ACN 047/21 - MAY 2021 UPDATE TO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK: LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES

united states coast guard

R 061530Z MAY 21
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC
TO ALCOAST COMDT NOTICE
BT
UNCLAS
ACN 047/21
SSIC 5351
SUBJ: UPDATE TO LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK: LEADERSHIP
COMPETENCIES
A. Leadership Development Framework, COMDTINST M5351.3
1. Leaders are trusted with the development of our greatest asset
- our people. Leaders must foster a culture that not only attracts
the best of America's diverse population, but cultivates an
environment that encourages America’s best to stay and advance to
higher levels of responsibility within the Service. We are at our
best when we harness the full power of everyone’s diverse
backgrounds, experiences and thoughts, and develop emotionally
intelligent and inclusive leaders.
2. The Leadership Development Framework, published in 2006, has
been updated to embed inclusive leadership attributes, to improve
leadership development, and sustain positive cultural change within
our Coast Guard. The Coast Guard formed a cross-functional team to
research and develop relevant updates under each of the four
leadership categories: Leading Self; Leading Others; Leading
Performance and Change; and Leading the Coast Guard. These four
updated leadership competencies include a basis for Coast Guard
leaders to grow in their emotional intelligence and inclusive
leadership skills by using an equity mindset that strengthens our
Coast Guard.
3. These updates are the result of a year-long effort which
leveraged expertise from leadership and Diversity and Inclusion
(D&I) subject matter experts and practitioners from across the
Coast Guard. The research for these leadership competency updates
for the leadership development framework included benchmarking DoD,
DHS, private sector, and other relevant material related to
inclusive leadership, diversity, inclusion, and the retention of CG
personnel. The competencies were developed in partnership and
shared with personnel across the CG workforce who are active
leaders in D&I and leadership including LDACs, Affinity Groups,
the Admiral James M. Loy Institute for Leadership, Leadership
Development Center instructors, and members of our Chief's Mess.
These competencies were also reviewed by the January 2021 Chief
Petty Officer Academy and Boat Forces Command Cadre classes to
provide feedback for this update.
4. These updated competencies align with our Core Values and the
Service's commitment to growing and retaining a diverse and
inclusive workforce. Our Coast Guard Leadership Competencies
provide the core framework for the continual leadership growth
required to support our workforce and the mission of the “World’s
Best Coast Guard.”
5. The following competencies in REF (A) have been updated
as follows:
    a. Section 3.B.3, Self-Awareness and Learning under the Leading
Self Category.
Coast Guard leaders continually develop their knowledge, skills,
and expertise as the cornerstone for building their emotional
intelligence which will maximize their effectiveness. They should
be aware of their own unconscious biases and learn how to manage
their conscious biases. They understand that their natural state,
without these interventions, tends to lean toward self-cloning and
self-interest, and that mission readiness is enhanced with diverse
perspectives. Coast Guard leaders understand that inclusive
leadership and professional development is a life-long journey with
many phases. The continuum ranges from being unaware to being an
advocate for others and change. Inclusive leaders value curiosity
and a growth mindset and seek feedback from others. They practice
self-reflection to learn from experience, as well as the
experiences of others, to develop more complex ways of thinking.
    b. Section 3.C.3, Cultural Fluency (Replaces Respect for Others
& Diversity Management) under Leading Others Category.
Coast Guard leaders develop cultural fluency as stewards of our
entire workforce. Culturally fluent leaders recognize, respect, and
demonstrate that there can be different ways of knowing, learning,
communicating, and achieving goals through leveraging our diverse
workforce. They demonstrate emotional intelligence and social
awareness by managing relationships with an understanding of how
racism, privilege, social construct, identity, differing abilities,
and bias can impact our workforce. They are aware of their power
and take the time to reflect about how others may interpret their
actions. They build psychological safety with their teams to
increase understanding. They are able to respectfully navigate
cultural differences, and conflicts, tensions, or
misunderstandings. Culturally fluent leaders actively guide and
influence others toward equity for marginalized persons to build
an inclusive workforce.
    c. Section 3.D.5, Inclusive Collaboration (Replaces Creativity
and Innovation) under Leading Performance and Change Category.
Coast Guard leaders encourage collaboration, creative thinking,
and innovative solutions to overcome/tackle the volatile,
uncertain, complex and ambiguous challenges of the work
environment. They create awareness and support by engaging
multiple perspectives for key decisions and maintain collaboration
throughout the change management process. They take measured risks,
learn from the challenges, and encourage others to do the same.
They apply this same process to those who work for them. They build
psychological safety by empowering individuals to be authentic and
to feel comfortable sharing their perspectives. They construct an
environment where people believe their contributions are valued.
    d. Section 3.E.4, Talent Acquisition & Employee Development
(Replaces Human Resource Management) under Leading the Coast
Guard Category.
Coast Guard leaders leverage their knowledge of team member's
qualities and accomplishments to advocate for equity in tasks,
assignments, evaluations, formal training, mentoring programs,
and advancement, and provide timely feedback when needed. They
demonstrate an inclusive talent mindset by recognizing when
institutional biases limit access and full participation and take
action to promote diverse team composition. Leaders develop and
implement strategies to attract and retain a diverse workforce to
maximize staffing needs and better realize organizational goals.
They identify and address race, gender, or other discriminating
inequities that may occur throughout all organizational levels.
Coast Guard leaders develop and maintain human resource systems
and policies that are adaptable to the evolving workforce needs
and promote a culture of belonging where individuals thrive
personally and professionally.
6. These changes will be incorporated into the next revision of
REF (A), which will be released within the next year.
7. POC: CDR Julie Kuck, (202) 475-5509 or Julie.P.Kuck@uscg.mil.
8. Released by Dr. D. M. Navarro, Acting, Assistant Commandant for
Human Resources (CG-1).
9. Internet release is authorized.