Chapter 2: An Exploration of the RuReady Framework
When I transitioned from the U.S. Army, I became the guardian of a family friend who was in the early stages of dementia. This experience made me realize that, as much as I knew about Wills and Trusts, there was so much more I didn’t know. Thankfully, I found several professionals who helped guide me through the entire process. However, what this experience highlighted for me was just how many things in life are learned on the fly, which was the starting point for the RuReady personal development framework.
Personal Development Framework
After that experience, I began an experiment and created a personal development framework, fundamentally based on the Knowledge, Skills, and Attributes (KSA) framework and the Be-Know-Do leadership model. The framework and methodology were battle-tested and proven. This framework is an exploration of that idea.
The RuReady Adult Readiness Framework is designed to take some of life’s most complex ideas and challenges and turn them into a more approachable, thoughtful process.
You may be familiar with the term KSA, or Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities, used widely in HR and federal hiring. This series uses Attributes in place of Abilities, following the framework established in the U.S. Army FM 6-22 and used in various versions in other leadership development organizations. The distinction is intentional. Abilities describe what you can do. Attributes describe what kind of person you are: your integrity, your humility, your composure under pressure. In the context of personal, professional, and leadership development, these differences matter. Another way to think about KSAs is with the phrase: Be, Know, Do, where Be is another word for Attributes, Know is Knowledge, and Do is Skills. Whichever way is easiest to remember, the results are the same. There are things you should know, things you should be able to do, and behaviors you should model.
Please keep in mind that no list is entirely exhaustive, and personal, professional, and leadership development research continues to evolve. This list reflects some of the most current beliefs as well as U.S. Army ADP 6-22 and FM 6-22, which are foundational to this framework. This version of a KSA list is unique because it attempts to further break down the KSAs into basic, advanced, and mastery-level skills, which may be more relatable to all of us.
Knowledge, Skill, or Attribute Elements:
Individual Elements represent a topic that people should be familiar with or skilled in to be the best version of themselves.
Knowledge
Knowledge is education, training, and experience. You can begin the educational aspect of leadership knowledge by taking leadership classes in school, reading books, and watching documentaries. Depending on where you are on your leadership journey, these are all great places to start. In this context, training occurs when you practice, and it’s even more impactful when you receive feedback from someone you trust. The last element of knowledge is experience, and it only comes with time. I would offer one nuance to the experience element. For an experience to be meaningful, it must be reflective. Experience without reflection does not lead to personal growth, knowledge, or wisdom. In other words, experience without reflection does not support leadership growth.
Skills
Skills are the tools people use to be more effective in their craft or in how they do things. They include communication, decision-making, adaptability, and more. For example, how many parents have had to practice their communication, decision-making, adaptability, team-building, and motivational skills when getting their kids off to school in the morning? I’m sure we can all think of a place outside of work where these skills are applicable.
Attributes
Attributes are the characteristics that help establish credibility and set each of us apart. Attributes include integrity, compassion, accountability, resilience, and empowerment, just to name a few. I would imagine we can all think of someone who embodies these traits and probably many more, and without hesitation, we would say, “I’m proud to call them a friend.”
Domains: Personal, Professional, and Leadership.
In the Personal Domain, I explore ideas that help a person take ownership of their life. We examine how to apply leadership skills to our personal lives so we can live life to its fullest. We begin our Personal Domain journey with life stability elements, then explore how to grow capacity, and close with what we call the Last Chapter, where we explore personal Legacy, Wills, and Trusts.
The Professional Domain focuses on how we create value in the world. We begin with Employability and career exploration, then Professional Performance and how to build a career. We close the Professional Domain by exploring how to design a professional life with intention.
The Leadership Domain explains how to apply proven leadership principles regardless of assigned roles and responsibilities. The Leadership Domain is structured so that most leadership paths begin by exploring the Elements required for a team lead and then for Organizational Leaders. The Leadership Domain closes with the Elements and ideas behind Continuous Organizational Improvement.
Levels: Basic or Foundational, Advanced, and Mastery.
Regardless of the domain, at the Basic or Foundational Level, we explore the Elements most closely linked to foundational success. When these Elements are well practiced, a person has a solid foundation for growth.
Elements associated with the Advanced Level position a person for growth, capacity, and capability. People operating at this level are more likely to achieve their goals and aspirations.
Elements at the Mastery Level are more closely associated with leaving a legacy. Whether at work or in your personal life, Mastery Level elements tend to focus on giving back and your impact on others. In other words, leaving something better than you found it.
