Leadership Academy Launches New Framework

Launches New Frameworks

The first phase of the partnership between Richard A. Baddour Carolina Leadership Academy and the Center for Creative Leadership involved retooling the descriptive and applied leadership frameworks. Both of these were sourced by extensive Data Capture Interviews (DCI) conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership: 22 Data Capture Interviews, 2 Focus Groups, 39 Gallery Walks participants, 120 DCI participants (Staff: 24, Coaches: 31, Student-Athletes: 57), and 22/24 Teams represented (Coaches: 21/24, Student-Athletes: 18/24). A "war room" incubated this data and sketches of the new framework and its visual graphic – over the summer.

Descriptive Framework

A descriptive framework outlines the various levels, description, and nature of progression through the programming. Previously, the Leadership Academy used a pyramid to depict the leadership pipeline – beginning at the base and then winnowing to the top. The structure of this sort of framework was knowledge-based (what of horizontal development). Now, a spiral staircase is a more apt depiction as the student-athletes travel never-ending ascensions of growth and leadership development. As such, the spiral framework features an increased awareness of its application through vertical development.

What was old is now new!  Each new program name speaks to the essence of the leadership action of each level. Moreover, the collective sentiment among UNC student-athletes, coaches, and staff is that leadership is action – not merely talk or title. Leadership is a process – not a single person. Carolina CREED is now Carolina NAVIGATE. CREED Mentors is now Carolina Cultivate. Rising Stars is now Carolina ACCELERATE. Leadership Lab is now Carolina INCUBATE. Veteran Leaders is now Carolina ACTIVATE.

Carolina NAVIGATE is about navigating the first-year student-athlete experience; navigating the core values of being a student-athlete at UNC. Carolina CULTIVATE is aboutcultivating the student-athlete experience for first-years. Carolina ACCELERATE is about accelerating the leadership development process. Carolina INCUBATE is aboutincubating the leadership experience – like in a laboratory setting where one can experiment with leadership in a controlled environment with immediate feedback. Carolina ACTIVATE is about activating the leadership tools necessary to lead the team to success.

First-year student-athletes begin their respective leadership development journeys at the base of the spiral – the applied leadership framework positioned like a chandelier. As they climb, the "chandelier" remains consistent and fixed; however, participants' vantage points of it change with each turn of the staircase. As such, student-athletes see the applied framework with new eyes given time and experience – their perspective evolves, their understanding transforms, their interpretation deepens, their awareness expands as they ascend. Each program takes them a full turn up the spiral until it is the only seniors who have gained the rite of passage of standing at the top – much like that bestowed upon Carolina seniors at the Morehead Patterson Bell Tower on the cusp of their graduation.

Applied Framework

An applied framework conveys a language and architecture with which to speak of, think about, and engage with leadership – more than merely outlining the levels of programming. With that, it provides a shared language and culture of leadership throughout the department. It inspires thinking and engagement. It is simplicity on the other side of complexity: the terms, relationships, and nature are self-evident and intuitive. It is so simple that one can draw it piece by piece with a stick in the dirt. Moreover, such scaffolding allows for self evaluation as well as a diagnostic tool for trouble shooting with others. It is simple without being simplistic – given the spiral ascent of leadership journeys detailed above.

In Fall 2017, the Leadership Academy rolled out a framework featuring an interdependence between leading self (ME) and leading with others (WE). With interdependence, there is no one absolute right or wrong answer, but rather both are correct – although one of the aspects may manifest more strongly depending on the context. An over-focus on one aspect leads to problems with the other. Too much ME presents problems with WE. Too much WE presents problems with ME. An in-breath is no more important than an out-breath. Both are important. An over-focus on one leads to problems with another, and depending on context, one may manifest more strongly than the other.

UNC Case in Point – after each of his championship seasons, Roy Williams pointedly notes that "winning teams get the individual awards and rewards". The more successful the team is the more individuals can reap those rewards. More specifically, the further a team gets into the NCAA Tournament, the higher his/her draft stock goes. Roy's championship seasons have been when he can get the individuals to buy into the team – the ME to buy into the WE. Only then can the WE pay dividends to the ME.

ME
ME – Define, understand, and own your role. There are an infinite number of roles which can be defined, understood, and owned on a team – roles where an authentic self is valued. Moreover, this specification allows for agency and autonomy in one's leadership identity rather than some top-down, spoon-fed prescription from a coach. What is your ME?  Head – Work smarter; Heart – Play harder; Edge – Compete tougher.  UNC Case in Point – Anson Dorrance speaks to his team about undertaking a "never-ending ascension" of personal development – finding a way to become one percent better day by day.

