Office of People & Values

Program Overview: This 3-month program is steeped in our shared core values and designed to help every team member strengthen essential skills, grow with confidence, and navigate their work with clarity and purpose.

Program Structure: Cohort-based (limit 50 team members per cohort)

Participants will be required to complete 5 mandatory courses and 3 elective courses. Mandatory courses consist of an eLearning, quiz, and a discussion question. Elective courses consist of an eLearning and quiz. This program also offers an opportunity to earn a microcredential (digital badge). More information regarding the Compass Program digital badge can be found here

Registration: Registrations are currently being accepted for the 2026 cohorts. Registration and supervisor approval forms can be found on the Office of People and Values website. It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain supervisor permission to participate in this program. Registration will only be accepted after both the Registration AND Supervisor forms are submitted.

Program Fee: No fee for this program.

Cohort: CP2026-1

1-hr eLearning, quiz and discussion question to be completed within the time-frames listed below.

Cohort: CP2026-1

1-hr eLearning, quiz and discussion question to be completed within the time-frames listed below.

Cohort CP2026-3

1-hr eLearning, quiz and discussion question to be completed within the time-frames listed below.

Mandatory courses:

1. Accountability

Accountability is essential for healthy teams and strong workplace culture, yet it is often misunderstood or avoided due to fear of conflict or discomfort. When approached without care, accountability can feel punitive; when approached with grace, it becomes a powerful tool for clarity, learning, and shared responsibility. During this course, we will explore what accountability with grace looks like in practice, why emotional intelligence and psychological safety matter, and how values-aligned behaviors can support accountability conversations that strengthen trust rather than erode it.

2. Active Listening

Listening is a powerful communication skill that helps us connect with others and understand important information. While we listen every day, often we overestimate how well we do it. The challenge starts with how we define listening, and for what reason we are listening to begin with. During this course, we will explore how we can strengthen our active listening ability and use it to strengthen our professional relationships.

3. Building Trust

Trust is a foundational professional skill that influences how we communicate, collaborate, and work with others. While trust is often assumed, it is built over time through consistent behaviors and everyday interactions. The challenge begins with how we define trust and how our actions are experienced by others. In this course, we will explore what trust is, why it matters in professional settings, and how we can strengthen trust through intentional behaviors that support effective working relationships.

4. Growth Mindset

Our mindset influences how we approach challenges, learning, and change at work. Developing a growth mindset helps us see setbacks as opportunities to improve rather than as reflections of our limitations. During this course, we will explore the difference between fixed and growth mindsets, understand why mindset matters in professional success, and how you can begin to shift toward growth-focusing thinking.

5. Positive Defining Moments

In everything that we do, our work impacts ourselves and those around us. Learning how to deliver positive Defining Moments can help us shape our culture, strengthen our relationships, and serve one another with intention and empathy.

Elective Courses (choose 3):

Critical Conversations

When we enter into difficult conversations, we often believe that we will rise to the occasion. Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case. Instead, we find ourselves slipping into poor communication by making common preventable mistakes. The issue starts with our preparation, and often our lack of it. In this course, we will explore how we can prepare for these conversations with emotionally intelligent communication.

Interpreting with Care

In every conversation, meeting, or decision we make, our personal experiences, beliefs, and biases quietly influence how we interpret what’s happening around us. Sometimes we do not even realize it – but those hidden filters can dramatically affect how we communicate and collaborate with others. During this course, we will take a closer look at how our viewpoints, perspectives, and assumptions shape the way we see situations – and how checking them can lead to clearer understanding, better teamwork, and stronger relationships.

Psychological Safety

Psychological safety is the foundation of high-performing teams, open communication, and a culture where people feel safe to take risks, share ideas, and learn from mistakes. This course provides learners with a practical, engaging, and research-backed understanding of what psychological safety is—and how to create it consistently in their own teams and organizations.

Building Resilience

Change, stress, and uncertainty are a normal part of work and life. But how we respond to those challenges makes all the difference. Resilience is not about ignoring problems or pretending everything is fine. It’s about finding ways to adapt, recover, and even grow through adversity. During this course, we will explore what resilience really means, why it matters at work, and practical ways to build your own “resilience muscle.”

