Aspiring Leaders FAQs

FAQs

• Is the program open to any role without direct reports or is it for certain areas or members of campus?

  The Aspiring Leaders Program is for non-faculty roles without direct reports in all areas of the organization: Health System Affairs, Academic Affairs, Business Affairs, President’s Office, Institutional Advancement, etc. For faculty leadership development please check out the LEAD Program for junior faculty physicians and scientists.

• The DISC Profile Class is a prerequisite. If I took the DISC class many years ago, do I need to take it again?

  If you have your DISC Results Report (20+ page report with your two graphs), then no, you do not need to take it again. If you took the class after June 2017 and you do not have your report, you can Lauren.Smith@utsouthwestern.edu Lauren Smith to send it to you. Please include the date you took the class (which you can find in Taleo). If you took the class before June 2017, and do not have your report, please retake the class in Taleo.

• Can I apply if my DISC class is scheduled after the July 15^th deadline?

  No, the DISC class needs to be completed by the July 15th deadline.

• Can I apply and then complete my DISC class after I submit my application but before the deadline?

  No, please don’t submit your application until after you have completed the class. There is no advantage in submitting sooner. All applications are considered equal if submitted before the deadline.

• If I reach 2 years of service right after August 31^st, can I still apply? Any exceptions?

  No, the two-year requirement is a hard requirement — and we do not make exceptions to keep it fair for all applicants.

• If I’ve worked at UTSW a cumulative total of 2 years but not all at once, can I still apply?

  Yes! Two cumulative years of service is required and can include past service. For example, if you worked here a year and a half, left for a few years, returned and have worked here another year, you are eligible to apply.

• If I haven’t worked at UTSW for 2 years but have worked at Childrens, Parkland, THR, or another state of Texas entity, can I still apply?

  No, your two years of service need to be specifically with UT Southwestern.

• If part of my 2 years of UT Southwestern service was as a temp, part time or as a contractor, can I still apply?

  Yes, if your service at UT Southwestern was as a temp, part time or contractor you can apply.

• Is there a virtual option for the required monthly training sessions during the program?

  No, all training must be attended in person. You can find a training schedule for each cohort on the website. Your meetings with your mentor can be done virtually.

• The application asks about a capstone project. What are the parameters for the project?

  There is great flexibility when it comes to projects. Please work with your supervisor to pick a project that would benefit your department and/or UT Southwestern as a whole. It needs to be something you can work on throughout the year in the program. Examples could be implementing workflow improvements, creating onboarding programs, implementing new training programs, implementing new systems, creating SharePoint sites, creating toolkits, implementing new software, implementing audit processes, implementing tracking tools, creating manuals, etc. Please be sure to describe a specific project for the application and what the impact of the project would be. If the project grows, morphs or changes during the program, that is perfectly fine.

• If I have one direct report but I’m new to supervision, can I still apply for the program?

  No, however, you would be eligible for New Leader Onboarding and Leadership Foundations. Please LeadershipFoundations@utsouthwestern.edu Leadership Foundations to get scheduled.

• If I don’t have a direct report but I know I’m getting one, can I still apply for Aspiring Leaders?

  If you don’t have a direct report when you apply, you can still apply. If you get a direct report between submitting your application and the program starting, you can still participate!

• If I am selected but move into a formal leadership role before the program starts or during the year that I’m in the program, am I still eligible?

  Yes! If you do not have direct reports when you submit the application, you are eligible to apply. It is ideal if you move into a formal leadership role right before or during the program, as you will be able to apply what you learn in your new leadership role.

• How many people are accepted into the program?

  We accept 40 participants for the cohort starting in September and 40 participants for the cohort starting in March. These all come from the pool of applicants who apply May-July. We accept applications once a year and choose both cohorts from those applicants. We generally have over 200 applicants a year.

• What if I know I will be going out on leave during the year of the program? Will that be an issue?

  You are only allowed to miss one training session during the year to graduate.  If you know in advance that you will miss multiple sessions, please wait until the following year to apply.  We will try to post the cohort schedules in advance on the website. If one cohort schedule works and another one doesn’t, lauren.smith@utsouthwestern.edu Lauren Smith to discuss.

• When will we find out if we were accepted into the program?

  You will find out if you were accepted or not by the end of August. Communication will go out to everyone who applied.

• How do I know if my application went through, and everything has been turned in?

  You will get an email confirming submission. You will also receive an email when your supervisor submits their recommendation.

• I have applied before and have not been accepted. Any advice?

  Please put thought and effort into answering the application questions. Please also communicate with your supervisor and involve them in your goals as their recommendation is also an important part of selection.

• Does being in this program mean I will get a promotion?

  Being in this program does not guarantee a promotion or formal leadership role. Completion of the program prepares the participants to move into leadership by training them in valuable leadership skills and providing opportunities to network. It can be put on your resume, as it is a valued program at UT Southwestern.