What is a leadership framework?
Most universities and research organisations typically maintain leadership frameworks, which outline the essential skills and behaviours valued within the institution. The leadership framework at Oxford reflects the input and perspectives of colleagues university-wide, encapsulating the qualities deemed significant.
Our Leadership Framework consists of 3 domains – ‘Being a Leader’, ‘Getting things done’ and ‘Working with others’. There are a total of 18 key behaviours within the framework – 6 within each domain.
How can you use the Leadership Framework?
The following four key steps outline how to optimise your learning from the Leadership Framework and it’s supporting tools.
Interactive Learning Activities
To assist in your managerial growth and to animate the framework, we offer interactive learning activities aligned with each framework component.
- Leadership Framework – Self Diagnostic Tool & Results Guide:
Begin by completing the Leadership Framework–Self Diagnostic Diagnostic Tool. This will help you identify your key areas of strength and any priority areas for ongoing personal development.
Once you have filled in your personal self diagnostic you can use the Leadership Framework – Self Diagnostic Tool – Results Guide (add link) to help you identify key areas of focus.
- Leadership Framework - Self Directed Learning Activities:
For each of the 18 behaviours there are two self-directed learning activities are available within the Leadership Framework to 1) enable personal development, 2) support personal reflection and 3) optimize on-the-job learning opportunities.
Simply find the behaviour you would like to develop and work through one or two of the exercises. While primarily tailored for people managers, these activities are beneficial for anyone interested in management and leadership development.
If you would like to deepen your learning on any of these behaviours we recommend you then take a look at our Learning on Demand Platform (inrehearsal) add link, where you will find additional resources to support your ongoing personal development.
- Leadership Framework - Personal Development Exercise - Reflection Sheet:
Once you have completed a personal development exercise use the Leadership Framework Personal Development Exercise - reflection exercise sheet to enrich your learning journey. Feel free to engage in reflection immediately or at a later stage, following the implementation of any new strategies.
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Repeat! Revisit the Leadership Framework – Self Diagnostic Tool:
You can use the Leadership Framework – Self Diagnostic tool as part of your ongoing Leadership & Management Development at Oxford. By completing it again following intervals of self-directed personal development you will be able to understand your progress and use your insights to support longer term personal development and career plans.
For example, you could use the self diagnostic tool at the beginning and end of a secondment, at the beginning of a new role or annually linked to your PDR conversations with your line manager to inform your ongoing personal development and career conversations. You could even ask for feedback linked to specific behaviours you have been working on from peers, stakeholders, your manager and team members.
Most of our Leadership and Management Development Programmes are now aligned to the Leadership Framework and so you may wish to consider attending sessions to support your development such as the Confident Manager Series (add link).
Remember to leave a sufficient gap (for instance, 6 months to a year) between revisiting the tool to enable your personal development journey.
