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Missed a past edition? Visit the Learning Bites Archives 2025 and 2026 to explore previous topics, revisit professional development insights, and continue building your skills throughout the year.
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March: Ethics and Integrity
At UA, Ethics and Integrity are more than expectations, they guide how we serve employees, students, visitors, donors, vendors, and community partners. Living this competency means performing our responsibilities in alignment with UA’s values, policies, and Standards of Behavior while modeling fairness, honesty, respect, and accountability each day.
Core Behaviors to Practice:
- Demonstrate professionalism in interactions, communication, and follow-through.
- Listen actively and ask thoughtful questions to ensure shared understanding.
- Take initiative by identifying needs and addressing them proactively.
- Follow through on commitments and complete work accurately and on time.
- Collaborate effectively by sharing information and supporting team success.
- Adapt to change with flexibility and a positive mindset.
- Seek feedback and continuously improve performance and working relationships.
Quick Tips to Elevate Ethics & Integrity
- Document key decisions and the rationale behind them to ensure transparency and accountability.
- Address concerns promptly, respectfully, and professionally.
- Speak up when something seems inconsistent with UA values. Use established reporting channels as needed and follow up to ensure appropriate resolution.
- Set a personal goal to solicit feedback from colleagues or stakeholders about your efforts to excel in fairness, communication, or professionalism.
- Review departmental processes annually to identify at least one improvement that strengthens fairness, transparency, or data protection.
Call to Action:
Pause and reflect: Which of these behaviors do you already model well, and which one will you focus on improving this month? Choose one and put it into practice intentionally.
Check out these courses to learn more on Ethics & Integrity
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March Edition: Emotional Intelligence: Self-Awareness
Inspired by Michael Jackson’s Man in the MirrorMarch is the perfect time to reset how we show up, not just in our goals, but in how we understand and manage ourselves. Emotional Intelligence is the foundation of strong leadership, teamwork, and communication. This month begins a four-part series exploring the core elements of Emotional Intelligence, starting with Self-Awareness.
Self-Awareness is the ability to recognize your emotions, understand why you feel the way you do, and see how those feelings influence your thoughts, behaviors, decisions, and interactions with others. It also includes acknowledging your strengths, growth areas, values, and personal triggers so you can respond thoughtfully rather than react automatically.
Michael Jackson captured the essence of self-awareness in the lyric: “I’m starting with the man in the mirror…” Real change doesn’t begin with others, it begins with us!
Think About These Lyrics:
“I’m starting with the man in the mirror…” → Personal accountability begins with looking inward before expecting change from others.
“I’m asking him to change his ways…” → Growth requires honest reflection and a willingness to improve.
“If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change.” → While we cannot control every situation, we can control how we respond.
“Make that change.” → Awareness becomes powerful when it leads to action.
These lyrics remind us that self-awareness is the starting point for emotional intelligence. When we better understand our emotions and behaviors, we strengthen our ability to communicate effectively, build trust, and lead with intention.
This month, ask yourself:
- What situations or behaviors tend to trigger my strongest reactions at work?
- How might my emotional responses affect the people around me (my team, colleagues, or those we serve)?
Call to Action:
This month, commit to:
- Taking a moment to reflect on your emotional reactions during challenging situations.
- Identifying personal triggers and noticing patterns in how you respond.
- Seeking feedback from trusted colleagues about how you show up in stressful moments.
- Practicing thoughtful responses instead of automatic reactions.
- Reflecting regularly on what you learn about yourself.
Let March be your reminder: meaningful change begins in the mirror. When we increase our self-awareness, we strengthen our ability to lead, collaborate, and create a more positive workplace for everyone.
Where fundamentals meet real‑world impact. Show up and skill up!
March Edition: Cultivating a Culture of Appreciation
In a high-energy environment like ours at UA, the hard work of our colleagues can sometimes feel like “business as usual.” However, meaningful recognition is often the difference between a team that is simply functioning and one that is truly thriving. To improve your staff recognition efforts, focus on the three Ps:
- Personalized: Acknowledge specific contributions. Instead of a general “thanks,” mention exactly how their work impacted a project or helped a student.
- Public (When Appropriate): Use department meetings or newsletters to celebrate wins, ensuring your team feels seen by leadership and peers alike.
- Prompt: Don’t wait for annual reviews. A quick note or a verbal “thank you” immediately following a success reinforces the value of their effort in real-time.
By making appreciation a daily practice, you transform recognition from an occasional event into a core element of our campus culture.
Check out these templates to generate simple yet meaningful notes of appreciation. These are designed to be sent via email, a handwritten note, or even a quick MS Teams message.
The “Impact-Focused” Template
Best for: Recognizing a specific task or project.
“Hi [Name], I wanted to reach out and thank you for your work on [Project/Event]. Specifically, the way you handled [specific detail] was incredibly helpful. Your attention to detail not only made the process smoother but also directly helped our [department/students] by [result/benefit]. We’re lucky to have you on the team!”
The “Reliability & Support” Template
Best for: Acknowledging a team member who is consistently dependable.
“Dear [Name], I was thinking today about how much I appreciate your consistent support with [recurring task or area]. Your expertise in [Skill] is such a core asset to this department. Thank you for always being someone we can count on to keep things moving forward—it doesn’t go unnoticed.”
The “Quick Shout-Out” (Short-Form)
Best for: Instant feedback after a meeting or a busy day.
“Huge thanks for your energy in today’s meeting, [Name]! Your point about [topic] really helped us gain clarity. I appreciate the perspective you bring to the team.”
Pro-Tips for Using These Templates:
- The “Why” Matters: The most impactful part of the template is the [result/benefit]. Connecting their work to UA’s mission makes the recognition feel more significant.
- Don’t Wait: Sending these within 24 hours of the “win” maximizes the positive reinforcement.