Higher Ed Leadership Challenge #1: So You Are, or About to Become, a Leader

Welcome to the inaugural edition of "The Leader Launchpad," a practical newsletter series designed for new (or hopeful) higher education leaders! If you're reading this, you are (or are considering) embarking on a rewarding, challenging, meaningful, and often maddening journey... and I'm here to support your success. If you are taking your first leadership role in higher education, you do so at an exhilarating and somewhat terrifying time for our industry. No matter your institution, you will have a meaningful impact on your college/university, your students, and your followers. Leadership is far more than a title and can have a significant influence on the career trajectories of those in your care. Leadership can never be taken for granted.

The intent of this first article is to welcome you and assist you in building your definition of leadership. To begin, I'd like to share some "framing wisdom" Dr. Susan Cole (former president of Montclair State University in New Jersey) shared during her retirement address. Dr. Cole had been president of Montclair State for 23 years, during which the University experienced massive transition, expansion, and a significant increase in reputation among internal and external stakeholders, as well as in national rankings. Dr. Cole's words were simple, yet poignant.

"I would remind you that you [members of the Montclair State community], too, are short-term stewards of this immensely important long-term asset." ~Dr. Susan Cole

Although Dr. Cole referenced MSU in her comment, the wisdom she shared applies throughout Higher Education. As a leader, you are a cheerleader and advocate for your team, your division, your institution, and for higher education as our beloved industry. Your burden as a leader includes the development, nurturing, and caretaking of other future leaders, but also of very long-term, important assets.

Dr. Cole's statement highlights the most foundational task of every leader. Your most important function as a leader is to serve something that is greater, more powerful, and (hopefully) more enduring than yourself. Studying leadership literature and identifying best practices are both great ways to begin conceptualizing leadership as a practice, however, the only way to truly prepare for a leadership role is to look inward. Reflecting on your values, interests, strengths, and limitations can help you understand your priorities. Identifying your motivations for becoming a leader can begin to shape your influence. Together, this awareness is the first step in understanding your unique leadership style. Here are some prompts that can help you explore:

1. What is your why? (Importantly, your first response to this may be more of a "how," but you'll need to keep asking yourself "why?" as a method to get to the heart of this).
2. How will newly acquired responsibilities shape your time and capacity as you enter a leadership role?
3. What cause/solution/relationships will you be able to elevate or magnify in your new position?
4. What would someone (who knows you well) say are your greatest strengths, and what would they say you need to work on? (Bonus step, ask those people and see if your response and their response align).
5. What areas will be challenges as you step into a leadership role, and what areas provide you with the greatest fear or uncertainty?

This weekly newsletter will address several of the most insomnia-inducing topics that leaders face (and many of the responses you gave to the previous 5 reflection questions). In each edition, I will provide easy-to-follow tips and techniques to understand who you are as a leader, and support you as you introduce and set a vision, develop strategies, respond to crises, and approach the myriad opportunities and challenges that you'll face in your exciting leadership journey. I hope you'll find this newsletter to be a helpful primer as you prepare for challenges you've not yet faced, and something to revisit whenever needed.

Finally, I ask that if you find the information insightful, useful, or beneficial in any way, you share this with your colleagues. Additionally, I hope you will contribute to the conversation. I would welcome your comments, feedback, and suggestions for topics or case studies (even your own experiences) that may be helpful to you or other readers. Ideally, this will become a leadership community that provides support and training to leaders (often the support and training that we wish we had when we first picked up the mantle of leadership, ourselves). I appreciate you sharing some of your very important time with me.