Aspire Auburn continues to transform leadership on campus with Leading Teams

Auburn University’s Aspire Auburn program is entering a pivotal new chapter as Leading Teams is now available for 260 employees.

Human Resources Development (HRD) listened to hundreds of voices across campus and developed the initiative to strengthen the university’s leadership culture, one person and one team at a time.

Since launching in the summer of 2024, more than 2,200 employees have either completed or are enrolled in Aspire Auburn programming, said HRD Director Chris Richie, including 644 who completed Leading Self.

“There’s so much about leadership that gets lost when we don’t recognize the potential in every single person,” he said.

Each level of the four-tiered framework — Leading Self, Leading People, Leading Teams and Leading the Organization — is designed to build on core values and competencies, with Leading Teams now focused on directors, department chairs and above.

“This approach ensures that everyone, regardless of role, can develop the skills and mindset to lead,” Richie said.

Dan Whatley and Eric Hall were among the 21 employees who participated in a pilot run of Leading Teams earlier this year.

Whatley, the associate vice president of facilities operations in Facilities Management, oversees a team of approximately 350 people, covering utilities and energy, maintenance, landscaping and campus services.

He said he found the variety of delivery methods — self-paced modules, small group discussions and seminar-style sessions — kept the experience fresh and engaging. Also, the program’s cross-functional approach was invaluable.

“Gaining perspective from leaders in academic units helped me think more about how Facilities can better serve the campus,” Whatley said. “Maybe we can adopt a more global approach based on some of the conversations we had during Leading Teams.”

Hall, the director of Student Services in the College of Sciences and Mathematics, manages a 15-member team, handling academic advising, career services, pre-health programs and recruitment scholarships for the college.

He said Aspire Auburn helped him understand his own leadership style and those of his colleagues.

“It helped us learn how each of us is wired individually and how we interact as a team,” Hall said.

The program also assisted Hall in fostering collaboration and motivation among his colleagues.

“It’s about learning how to show up for yourself, then how to lead others and finally how to move teams forward,” he said. “Leading Teams is about getting everyone on the same page and making sure everybody feels included.”

Aspire Auburn’s success is reflected in its numbers. Since its inception, more than 615 employees completed Leading Self, 510 completed Leading People and there is rapid enrollment for Leading Teams.

“We are providing what I believe to be a better program, built by us for us,” Richie said.

As Leading Teams expands, he said Auburn is fostering a culture where every employee, from frontline staff to senior administrators can aspire to greatness.

“It is distinctively Auburn,” Richie said. “That’s the strategic plan.”