Generational Differences

Today’s workforce is more generationally expansive than ever—bringing together Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, each with unique values, communication styles, expectations, and work habits. This broad range of generations can fuel innovation and problem-solving, but it can also lead to misunderstandings, conflict, and missed opportunities when not managed intentionally. This course equips learners with the knowledge and practical skills needed to navigate generational differences with confidence and respect.

Compass Program Overview:

This 3-month program is steeped in our shared core values and designed to help every team member strengthen essential skills, grow with confidence, and navigate their work with clarity and purpose.

PROGRAM LENGTH: 3 months
PROGRAM SIZE: Limited to 50 team members
FREQUENCY: 4 times per year

Registration | Supervisor Approval Form

Program Structure: Cohort-based (limit 50 team members per cohort) Participants will be required to complete 5 mandatory courses and 3 elective courses. Mandatory courses consist of an eLearning, quiz, and a discussion question. Elective courses consist of an eLearning and quiz. This program also offers an opportunity to earn a microcredential (digital badge). 

Registration: Registrations are currently being accepted for the 2026 cohorts. Registration and supervisor approval forms can be found on the Office of People and Values website. It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain supervisor permission to participate in this program. Registration will only be accepted after both the Registration AND Supervisor forms are submitted. 

Program Fee: No fee for this program. 

Program Dates: 

1-hr eLearning, quiz and discussion question to be completed within the time frames listed below.

Compass Program Mandatory Course Descriptions

1. Accountability

Accountability is essential for healthy teams and strong workplace culture, yet it is often misunderstood or avoided due to fear of conflict or discomfort. When approached without care, accountability can feel punitive; when approached with grace, it becomes a powerful tool for clarity, learning, and shared responsibility. During this course, we will explore what accountability with grace looks like in practice, why emotional intelligence and psychological safety matter, and how values-aligned behaviors can support accountability conversations that strengthen trust rather than erode it.

2. Active Listening

Listening is a powerful communication skill that helps us connect with others and understand important information. While we listen every day, often we overestimate how well we do it. The challenge starts with how we define listening, and for what reason we are listening to begin with. During this course, we will explore how we can strengthen our active listening ability and use it to strengthen our professional relationships.

3. Building Trust

Trust is a foundational professional skill that influences how we communicate, collaborate, and work with others. While trust is often assumed, it is built over time through consistent behaviors and everyday interactions. The challenge begins with how we define trust and how our actions are experienced by others. In this course, we will explore what trust is, why it matters in professional settings, and how we can strengthen trust through intentional behaviors that support effective working relationships.

4. Growth Mindset

Our mindset influences how we approach challenges, learning, and change at work. Developing a growth mindset helps us see setbacks as opportunities to improve rather than as reflections of our limitations. During this course, we will explore the difference between fixed and growth mindsets, understand why mindset matters in professional success, and how you can begin to shift toward growth-focusing thinking.

5. Positive Defining Moments

In everything that we do, our work impacts ourselves and those around us. Learning how to deliver positive Defining Moments can help us shape our culture, strengthen our relationships, and serve one another with intention and empathy.

Elective Courses (choose 3):

• Critical Conversations

When we enter into difficult conversations, we often believe that we will rise to the occasion. Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case. Instead, we find ourselves slipping into poor communication by making common preventable mistakes. The issue starts with our preparation, and often our lack of it. In this course, we will explore how we can prepare for these conversations with emotionally intelligent communication.

• Interpreting with Care

In every conversation, meeting, or decision we make, our personal experiences, beliefs, and biases quietly influence how we interpret what’s happening around us. Sometimes we do not even realize it – but those hidden filters can dramatically affect how we communicate and collaborate with others. During this course, we will take a closer look at how our viewpoints, perspectives, and assumptions shape the way we see situations – and how checking them can lead to clearer understanding, better teamwork, and stronger relationships.

• Psychological Safety

Psychological safety is the foundation of high-performing teams, open communication, and a culture where people feel safe to take risks, share ideas, and learn from mistakes. This course provides learners with a practical, engaging, and research-backed understanding of what psychological safety is—and how to create it consistently in their own teams and organizations.

