.

Testimonials from past participants 

Mark Keaveny
Marc Keaveny,
Academic Support Resources - IT

The program was a great opportunity to reflect upon and evaluate my leadership skills. I think the program highlighted the importance of being open and responsive to different communication styles. It also reaffirmed that there are resources at the University for employees seeking professional development.   

Monica Wittstock
Monica Wittstock,
Law School Communications

My experience in Leading on All Levels has continued to resonate with me. I frequently access my results of the Hogan Learning Assessment as well as some of the content from the pre-work units. I am in frequent contact with members of my cohort. I became a supervisor and I think the program really helped me think about others' work styles and ways to foster professional development in staff I supervise.