Values

The following beliefs are central to the Institute:

What’s important to us about people and communities:

• The dignity of all people is worthy of our respect.
• Integrity is the most central RIHEL operating principle. We treat our fellows, alumni, faculty, staff, Board, friends, vendors and the public honestly, honorably and transparently.
• Our workforce and our communities deserve our very best, and RIHEL is committed to excellence in the products and services that we provide.
• Diversity intrinsically enhances virtually every aspect of life, and we seek it to enrich our work.
• Health and environmental leaders accept the challenge to seek environmental justice and health equity.
• Individuals and communities share the responsibility for health and the environment.

What’s important to us about leadership:

• Leadership is the behavior by which one influences others in the attainment of a common goal.
• Leaders speak truth, and encourage and empower others to give voice to their values and goals.
• Effective leaders lead by example.
• Effective leaders incorporate coaching (strategic thinking partnerships) throughout their work and relationships.
• Servant leaders place service before self.
• Effective leadership requires the courage to take risks.
• Collaboration and inclusiveness are front line leadership tools for addressing complex problems.
• Leadership learning is a lifelong process.
• RIHEL is strongly committed to the future, as are all legitimate leadership endeavors.
• An appreciation of our humanity and humor can facilitate difficult processes and add joy to life. Creativity, passion, flexibility, and the desire to learn and grow are attitudes that help us grow as individuals, as leaders and as an Institute that develops, connects and leverages people.

RIHEL seeks to be the leadership development resource of choice for the health and environment professions in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming. While the public health/environmental health workforce is our central constituency, nearly every industry and sector affects the public’s health or the environment in some way. The leadership challenges to the public’s health are complex, and the government sector cannot successfully address these challenges alone. Accordingly, RIHEL serves the leadership development needs of a broad array of Rocky Mountain industries who are essential partners in the work of creating and sustaining healthy communities. By uniting the public and private sectors, productive relationships and creative solutions to our challenges can be achieved.