• Building Resilience

Change, stress, and uncertainty are a normal part of work and life. But how we respond to those challenges makes all the difference. Resilience is not about ignoring problems or pretending everything is fine. It’s about finding ways to adapt, recover, and even grow through adversity. During this course, we will explore what resilience really means, why it matters at work, and practical ways to build your own “resilience muscle.”

• Generational Differences

Today’s workforce is more generationally expansive than ever—bringing together Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z, each with unique values, communication styles, expectations, and work habits. This broad range of generations can fuel innovation and problem-solving, but it can also lead to misunderstandings, conflict, and missed opportunities when not managed intentionally. This course equips learners with the knowledge and practical skills needed to navigate generational differences with confidence and respect.

Level 1 and Level 2
This 6-session foundational program introduces leadership theories and models to TTUHSC team members who have been with TTUHSC for at least 6 months. Team members wishing to participate in Level 2 must have completed Level 1.

• PROGRAM LENGTH: 6 weeks
• PROGRAM SIZE: Limited to 20 team members
• FREQUENCY: Five times per year
• Registrations are currently being accepted for the 2026 Cohorts.

Registration | Supervisor Recommendation Form

Program Structure: Cohort-based / 1 hr. eLearning and 2 hr. sessions via Zoom live session. There will be a limit of 20 people per cohort. Registration: Applications are being accepted for the 2026 cohorts.

Program Dates:

Leadership Foundations Level 1 Course Descriptions

1. Principles of Leadership: In this session, we will examine the qualities and roles of a leader, discuss leadership principles, and some of the challenges leaders may face.

2. Team Dynamics: This session will identify three elements’ leaders must pay attention to that are important to team dynamics: trust, communication, and collaboration. In addition, the five stages of team building will be outlined: Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning.

3. Leader Communication: This session will focus on effective workplace communication and social interactions with others who may have a different communication style than you.

4. Transforming Conflict into Collaboration: In this session, we will discover why conflict happens, common ways people react to conflict, and how to turn workplace disagreements into opportunities for constructive dialogue, change, and new understanding.

5. Feedback Essentials: In this session, we will learn what feedback is, why it’s valuable, and how to overcome the fear of giving it. We’ll also learn to follow a step-by-step feedback process, deliver an effective message, and handle difficult reactions.

6. Building Your Leadership Presence: This session explores influence and presence and how both contribute to how you are viewed as a leader. Your influence can be recognized and valued, regardless of your role within the organization.

Leadership Foundations Level 2 Course Descriptions

1. Values-Based Leadership: This session explores the principles and practices of values-based leadership, emphasizing how personal and organizational values shape effective decisionmaking, ethical behavior, and sustainable success. Participants will examine their own core values, discover how to align them with their leadership style, and learn strategies for fostering trust, accountability, and purpose within their teams.

2. Emotionally Intelligent Teams: This session focuses on developing the emotional intelligence (EI) skills that enable teams to collaborate effectively, communicate openly, and manage conflict constructively.

3. Critical Thinking and Decision Making: In this session, participants discuss the skills required to think critically, analyze information objectively, and make informed, effective decisions in complex situations.

4. Building Trust: This session explores how trust serves as the cornerstone of strong leadership, cohesive teams, and successful organizations. Participants will examine the behaviors and communication practices that build, maintain, and restore trust in the workplace.

5. Conflict-Intelligent Leader: This session will outline how leaders are empowered to approach conflict with confidence, empathy, and strategic insight, by developing conflict intelligence (CQ)—which is the ability to navigate conflict constructively. Leaders will learn how to lay the groundwork that enhances team trust, better communication, and performance that fosters collaborative relationships.

6. Growth Mindset: This session explores the power of a growth mindset—the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and perseverance. Participants will examine how mindset influences performance, adaptability, and leadership effectiveness.

This three-month program is offered exclusively for Managed Care team members. This cohort-based program will explore leadership theories and concepts, and allow team members to connect across different units.

• PROGRAM LENGTH: 3 months
• FREQUENCY: 4 cohorts per year
• Registrations are currently being accepted for the 2026 Cohorts. If you are interested in participating in this program, please consult with your supervisor.

