HAA Board Core Competencies
An ongoing objective of the HAA has been to provide purposeful skill building opportunities for board members and highly engaged volunteers. From September 2023 - June 2024, the HAA Executive Committee embarked on a project to establish a set of core skills for volunteer leaders to be used as areas of focus for board workshops, alumni leadership conferences, and ongoing professional development. These core competencies will anchor ongoing board development through a series of Cross Cohort Workshops (CCW) offered during each HAA board meeting.
Show your pride and share your skills!
HAA Board Core Competencies FY25-FY27*
| Competency | Definition |
|---|---|
| Attracting and Empowering Volunteers | Focusing on recruiting, training, recognizing, and retaining alum volunteers by empowering them to lead through meaningful roles and involvement in Harvard's priorities and initiatives. |
| Being an Ambassador | Being knowledgeable about Harvard's priorities, initiatives, and current events. Creating strong, reciprocal relationships with fellow alums/volunteers by sharing information and also providing feedback. |
| Being Proactive | Taking initiative to actively solve problems and seek opportunities to increase alum engagement through inclusive outreach. |
| Building Relationships and Community | Connecting with others, developing trust, finding common ground, and fostering a sense of shared purpose and support among alum communities. |
| Collaborating with Other Alums | Working together in a cooperative and coordinated way to leverage shared experiences and networks to mutually support alum initiatives and Harvard's broader goals. |
| Communicating Effectively | Conveying information clearly, concisely and respectfully through appropriate channels while actively listening to understand different perspectives. |
| Creating an Inclusive Environment | Creating a community that fosters a sense of belonging, promotes respect, and cultivates a culture where all alums feel valued. |
| Setting Goals and Measuring Progress | Defining specific, measurable objectives while tracking relevant metrics (KPI's) that support ongoing achievement of goals. |
| Delivering Results | Leading and driving project to completion through focused effort and perseverance. |
*Competencies and definitions are evolving and interrelated
Cross-Cohort Workshops
The core competencies will anchor ongoing board development through a series of Cross-Cohort Workshops (CCW) offered during each HAA Board meeting.
Cross-Cohort Workshops are where the entire Board comes together to develop leadership skills and exchange challenges and best practices in order to serve as model ambassadors of Harvard across the global alumni community.
October 2024 Cross-Cohort Workshop Core competency - Building Relationships and Community
- Build your knowledge and share these tips and take-aways with your alumni Communities - Finding Common Ground: Respectful Disagreement, Empathetic Leadership, and Shared Values
