Skip to main content

Skills for Success

document showing skills for success

Download the PDF

As a member of the Cornell Community I . . .

Interact with integrity

So people are respected and engaged.

  • Be honest and trustworthy, demonstrate high standards of personal conduct.
  • Have a positive attitude.
  • Involve others as appropriate when outcomes impact their work.
  • Be diplomatic in your interactions with customers and stakeholders.
  • Admit your mistakes and learn from them.
  • Acknowledge the support and contributions of others.

Contribute positively to an inclusive environment

So people feel like they belong.

  • Communicate across difference to create a collaborative, collegial, and caring community.
  • Be cooperative, open and welcoming to all.
  • Show respect, compassion and empathy for others, even in difficult situations.
  • Engage and support others regardless of background or perspective.
  • Speak up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately.
  • Actively support work-life integration.

Support the organization’s shared vision and mission

I am trusted to move university and team goals forward.

  • Show commitment to unit and university goals in delivering results.
  • Anticipate, embrace, promote and implement change.
  • Balance short-term gains with long-term vision.
  • Be open and receptive to new information, ideas and approaches.
  • Be adaptable, modify your preferred way of doing things when it benefits the whole.
  • Support ideas, solutions and changes to processes to ensure high quality outcomes.

Communicate clearly and consistently

So people are informed and heard.

  • Seek to understand and then to be understood.
  • Demonstrate active listening skills.
  • Express thoughts clearly, both verbally and in writing.
  • Share knowledge and information.
  • Give, receive and act upon helpful and timely feedback.

Act and take initiative

I take ownership of my work and results.

  • Adopt a culture of sustainability and efficiency.
  • Strive to develop and implement best practices.
  • Take responsible risks to innovate seeking advancements in products, processes, services, technologies or ideas.
  • Identify opportunities in challenges and show initiative.
  • Reach out in a timely and responsive manner to resolve problems and conflicts.
  • Anticipate and adapt to changing priorities and additional demands.

Display sound judgment in problem solving

People seek me out to find solutions to deliver results.

  • Exercise sound judgment to make decisions and meet deliverables.
  • Assess environmental, economic, compliance and social impacts in decision-making.
  • Demonstrate innovative, creative and informed risk taking.
  • Apply analytical thinking, data and metrics to synthesize complex information.
  • Anticipate obstacles and generate alternatives.
  • Negotiate to find and orchestrate win-win solutions.

Proactively seek self-development and coaching opportunities

People see my commitment and passion to continuously develop.

  • Be self-aware.
  • Work to continuously learn and improve.
  • Take measures to ensure personal well-being and balance.
  • Seek and act upon performance feedback.
  • Apply learning to evolving assignments.
  • Actively manage your career.
  • Encourage others to develop themselves.