Author: sarah.adams@academicimpressions.com

Responding to Disruption Fatigue: Reaffirming Your Values and Purpose

by Sarah Adams, PhD

Higher ed leaders at all levels are experiencing an unprecedented amount of disruption right now: The day-to-day work in the classroom feels as if it’s under siege. The continued availability of funding for research and for students is uncertain at best. The very purpose of higher education seems to be on trial. You weathered the enormous disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that was different. As bad as it was, you were able to settle into a routine after several months of chaos. The current political disruption promises to continue to bring threats and changes to the higher ed and education sectors for years. Leaders are already exhausted, but the work of serving and educating students continues. So how do you manage the day-to-day reality of disruption fatigue?   What Is Disruption Fatigue? Higher ed leaders have long experienced burnout (see here, here, and here), so you might be thinking that disruption fatigue is just another flavor of the same problem. But it isn’t the same. It’s related to burnout and can contribute to burnout, but disruption fatigue is a disruption problem. While burnout results from things like sustained overwork and stress, disruption fatigue is a response to constant and […]

Responding to a Bad Employee Engagement Survey: A Call to Action for Higher Education Leaders 

by Amit Mrig

Employee engagement surveys, if thoughtfully designed, are a powerful tool for understanding the lived experiences of faculty and staff. They can illuminate areas of strength and expose systemic issues that hinder inclusivity, belonging, and engagement. However, too often, leaders in higher education conduct these surveys infrequently, and when the results are less than favorable, they either bury the data or delegate the issue to a committee that produces little meaningful action. This approach not only wastes time and resources but also erodes trust and credibility. If your institution has received poor results from a climate survey, it’s time to take decisive action. But here’s the key: this isn’t a problem for senior leadership to solve alone. The best outcomes come from a dual approach—from transparent leadership from the top down, and from active engagement from the bottom up. Faculty and staff don’t just want to hear the results; they also want a role in shaping the response. When leaders both own the results publicly and empower their teams to develop solutions, they create a stronger, more engaged institution.   Own the Results The first step in responding to a bad climate survey is for leadership to create transparency by owning […]

Short on Time, Big on Impact: Leadership Development for Department Chairs

by Amit Mrig

One of the biggest barriers we face in our work with institutions is the constant refrain that leaders don’t have time to do leadership development. We hear this about both faculty and staff leaders, but it’s most acute with Department Chairs. Even when institutions are willing to invest in providing leadership development to Chairs, they have a hard time getting them to participate.  Some institutions have resorted to paying stipends for Chairs to participate in professional development. I think paying people to do leadership training sends the wrong message and is ultimately ineffective at producing better leaders. To be an effective leader requires a commitment to ongoing learning, not a “check the box” approach.     So, What Can Institutions Do to Engage Chairs?  For starters, senior leaders like Provosts and Deans need to model the way. They need to signal their commitment by investing in their own leadership through ongoing professional development, participating in 360-degree feedback processes, and using leadership coaches. These signals aren’t just symbolic; they will yield an improved culture of leadership from the top down.  Academic Impressions’ research has found that when leaders model the way by investing in their own leadership and professional development, their direct […]