Sample# 1 is the newly appointed Having held the position previouslyhas been the acting supervisor of our department for five years - playing an integral role in the continued growth and success of our educational programs and client portfolio. Our client focused vision and mission requires our department to be agile, flexible, and immediately responsive to our clients' needs. This requires our department to continually strive to meet and exceed client expectations while being innovative in our approach to improve service for the future. This is accomplished through creating a staff charged with autonomy, resources, support, and encouragement- the result of true servant leader. A servant leader is one who gives priority to, and fulfills the needs of, the individuals they serve. exercises this exact philosophy and is a Q.11e of p_kirid leader who ·enhances the drive and s~!t e_ steel'T)_ofhls employees. H~ ·instil_ls t~~ confidence in each ofus to explore neV./ways of.; conducting our business, initiate new strategy, and.create new methodology to improve ?: cwrenJ pro~ess, . ~r,i~ proc~.dW~- In doing so, he takes actio~_"tqp·~~-~id~ ·;3~diti.o~~.l,~~i~u·r~es tq; bring a• new. q:mcept to light or provides support .to cirq1myent ch.aJlenges we. .fac~. His• . ~~rnard_; ..• . . ·"' - • . - ··- .• . •• ·'··· .·•·. . . :;! for.his ideas, ·challenges, well-being and health .creates of high "'....... employees' . .. ·.·. .... _an .environment ... . ·rnC!f'!lei ~ ~, . team is tightly integrated; ~ach role's success is interdependent of Ou another. Communication is a key component to linking each piece of our team togetherenc9urages a true open door policy; facilitating interactive dialogue and enhancing teamJ morale.1 This'open communication also encourages each of us to co_n nect on a personal level~ Our team's culture is fostered by the respect and com' passion ia"r ~-ach individual. ~as 3 invested quality' time and energy in getting to know each of.us on a personal level and has} grown . .. . . to"' underst_ - ... .... ' ..a .nd. '"Ol,Jr own strengths, weaknesses, id iosyncrasies; and styles. Because:_ of ;J this, he knows when to provide more support,~when to allow time and space to accomplish a? task indep~nd~ntly, and how to approach eqch of us in a ~~y\~hkh.is ~onstructive and positive? -l~ad~:~ship·style and investment in his employees is infectious and has re·s ulted in the! creation of~ high functioning and productive group of individuals:· . •.:,, ···~· In addition totaking action and creating an environment where we can share openly, he '.~ has treated an lnv.ironment in which each of us feels that we are .v.alued and appreciated for our work and efforts. Our team receives this appreciation from by a simple 'good morning' or 'how are you'. This helps ·c reate a comfortable workp lace we.all enjoy coming to and qrn ~trjve ;in. It is evidentcares about each of us as a whole and expresses this by showing an interest not only in our professional achievement, but in. our personal ones as well: also works as ari"active mentor and c·areer coach for each of us'. Because he has been an integral member of the department withi~ since he first started with the university ten years ago, h~ brings:_a 1.,mique Vantage point to gu!de .each of 1..fs down a -~ path of our-own development: Having worked in the various r,b les within this department, he has a well rounded and diverse und erstanding of each individual's daily activities and tasks. ~He 1 car:.ries.an empathetic approach to his leadership style to help us overcome our challenges _and :; n::ic>Y.~ forw~rd. i.n our development1 In addition, akes the time to make a' personal ~ inves.t ment i.n each of his employees by providing .consistent feedback to rei~force : · accompJi_shments as well as make improvements when opportunities are missed. -; Overall,~ is a charismatic servant leasJe.r whose style h~lps, enhance our team morale as~ well as o.ur personal and .Professional development.\ His consistent support; understanding, and , f~~~~~-~~)o~te·r~· ~~ark environment which allows each of us to work independently.and.. ~ interdependentlY:, It is an honor to work with him, learn from him, and be an active contributor to ~~~-t~am's ov~rall vision, mission, and values. ( Sample# 2 It is indeed with great respect, admiration and enthusiasm that we recommend for the University Leadership Awardleadership is exemplarY. She 1.e ads by example. On a daily basis ~en:ionstrates a positive attitude and team work by engaging the staff's ideas;·creativlty, opinions, and solutions in the ~ervices provided, and challenges that we face .- attitude is one of, NHow can we make this work for our students:... ~ervice in the School of spans 30 years. She ~ruly extends he rself to the staff as mentor, colleague al}d f~iend, This has resulted in a staff that loves their jobs!10ur are dedicated to serving our students effectively and efficiently through diverse programs that have been developed through her leadership and encouragement for the staff to try new ideas and design new stratesies and programs for student success. Our counseling services are comprehensive from day one for our entering freshman and new transfer students through graduation. What is so amazing is that our student population has grown immensely from 2,500 students a few years back, to our current enrollment of 4,422 majors in· · · · · - with the sa me number of academic counselors! The • • • • • • counselors