The Road to Retirement: The Curtain Comes Down (My Last Day at ACT)
Today is my last day as CEO of ACT, and as a full-time administrator anywhere.
Some might call it retirement, but as a friend describes it, “You’re not retiring but ‘refocusing’—on things you really want to do, rather than on things you must do.”
I think he’s right.
During my retirement, I will refocus on my life-long passion for helping underserved people reach their education and workplace goals. I will also engage in project work, advising and consulting, and plan to leave plenty of time for travel, off-road Jeeping, fly fishing, reading and writing.
I’ve always enjoyed weekends, so the other way I’m thinking of retirement is that starting tomorrow I will begin an “endless weekend.” Sounds sweet.
Bottom line, after 35 years of university leadership as a department chair, dean, provost, and president, and now five years as CEO of ACT, what have I learned?
Two things:
- Put people first: family, friends, students, customers, employees, colleagues. Even strangers.
- Dare to create a bold vision for a dynamically different future.
Almost all leaders talk about putting people first, but too many fail to do so. The missing ingredients are most often empathy and trust.
Time and time again, I have seen leaders with incremental visions. Modest visions result in modest gains. What we need are bold, almost unimaginable, visions for much different, and much better, futures.
Consider some of the great leaders in our nation’s history: Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., Steve Jobs, John F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan. They had little in common except that they had bold visions and they put people first.
The manner in which Dr. King “put people first” was far different from the way Steve Jobs did, but each of the leaders listed above coupled their commitment to people with bold, almost unimaginable, visions that continue to shape our lives today.
During my refocused future, I intend to write more about putting people first and creative visioning.
Thank you for following this column. While my “endless weekend” may be starting tomorrow, I do look forward to continuing our conversation in the years ahead.
This article is the second of three from the series, "The Road to Retirement".
Language Instructor ?? Free
8 年Yes, you are true,It's not retirement ,but It's refocusing stage.
Principal Department of Education
9 年As a teacher I think we can learn from you & can do lots of things for better future. Congradulations!
Community volunteer and leader
9 年Jon - congratulations on this milestone! And thanks for all you have done to create a better future for America's colleges and universities, and their students, faculty and staff. You may anticipate a call from the CIC, as I am sure we can find a way to connect your passion with our needs in the member universities!
Professor of Education, Emerita, University of North Texas at Dallas
9 年Thank you Dr Whitmore! You were a great president and you continue to be a great and wise mentor. I have always taken your philosophy to heart to put people first! Enjoy having choices!