As the framework began taking shape, I noticed that many Elements were universal across all three domains. The great thing about a universal Element is that as you become more knowledgeable and skilled in it, it can have multiplying effects across all dimensions of your life.
Although we’ll explore the Universal Elements here in Chapter 2, it’s important to keep in mind that these elements are a critical part of the three life domains. Therefore, as you explore each of the three Domains, you will notice that the Universal Elements may appear to repeat; please understand that this is a function of the Elements’ universal nature.
Below are 30 universal KSAs. In combination with domain-specific KSAs, they will put anyone on the path to feeling more comfortable in life’s challenging situations. A deeper dive into specific KSAs is available when hyperlinks are present.
BASIC or FOUNDATIONAL KNOWLEDGE ELEMENTS
UK01 Emotional Intelligence (EI) Theory: It is the understanding of how emotions influence human thought, behavior, relationships, and performance. It encompasses four domains: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management.
UK02 Communication Literacy: Understanding how people create, interpret, and exchange meaning through spoken, written, and nonverbal communication. This knowledge enables individuals to communicate more intentionally, adapt to different situations and audiences, reduce misunderstandings, and build stronger relationships in every area of life.
UK03 Ethical and Moral Reasoning: Understanding how individuals evaluate right and wrong, balance competing values and responsibilities, and make principled decisions in complex situations.
UK04 Resilience and Adaptation Literacy: Understanding that resilience is not a fixed trait some people have and others don’t, but a set of behaviors, thoughts, and practices that can be learned and strengthened over time. This understanding explains why connection to others, self-care, healthy thinking, and a sense of meaning are the building blocks of recovering from adversity, and why setbacks are a normal, survivable part of life rather than proof that something has gone permanently wrong.
BASIC or FOUNDATIONAL SKILL ELEMENTS
US01 Emotional Intelligence (EI): It is the ability to intentionally recognize, understand, and manage one’s emotions while accurately perceiving and responding to others’ emotions. It involves applying self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management to communicate effectively, build trust, navigate conflict, strengthen relationships, and exercise sound judgment.
US02 Communication and Influence: It’s the practiced ability to adapt what you say and how you say it to fit the person in front of you and the moment you’re in. It means reading the relationship and context you’re operating in, adjusting tone, directness, and structure to match what the audience needs to hear, and delivering a message clearly enough that it can’t be easily misread.
US03 Time and Task Management: It is the practiced ability to prioritize effectively under load, manage competing demands, and sustain productivity without burning out. It is not about doing more; it’s about ensuring what matters most doesn’t get lost in what’s merely urgent.
US04 Resilience: The practiced ability to manage stress in the moment by drawing on relationships and support systems rather than isolating, reframing a setback rather than being defined by it, and continuing to move forward with intention even when circumstances are difficult.
BASIC or FOUNDATIONAL ATTRIBUTES ELEMENTS
UA01 Accountability: Is owning the outcome, both good and bad, without deflection, blame, or excuses. It means taking responsibility, whether in a relationship, at work, or in a commitment to yourself.
UA02 Integrity: Aligning your actions with your values consistently, not just when it’s convenient. Integrity isn’t what you do when people are paying attention; it’s what you do when they aren’t.
UA03 Courage: Acting on conviction, doing what’s right even when it’s difficult or unpopular, and personal courage, taking initiative and making the call. Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s acting despite fear when the stakes are real, and the outcome isn’t guaranteed.
UA04 Resilience: Recovering from setbacks and absorbing adversity without losing direction or purpose. Resilience as an attribute isn’t proven by never being knocked down; it’s shown by getting back up, showing who you are, and proving you’re someone who can be counted on.
UA05 Self-Discipline: Consistently upholding the standards, behaviors, and habits you hold yourself to, even when motivation is low or the payoff is far off. Self-Discipline isn’t a single act of willpower in a hard moment; it’s the accumulated habit of choosing the harder right thing, day after day.
UNIVERSAL ADVANCED KNOWLEDGE ELEMENTS
UK05 Decision Science and Critical Thinking: It is the understanding of the cognitive, psychological, and analytical principles that explain how people interpret information, evaluate alternatives, assess uncertainty, and make decisions. This knowledge provides the conceptual foundation for making informed, objective, and effective decisions in personal, professional, and leadership settings.
UK06 Digital Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Literacy: Understanding how digital technologies, information systems, and intelligent technologies create, process, protect, and communicate information. This knowledge provides the conceptual foundation for evaluating digital innovations, making informed technology decisions, and adapting responsibly to technological change across personal, professional, and leadership contexts.
UK07 Conflict Dynamics: Understanding why conflict arises between people and how it escalates when left unaddressed. Recognizing conflict enables early intervention, before entrenchment sets in, rather than reacting after a breakdown has already occurred.