do not leave their jobs and have a total of 112 years in our counseling positions· (6 full time and 3 part time counselors). This is a result o leadership, innovation and the support that she provides to the staff. She makes it possible for the counselors to attend conferences outside of UCI, and also promotes staff development for not only counselors, but all counselors on topics such as working with students that have special needs, and serving the needs of a diverse student population. When a counselors across campus request special staff training to do our jobs more effectively, makes it happen in her role as The staff has embraced the challenges and changes needed with the decreasing Unive rsity resources throug~ leading the charge for excellence in serving our students without diminishing the quality, accessibility and diversity of services to meet student needs. - continually demonstrates the value that she puts on job equity and working together as a team. In her role as- does what all counselors do: answers the phones at the front desk once a week, does desk duty/afternoon shift, and walk in counseling. This is what makes her a great leader, she is on the front line with all of her staff---addressing the student issues and also what the counselors are challenged with. She definitely has her pulse on the entire operation of our counseling office and is engaged with the staff totally. The following excerpts from the counselors highlight her character, unique style, and wonderful leadership capabilities: #1 'fs always fostered very positive camaraderie among the staff here i~ tudent Affairs. When we are presented with challenges (as an office) - we all "roll up our sleeves" and pitch in to help one another sets this tone, this expectation: true team work. We all gladly cover for eoch other if someone is out ill or has some personal matters to take care ofis approachable and warm and has a good sense of humor. We hove on office habit that is quite unusual, in that most days, we all eat lunch together- and we really enjoy it! No one has ever required us to do this - we just do, because we enjoy each other's company wd our quirks! Our office is one-minded; we focus on serving our students the best we can with accuracy and integrity an 'eods the way through example. {I have worked undesupervision for 17 years). ~2 I have been here at UC/ in ~tudent Affairs since 1992 - 19 years. m ihos clearly been an outstanding office to work in. All Jf us have been here for many many years and this can be attributed to the atmosphere created whi~h starts wit~ las always been first among her counterparts on campus to find ways to be innovative and creative in facilitating programs, >olicies, training, etc. In doing so this has allowed all of us to grow within our profession. We work independently but know we can ·efy on each other for support. Not Jost on this is the most important aspect of what we do and that is to provide informed, effective md efficient service to our students. There is o balance that must be maintained in an office such as ours as we enforce policy, which rt times can be difficult has mastered the ability to work with counterparts campus wide, faculty, staff, etc. towards finding solutions. She constantly thinks outside of the box and handles the challenges of enforcing and delivering student policies effortlessly. I know that we really do like each other here inStudent Affairs and there is a supportive and caring atmosphere that extends beyond Bom - Spm. - dedication and leadership certainly merits this award. #3 I was aware of- reputation as on exceptional leader before I come to work in1im5tudent Affairs. As on employee in another academic counseling office, I noted her dynamic personality and the happiness and camaraderie of the people she supervised. It was these factors that influenced my desire to work with, and fa~ should the opportunity present itself. Now, having worked withfor over five years, I understand why th~ounselors I observed in the past were happ~ promotes a very team-oriented environment. Stoff meetings ore collaborative and we are encouraged to come up with new approaches to systems and projectsalso allows the staff to gravitate towards, and assume responsibility for tasks and projects they hove an affinity for. This type of management and support enables each person to find greater fulfillment in their job, and helps the office as o whole to adapt to the constant changes we are presented with, due to o rapidly growing student population, budget cuts, and changes in policy. I also appreciateability to balance monageriol duties with day-to-day cou,nseling responsibilities. Her willingness to play a regular role in front-line student advising, despite her many other obligations as• • • keeps her informed and in touch with staff and students, providing a very supportive environment. Under j leadership, I feel that our office is productive, well-bolonced, and a fun place to work. I could not envision wanting to work elsewhere on campus. #~ is very open person that welcomes and shows she values the opinions of her employees. She is very in-tuned to oil our personalities and works with us individually to help us exercise our potential, giving us responsibilities she knows are our strengths. I feel she has all our best interest ot heart. She has always been very supportive and understanding. I feel I do my job better because I know I hove the support of the office and