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Leadership Standards Initiative

Here, we do great things with great people.

Organizational culture can change over time, particularly in the absence of deliberate and conscious direction. Current employees may leave or retire, taking with them accumulated knowledge and history that has helped shape our unique culture, and new employees join CMU with their own accumulated history and ways of doing things.

Changes bring new opportunities and new challenges. To preserve the high-caliber leadership expectations defined by our core and service values, the university must inspire those same values within the staff and faculty of today. The ultimate result of strengthening and preserving this leadership culture here will be an improved student experience.

In 2013, our human resources department approached the university's executive leadership team with a proposal to develop a common set of desired leadership expectations. These were integrated into the CMU culture as the Leadership Standards Initiative; a formal, cohesive framework intended to help us maintain its high-quality leadership culture through:

  • Building upon our core values of integrity, respect, compassion, inclusiveness, social responsibility, excellence and innovation.
  • Supporting strategic priority of hiring, maintaining and developing quality faculty and staff.
  • Establishing clear, consistent and transparent leadership expectations across campus to preserve and strengthen our culture of collaboration, excellence and leadership.

To continue improving the student experience and delivering on our mission, we want to focus on strengthening and preserving the leadership culture at this great school. The Leadership Standards Initiative will result in more engaged and satisfied employees who will impact student recruitment and retention, as well as alumni and community relationships.

Central Michigan University Leadership Standards

    CMU leaders genuinely care for others, are available and approachable, and work in a framework of we. We acknowledge our limitations and mistakes and freely ask for help. We value each team member and combine humility, strength, fairness and consistency. We foster strong, diverse teams through respect, trust, collaboration and inclusivity, creating a sense of belonging and celebrating success. We value professional and personal development and lifelong learning.

    CMU leaders are good communicators and encourage this from others. We present the truth openly and helpfully, in clear, concise, consistent and timely fashion. We share directions, assignments, decisions, feedback and general information. We foster dialog and value others' opinions. We listen attentively and solicit input from many sources, particularly those who will be impacted by decisions and those with opposing views.

    CMU leaders are dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external constituents, including students, faculty, staff, visitors and community partners. We obtain firsthand information and use it to improve processes, support and interactions, and to deliver the best possible service experience.

    CMU leaders act with integrity, "walk the talk", work hard, seize opportunities and step up to take on new responsibilities and challenges. We know CMU's success is everyone's responsibility. We welcome and lead from constructive feedback, are accountable for our actions and hold others accountable. We pursue innovative and creative solutions and seek ideas from others.

    CMU leaders take stands. We manage conflict as an opportunity for improvement and provide timely, actionable feedback. We lead with a sense of urgency and decisiveness and use goals and tasks as stepping stones. We embrace change and uncertainty with confidence and openness. We take reasonable risks. We respect everyone, always. We stay composed and help others to stay calm. We skillfully negotiate tough situations, finding common ground to settle differences and maintain relationships.

    CMU leaders demonstrate a One CMU mindset by putting CMU's overall needs, priorities and service to students above that of the individual or unit. Our decisions uphold the needs of the entire university and its students. We embrace Maroon and Gold, understand that it is a privilege to work at CMU, and demonstrate pride, belief and excitement in CMU's impact.