Program Structure: This cohort-based program offers a fully asynchronous learning experience Each module contains 1 hour of eLearning content and a quiz that can be completed at a pace that fits with your schedule. Participation in discussion boards is mandatory and must be completed following the eLearning content. Cohorts are limited to 25 participants.

Registration: Registration is open for Winter and Spring of 2026. To be eligible for this program, you must be employed full time at TTUHSC for 6 months unless an exemption is approved by your supervisor. If you are interested in participating in this program, please discuss it with your supervisor. Enrollment is based on supervisor registration only.

Program Dates:

Course Descriptions

1. Principles of Leadership – In this session, we will examine the core skills and roles of a leader. These skills are interpersonal, and allow leaders to connect and engage with their teams.

2. Team Dynamics – This session will identify three factors of team dynamics; vision, trust, and rules. It will also introduce the five stages of team building: Forming – Storming – Norming – Performing – Adjourning.

3. Effective Communication – This session will focus on the barriers to becoming an effective communicator, and how leaders can enhance their communication.

4. Transforming Conflict into Collaboration – In this session, we will explore common sources of conflict, and ways that leaders can navigate disagreements to create understanding.

5. Feedback Essentials – In this session, we will define the purpose of feedback, why it’s valuable, and how to overcome the uncertainty of delivering it.

6. Values-Based Leadership – During the final session, we discuss the importance of workplace culture, identify practical strategies for enhancing it, and what it means to be a culture builder.

This 6-session program provides functional knowledge of effective leadership to TTUHSC team members with less than three years of supervisory experience. 

• PROGRAM LENGTH: 6 months
• PROGRAM SIZE: Limited to 20 team members
• FREQUENCY: Twice per year
• Applications will be accepted from May 4th through June 5th for the Emerging Leaders July-December 2026 Cohort.

Application | Supervisor Recommendation Form

Program Structure: Cohort-based / 1 hr. eLearning and 3 hr. live sessions via Zoom There will be a limit of 20 team members per cohort. 

Registration: Applications will be accepted from May 4 through June 5, 2026 for the July-December 2026 cohort.

Program Fee: $100 This fee covers the cost of assessments, supplies and other costs related to running the program. Instructions for payment will be sent upon acceptance into the program.

Program Dates

Emerging Leaders Course Descriptions

1. Six Dimensions of Effective Leadership – This session will focus on what you can do, personally and specifically, to be more effective at leading your team and helping your organization succeed.

2. Six Types of Working Genius – This session lays the groundwork for discovering the talents you already possess to help increase work satisfaction, raise your level of effectiveness, and grow as a leader.

3. Versatile Communication – This session identifies the four social styles to help you gain a better understanding of how to communicate and lead your team from a versatile perspective.

4. Resolving Conflict – This session will concentrate on the core essentials of resolving conflict by using actionable methods to maintain positive relationships and get the best results from your team. 

5. Managing Change – During this session, you will learn the fundamentals of leading though change, explore strategies to empower and engage your team members during a time of transition, and discover how to solve common challenges that teams experience when facing a change. 

6. Coaching – During this final session, you will identify different coaching strategies and provide the skills to inspire and guide others toward personal and professional growth, enhanced performance and overcoming challenges.

This 6-session program is designed for TTUHSC team members with at least three years of supervisory experience and seek to further develop their personal and professional leadership style. This self-focused program is designed to build and refine leadership effectiveness.

• PROGRAM LENGTH: 6 months (new cohorts begin in January and July every year)
• PROGRAM SIZE: Limited to 15 team members
• FREQUENCY: Twice per year
• Applications will be accepted May 4th through June 5th for the Next Level Leaders July-December 2026 cohort.

Program Type: Intensive, multiple readings, journaling, self-reflection 

Participant Profile: Team members who have completed the Emerging Leaders program, or team members in a current leadership role and have been a supervisor for over three years

Application | Supervisor Recommendation Form

Sessions will occur once a month from 9:00am – 3:00pm, in-person. All sessions will be in Lubbock. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided for participants.

Cohort size: 15 

Participants will be expected to attend all sessions and will be required to complete all readings and self-reflection activities. A Next Level Leader Microcredential/Badge will be awarded based on attendance at a minimum of 5 of 6 sessions.