the freedom and flexibility to work in my own way. She's very positive, provides positive f eedbock and constructive recommendations for us to our jobs better. I feel very comfortable coming to her when I need help. She is o leader because she values her team. #5 in the past eighteen years that I have been in I have watched~···work with people not just in our office but around the campus. The time and effort that she puts towards this office, the university, and all people in general is shown by the respect and appreciation she is given. A testimony to her leadership and confidence that counselors have Jo across Schools at UC/, is the fact that she has been the Chair of the for many years now--guiding the evolution of academic policy, programs and processes. #6outstanding leadership has created an environment for all of us in the office to contribute effectively. Her extraordinary style of leadership hos united the office as a whole. #7 is excellent at managing her staff with an eclectic approach. In managing the office she uses her experience, wisdom, sense af humor, and openness to generate new ideas in the evolution of services. She is aware of what needs to be done and lets you do what you need to do to get it done. She is very encouraging and goes out of her way to think of ways ta motivate her staff and thus creating a very strong retention amongst our staff! Each of us feels that we have grown professionally and personally through her leadership. Her intuitiveness, love for learning, commitment to social responsibility, and sense of humor are very special qualities that she possesses. Combined with her expertise on academic senate and University regulations/policies, the education of UC/ students, and the dedication t? the School of --she is the BEST leader and we feel very fortunate to work with her. Each of the counselor's is happy to come to work every day, and go the extro mile for our students wit~ as our leader. She truly instills a passion for our work and loyalty to the University. In conclusion- exhibits the kind of work ethic and professionalism that one wishes were characteristics of al We believe the time has arrived to formally and materially acknowledg~ significant contributions to the University.leadership in the Student Affairs Office has significantly contributed to our understanding of the quote that we have heard: "Great leaders don't just lead; they bring out the best in everybody else too" For her Counseling staffexemplifies the world renowned philosophy of Mohammad Ghandi, .. be the change you want to see" Over the past 30 years she has Jed her staff with courage, integrity, wisdom and great enthusiasmis the outstanding leader that the University of California seeks to achieve in its mission of excellence. Sample # 3 Staff Assembly Excellence in Leadership Award ATTN: Ingrid Fahr, Staff Assembly Vice Chair Human Resources Zot 4600 .We are pleased to submit our nomination of , for the 2011 Staff Asse~xcellence in Leadership Award. As a member of the UC Irvine staff community for the past 26 ~held key leadership positions in the School o - - - - In his current post as a position he has held for 11 years oversees the planning, budgeting and administrative operations of the largest academic unit on campus consisting of an 85person staff, 137 faculty, undergraduate and graduate enrollments nearing 7,000 and a budget topping $25 howevermillion. Organizationally, it would appear as though he has 7 direct r~ As is responsible for the entire school staff and in this role and those past~as masterfully exhibited those traits and practices the Excellence Award was designed to recognize. Enhances s taff morale: Whether he's making tough decisions in order to effectively manage the school bud~ staff, or serving up hot dogs and hamburgers to hundreds of incoming freshmen during Welcome Wee~can always be counted on to be there making sure things are running smoothly, all with a smile on his face and a cheerful word for everyone. "When talking wit~ it is immediately clear that he genuinely cares about doing what is best for the school and for each member of the school's community," says "H.-~re.J_a.tes }_q__eyeryo!1~ ~i.th a special ple_ nd ~frespe~t afl .. tµt;lor_ . a! ~.sta 1s es tr:ust _ and q::spect~ He is adept at navigating complex issues and findin what will reall work, and doin so in a way that achieves agreement among di~perspectives." agrees, adding, "F_~ ~taffrriorale has always been attheforefrojit,_pµt_~spec.i~UY i~ ~h~~~; difficult ~u~getary times, he is will in to ste 04tside the box for ideas _and_~cti~ns~!<?~~\l~ff" and _t9_~~~ them_feel appreciate<!." Say frequent budget meeti·n~ "Over the past two years have kep! u~ informed/ He presen e e systein:'i\'1. e . udget belt-tightening as \~silnciS in Dndingsy{~Y.s _where rrio.iiey could be savea, ·~md in. d()_i!ig a RhCl:llenge to us all t? ~qty; upon ou! S_<\ :eally .mad_e. us (eel a Part.qf the sol ut_ioi;i." Adirect supervisor says;·is"latgely respoqs}ble. fo~. the_h~ppy staff en_virof1ment with~n " She references a recent review of staff satisfaction surveys in which personne p ace positive relationships with colleagues above or on par with the UC benefits packages and general university context among the positive reasons for work-in on the campus: "This is a direct reflectiori-ofthe open and faifsfaffmanagemenf environment tha reates." . - ·· -.