UNIVERSAL ADVANCED SKILL ELEMENTS
US05 Decision Making Under Pressure: It is the practiced ability to reason clearly and decide well when the situation is complex, the information is incomplete, or the stakes are high. It also means owning the decision once it’s made, rather than second-guessing it into paralysis or refusing to be accountable for how it turns out.
US06 Digital Fluency: The ability to use digital technologies confidently, responsibly, and effectively to communicate, solve problems, manage information, and protect your data, no matter what you’re trying to accomplish.
US07 Conflict Resolution: It’s the ability to address tension head-on before it escalates. Conflict Resolution isn’t measured by whether every disagreement gets resolved; it’s measured by whether people can disagree without the relationship breaking down.
US08 Lifelong Learning: Is the intentional and continuous practice of seeking out new knowledge, skills, and experience throughout life, rather than assuming what you already know is enough. Lifelong Learning isn’t a phase that ends once you’ve finished school or established yourself in a role; it’s a standing posture toward your own growth that never fully closes out.
UNIVERSAL ADVANCED ATTRIBUTE ELEMENTS
UA06 Adaptability: Adjusting your thinking, approach, and behavior, in the moment and over the long term, when circumstances change, rather than defaulting to what’s familiar or already planned. Adaptability isn’t about abandoning what you believe every time something changes; it’s about holding your values steady while everything around them moves.
UA07 Curiosity: Sustaining genuine interest in learning, asking questions, and exploring ideas, including those outside your comfort zone. Curiosity isn’t something you do only when a situation requires it; it’s a willingness and desire to understand new things.
UA08 Dependability: Reliability is one of the most quietly powerful things you can offer another person. Over time, it is how trust is built and how it is lost. In a world where people routinely overcommit and underdeliver, simply being someone others can count on is a genuine competitive advantage in every relationship you will ever have.
UA09 Empathy: Genuinely feeling and understanding what someone else is experiencing. It means letting that understanding shape how you respond to them, what you say, what you prioritize, and how you treat them.
UA10 Gratitude: Gratitude is a two-dimensional (internal and external) attribute. A person must first choose to focus internally on what is working in their life rather than on what isn’t. The second dimension is external, expressed as genuine appreciation for the people in your life who deserve it. Gratitude expressed too rarely fails to land, and gratitude expressed indiscriminately loses its meaning.
UA11 Humility: Keeps you teachable, genuinely open to correction, and grounded. It isn’t thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less, so there’s room to notice everyone and everything else.
UA12 Patience: Patience is not passive; it is active and operates on three levels. The first is interpersonal: the ability to remain calm and measured when dealing with frustrated people. The second is situational: the ability to tolerate circumstances outside your control without letting frustration grow. The third is the long game: resisting the impulse to force outcomes before they are ready. In today’s world, patience is becoming increasingly rare and increasingly valuable.
UA13 Self-Awareness: An accurate, honest understanding of your own strengths and limitations. It means recognizing how they shape your decisions, relationships, and behavior, often in ways you wouldn’t notice without deliberately paying attention.
UA14 Selfless Service: Consistently placing the needs of those who depend on you above your own. Selfless Service isn’t self-neglect or the absence of ambition; it’s choosing to let someone else’s need come first when it matters.
UNIVERSAL MASTERY ATTRIBUTE ELEMENTS
UA15 Legacy (AKA Generativity): Act with concern for those who come after you, leaving people, places, and systems better than you found them. This isn’t reserved for grand or visible achievements; even something as simple as picking up a piece of trash in a park, mentoring a coworker, or teaching a child a skill is legacy in miniature: small deposits into a future you may never personally see.
Join us on this journey as we explore the fundamental elements of basic, advanced, and mastery-level leadership skills, as well as thoughts and ideas to grow your own.
If you’ve enjoyed this article, please be sure to check out the rest of this series: Preface: A Contemporary Field Manual for Adult Life, Chapter 1: Why Do We Do What We Do?, Chapter 2: An Exploration of the RuReady Framework, Chapter 3: The Personal Domain KSAs, Chapter 4: The Professional Domain KSAs, and Chapter 5: The Leadership Domain KSAs.
Stay Ready, My Friends.
Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is informational only and does not constitute professional advice or recommendation. This reflects my own experience, research, and opinions, and may not apply to your situation. There are a lot of things in life that, with a can-do attitude and a little elbow grease, we can Do It Yourself (DIY); however, there are some things that are better left to the professionals. When in doubt, please consult a professional; that’s part of being ready, too.