WE
WE - Make your role matter. William Shakespeare commented, "There are no small parts, only small players". A role is only as small as one makes it; conversely, a role can be as big as one makes it too. What is your WE?  Commitment – Executive with purpose; Chemistry – Strive together; Culture – Achieve with honor. UNC Case in Point – Dean Smith taught us to point to the assist, to appreciate the people who have helped you to get where you are, the people on whose shoulders you stand. All at once, this simple gesture speaks to commitment, chemistry and culture.

Visual Graphic
The Leadership Academy produced a clunky, nuts-and-bolts version of the applied leadership framework based upon the findings from the Data Capture Interviews. At that point, the Leadership Academy enlisted the help of Old Hat Creative to design a sexier visual graphic which would (a) convey the key elements and do so by (b) incorporating Carolina marks and logos. After three rounds of graphic drafts – the argyle visual crystalized.

Jessica George from Old Hat Creative describes the concept behind the graphic, "Graphic creates an angular, three-piece infinity symbol meant to represent the individual (ME), the group (WE) and the school (UNC) to which they all belong. It also pays homage to the current argyle branding without using it outright. Playing off the infinity symbol, the designer came up with an interlocking M and W representing the ME and WE as well as the interdependence of the two aspects. In effect, the weave makes an indivisible whole. ME and WE are inextricably intertwined. The three peaks of the M and W hint at the three elements of each aspect – ME – Head, Heart, Edge; WE – Commitment, Chemistry, Culture."

The framework is unique to Carolina Athletics and uniquely Carolina. Unique to Carolina – it is authentically sourced from student-athletes, coaches, and staff it is specific to the leadership demands and experience at UNC as opposed to other schools or contexts. Uniquely Carolina – the linked diamonds resemble the Carolina Argyle – an image synonymous with and characteristic of Carolina Athletics. Additionally, the argyle shape represents how the ME and WE when working together create the DNA of UNC Athletics. Without the both of them, the argyle shape doesn't exist. Given that, leadership is woven into the fabric of the department – a fabric which spans across and connects the department.

Comments on the New Framework
"I got the sense that we had struck the right chord when there was a collective gasp of comprehension and identification during one of the roll-outs at a student-athlete workshop. We had laid out the individual taglines, elements, and interdependence of the framework and then finally revealed the argyle-like design. The student-athletes immediately made the connection with the argyle as well as the interlocking ME and WE – just like the interlocking NC." – Shelley Johnson, Director of the Richard A. Baddour Carolina Leadership Academy

"Many leadership frameworks focus too heavily on leadership as being only for a few at the "top" of an organization when in reality the most successful teams have leaders throughout their organizations, each understanding and playing a specific role. The Leadership Academy and this new framework are an embodiment of the educational power of college athletics. Winning games and meets is a common unifying goal but developing leaders for tomorrow should be the real overall objective." Keith Laabs, Swimming, c/o 2008

"What struck me the most about the new framework is the ME and ME interdependence. The most successful teams are the ones where all of the ME's are interconnected with the common goal of the WE. Ultimately, as the framework emphasizes, it's not the title of the ME that matters, but rather what you do with the ME to contribute to the WE that defines you as a leader." – Hayley Carter, Tennis, c/o 2017

"One of the things that I find satisfying is that I use aspects of the framework in my daily life and in leadership of our team at CCL--especially with respect to understanding and owning your role and making your role matter. These are timeless concepts that apply to any team--athletic or professional. We also have appreciated the degree of affinity the argyle-based imagery generates. It's clearly Carolina, but has a significant message embedded within it, too. It's simple, catchy, and memorable." – Preston Yarborough, Senior Project Director, Center for Creative Leadership

"Through the new framework, I was able to make my role matter by helping teammates define, understand, and own their roles. At the October ACTIVATE workshop, track & field identified the direction our leaders need to take in order for the team to be successful this season. We then specified what leadership attributes were needed to accomplish this direction.   With that, it was a matter of aligning who was going to do what [attribute]. Finally, we committed to supporting each other in these roles." – Kenny Selmon, Senior, Track & Field

"The visual illusion of M being an inverted W or vice versa immediately begs the following questions and subsequent dialogue: how does one create buy-in for team concepts while allowing for the awesome power of the individual? Does a person see an M or a W first, and if so, why? What does it mean to have both concepts working in harmony? Differences are great, they make us better, and they make us grow. Having unique and differing people and opinions creates strength. If we are going to be successful, those differences have to sacrifice for a larger common group goal. There is the balancing act we are forced to play." – Josh Webb, Assistant Coach, Fencing

"I am a proud son of the University of North Carolina (UNC '74). I am also a proud pioneer of women's soccer, and in being so, I have seen a remarkable evolution. So, seeing our Leadership Academy go from being the first in the country to this exciting new makeover to keep us the best is who we are. The goal for our instructors and the curricula is to help every student-athlete live on a never-ending ascension in all aspects of their principle-centered lives." – Anson Dorrance, Head Coach, Women's Soccer

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