• .. ii.est ;_ . Builds an enriching work environment: The past three years have posed unique challenges to everyone working at the university, especially staff, who shoulder ever-increasing workloads increased uncertainty about job security, and, as a result, are under exceptional stress. LP.Jiis.role .. has~worked tirelessly. to p(ese_ rye _staffjobs ancL~tafisanjJ:y by maintaining a finn grip on the school's 'fmancial situation, ~engaging in smart contingency plarming in case the f»udget outlook worsens and alwa s reco· · izin the real value·that hi ualified and com etent s_taff <!.dd _to the universi recognizes that the sta are "constant y m mg an 1ovestmentJ in ~he university, and he make~. sure.that that ~yestn:i~nt, _is reciprocated>. He.ha5 also taken it upqn himself to1 ,counsel staff members in.difficult circumstances; - circumstances in many cases related to the economic do~nturn - and to ensure that 'staff know about the resources available at the university to support them. By f treatirig the staff as valuable human assets to Ule university instead of expendable lapor or lines on a budge!,· has been able to alle_viate some of the problems that have been caused by the ,ec<?,9omic c~i~i~ as ';"el! asg · boost staff morale, enhance teamw.ork under extreme! difficult circumstances, and kee the shi .o_f the scho~ol afloat'and he.ading in the right di_rection.'~ Says is a consummate professional in the extremely important sense that he'nevefloses his humanity,rega:rq for others or sense o~ humor duripg the col)._duct of bi_s job.1Given the constant pressures which come before the especially given the centralized nature of the school's organizationpersistent optimism and '.can-d6~8ftitude are nothing short of rem;rrkable. tHe understands that we are a community of people first, people who need to be treated with respect and dignity, people who ourselves face an assortment of pressures and problems on a daily basis, and people who require various levels oftrai~urture and encouragement to succeed. The success of our students, staff and faculty in- - which is considerable, is in no small measure due t~ ability to service and sb' well these varying....: ruia ~ometimes _conflicting - constituencies. ~ manage Serves as a mentor and/or supports career development: A sure sign of an exce tional leader is his/her abili to mentor and develo realm, sa s is w1t out peer. demonstrates his professionalism and true .interest in helping staff meet their pmfess.ional dev~l.opment goals by J consistently ~ncouraging them to seek opportunities to strengthen their skills. He is genuinely interested in the success of staff, which he regularly demonstrates by providing professional and career development OP. ortuniti f regarding their idea5 about such opportunitiesJ' agrees, adding, ·- -is an. i exc~llent role mo . e an as a ways een willing to mentor staff along their career paths while still ~ ,• them room to make ~ndependent decisions and choices in their own develo ment" The roof says~ersonnel manager is in the uca e an groome mos o our sc oo managers w1 _yneh. mg patie~ce and1 pudding. has pers.on is .free ~ countless hours. Even during these very difficult times when staff are taking on extra work loads_ with bis time and open'door policy to both staff and faculty. He provides leadership counseling to many, and is~ keenly adept at extracting what is valuable in their thoughts, helping them articulate it better, and then giving ' . th~m credit for their accomplishments."1 Benefits the unit and the individual employees through outstanding leadershi At the cam us level h numerous searc committees or s1gn1 1cant campus staff includin and different roles involving interfacin with human resources and advisin m other units, ~ual roles as interim while holding down the fort in the ~· "He has taken leadership roles in system wide management programs and conferences, and maintains excellent communications with peers. He does a stellar job representing the school and the campus. In short,mlnegotiates the interface of need and opportunity with imagination and integrity. He has made and continues to make tremendously~ns to the success of the Irvine campus as a direct ambassador of the school," says_ _ . . _ . At the individual level, says sets high work standards for himself and he expects high quality work from others"in office manager, ·.r:.etum.\ ln no way, however, is he over-demanding. His cheerful and upbeat personality make it easy for faculty, staff and students to approach him with their concerns. 1-j:e provides advice. and support daily, treating everyone with respect and sensitivity, while addressing their issues in which he finds uitable solutions for the individuals and the school.l' In all instances, says success is due to his "honesty, fairness, intelligence, decency, and absolute lack of pretentiousness; As a result, when working with faculty or staff he is able to share with them points of view that they do not wish to hear and yet they leave their interaction without animosity toward him. Whil~_ is a martl who cqmpromises .with others to arrive at appropriate decisions, he is a man who never comj:>romisesms·! integrity or his standarifs." Thank you for your time in considerin for this recognition. The views expressed within this letter are fully supported by the appropriate parties, and similar sentiments were echoed by his multiple cross-campus colleagues. Please don't hesitate to contact us if further information and/or documentation is needed. (signatures attached)