ALEA - Art of Leadership Award

ALEA Award

The award for exemplary leadership at ETH Zurich

The ALEA Award honours ETH members with an exemplary leadership style. This includes any group leader acting with responsibility, fostering inclusivity and prioritising the well-being of their team members by coaching and supporting them, showing them respect and appreciation, and exploring innovative ideas. These leaders contribute to making ETH Zurich a global champion in teaching and research.

Thanks to the collaboration between the Academic Association of Scientific Staff at the ETH Zurich (AVETH ) and the Vice-Presidency for Personnel Development and Leadership (VPPL), the ALEA award also invites nominations for employees taking on technical leadership roles without assuming personnel responsibility at the same time. Eligible for nomination are thus also senior scientists, project managers, workshop leaders, etc. in recognition of their contribution.

Call for nominations 2024

The call for nominations for 2024 is closed. We look forward to the award ceremony on 26 November 2024 where both the ALEA and the ETH Diversity Award will be granted.  

A good leadership style distinguishes itself through allowing employees to exploit their full potential and develop optimally. Possible criteria therefore are:

Acting responsibly

  • Acting with integrity
  • Reflecting on, and improving, one’s own behaviour
  • Serving Swiss society and society as a whole
  • Integrating sustainability into daily actions

Driving innovation

  • Being courageous, open and curious
  • Being flexible and adaptable to change
  • Questioning the status quo
  • Exploring new ideas, solutions and technologies

Building bridges

  • Showing appreciation and respect
  • Being authentic and empathetic
  • Communicating effectively
  • Seeking opportunities to collaborate

Nurturing well-being

  • Being mindful of one’s own well-being
  • Being attentive to the well-being of others
  • Managing one’s own resources sustainably
  • Maintaining a healthy work-life balance

Living inclusivity

  • Reflecting on one’s own biases, assumptions and stereotypes
  • Treating everyone fairly
  • Standing up to disrespectful and non-inclusive behaviour
  • Informing oneself on diversity and inclusivity topics

Enabling people

  • Coaching others to find their own solutions
  • Understanding feedback as an opportunity to develop potential
  • Providing constructive feedback with an appreciative attitude
  • Contributing to a culture in which failures are dealt with constructively

Find out more about ETH Zurich's social- and leadership competencies here

 

Nominations are assessed by a jury comprising one Ombudsperson and one representative each from AVETH, the ETH Diversity & Cooperation Department, the HR Department and the Staff Commission.

ALEA Award ceremony 2023

This year's award ceremony took place on Friday 17 March 2023 from 15:00 to 16:45. Afterwards, there was an opportunity to discuss leadership, exchange ideas and learn from each other.

Read more about the event, the award winner Thomas Meierhans and the two finalists Lavinia Heisenberg and Mark Tibbitt in Internal news.

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Complete recording of the ALEA Award (Video:ETH Zurich)

The ALEA Award is the successor prize of the Golden Tricycle, which was initiated by AVETH and ETH Diversity in 2007.

Contact

The Association of Scientific Staff at ETH / Nikolaus Porenta
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ETH Zurich
AVETH
8092 Zurich
Switzerland

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