The following leadership principles describe important values and attitudes in dealing with employees at BOKU. They are intended to serve as a guideline and provide orientation in the performance of leadership tasks. They ensure a common understanding of professionalism in leadership behavior and are binding for all management levels at BOKU.

The leadership principles were developed in several working group meetings in 2017. Numerous managers, members of the Rectorate and committee representatives of BOKU were involved in the discussion. The definition of the principles for personnel management underlines the efforts towards social sustainability at BOKU and is at the same time a gesture of appreciation for good leadership.

Leaders at BOKU take responsibility!

And they are willing to continuously develop their leadership skills.

As a leader at BOKU I act as a role model in every way: expertise-wise, ethically as well as professionally. I do as I say and am a model of reflective discernment. In this sense, I am able to accept and give positive as well as negative feedback.

I actively engage in decisionmaking and bear the consequences.As a leader I encourage my team members to take on responsibility and I foster a culture tolerating failure where learning from mistakes and developing creative and proactive skills are standard.

In my area I make sure that goals are set thoughtfully: in accordance with BOKU strategies and aware of the various competing fields and interests. I understand that room for innovation is equally important as is efficiency and I allow for flexibility where possible and clarify limits where needed.

As a leader I make sure decisions are made and communicated in a comprehensible and reasonable fashion and, whenever possible, are made together with those affected. I take care to provide regular and comprehensive information flow on all levels.

I trust that both staff and leaders alike: do their best, treat each other with respect and follow the rules of working together successfully. I actively foster an environment of mutual trust and respect by providing orientation, by fulfilling agreements and by delegating tasks.

Download Guidelines for Staff Management at BOKU