Building Better Leaders: 7 Key Practices from High-Impact Leadership Programs
In today’s evolving higher education landscape, institutions increasingly recognize that strong leadership isn’t just essential for individual success—it’s vital for organizational resilience and transformation. At Academic Impressions, after over twenty years of serving higher education, we’ve had the privilege of seeing how colleges and universities have strengthened their leadership benches in powerful, innovative ways. When we launched the Best Places to Grow initiative, we aimed to highlight this incredible work. From major R1s to small private colleges to large public universities, we found outstanding leadership programs making a measurable difference. While every program has its unique identity, certain best practices clearly emerged across our nominee pool. In this article, we spotlight seven practices that help leadership development efforts truly flourish. 1. Embracing Program Evolution and Iteration Many leaders want to launch fully formed, polished programs right out of the gate. But lasting success often comes through agility and iteration. Programs that evolve based on feedback, shifting needs, and ongoing reflection often achieve the greatest impact. Examples of Iterative Leadership Programs: Takeaway: Start small, launch pilots, listen closely, and iterate often for continuous growth and relevance. 2. Making Coaching a Core Component Leadership isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey. Personalized coaching […]