Program Cost: 

There will be a program cost of $350 to cover supplies and meals. Travel will be the responsibility of the team member’s department. 

Preference will be given to those who have completed the Emerging Leaders leadership program. It is the responsibility of the applicant to obtain supervisor permission to participate in this program. Applications will only be considered after both the Participant and Supervisor forms are submitted.

As our capstone course, this highly-selective program provides rigorous high-level leader development to include pre-work, classroom instruction, team and organization-wide projects, readings and various other experiences designed to enhance the leadership abilities.

• PROGRAM LENGTH: 12 months
• PROGRAM SIZE: Limited to 15 team members
• FREQUENCY: Every year

Application | Supervisor Recommendation Form

COHORT 5 Overview

2026 – 2027 One Team Fellows Advisory Board: 

• Dr. Dawndra Sechrist, Dean – School of Health Professions 
• Carrie Culpepper, Chief Nursing and Quality Officer – Managed Care 
• Dr. Heather Guest – School of Nursing 
• Dr. Shane Harper – School of Medicine 

Program Length: 12-month/13 session program (3rd Thursday of each month)

Candidate Profile: The One Team Fellows program is designed to provide enhanced development for those who may consider pursuing higher level positions within the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. The ideal candidate will have 3+ years of service to the HSC and currently hold a position where they are responsible for the supervision of one or more team members. Faculty with at least 2 years of service with the HSC. Additionally, the ideal candidate will be someone who has engaged in professional development initiatives either internally or external to the HSC within the past few years. For selection planning purposes, this program will run every year from April to April. 

Each campus and/or organization will receive an allotment to select a Fellow from their organization. Selections and the return of the Fellow Profile are to be sent to OPV@ttuhsc.edu by March 13.

Program Overview: The One Team Fellows Program is designed to provide high-level leadership development to include pre-work, classroom instruction, team and organization-wide projects, readings and various other experiences designed to enhance the leadership abilities of the Fellows. This program will meet one time (1x) per month (usually the 3rd Thursday of the month) from 9:00a – 5:00p with a lunch break from 12:00p -1:00p. Locations of each session will vary in order to include as many of our locations as possible. The program will be limited to a membership of 15 Fellows. Participating in this program will not guarantee a future promotion into any position.

Cost: Throughout the program, there will be a number of opportunities to leverage personality inventories and other development tools. To account for the cost of supplies, access to assessments, food, and other items, there will be a program fee of $800 for each Fellow selected. Travel (i.e. airfare, car rental, hotel expenses, meals, etc.) will be the responsibility of the Fellow’s department.

Assessments / Inventories: Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in Emotional Intelligence training and other assessments. Each of these tools are designed to provide insight into your leadership abilities and strengths.

Expectations: Attendance will be expected for every session. Attendance requirements will be strictly enforced. Before accepting an invitation to the One Team Fellows program, we highly encourage you to review the session dates to ensure your availability. 

• Should there be an exigent circumstance (family incident, personal health, pandemic, etc.), an opportunity will be provided to the Fellow and their supervisor to meet with the One Team Fellows Advisory Board to determine the best path forward for all involved. 

• Microcredentials/Badges will be awarded upon a successful completion of requirements. 11/13 events must be attended in order to receive a One Team Fellows Badge.

Cohort 5 Timeline: 

February 2 – March 13, 2026 Dean/Council fellow selection – Application Period

March 16 – March 27, 2026 Selection process 

March 30, 2026 Notifications sent to selectees 

April 16, 2026 Cohort 4 first session

Please reach out to Adam McKee with any questions.

Email: adam.mckee@ttuhsc.edu Phone: 806-743-4537

• More Than a Thank You: Why Recognition Matters at Work
  Register for 1 p.m. session August 4, 2026
• Why Great Leaders Pause Before Acting in a Crisis
  Register for 10 a.m. session August 13, 2026
• The August Reset
  Register for 10 a.m. session  August  18, 2026

• Why Good Feedback Still Fails
  Register for 10 a.m. session  August 25, 2026

  
   

• Versatile Communications
  Register for 9 a.m. session August, 19, 2026
• Emotional Intelligence Foundations
  Register for 9 a.m. session  August 26, 2026