Category: Blog

I recently had the opportunity to offer a keynote address related to building inclusive learning environments. During the session, I asked the audience to consider the reality that the state of our politics is making education super weird (that’s a technical term).   The growing polarization in U.S. politics has profound implications for higher education, especially in how we approach teaching, learning, and the role we play as educators. The narrative of education as “neutral” no longer serves us. In truth, every decision we make in the classroom—whether about curriculum, assessment, or treatment of students—has political dimensions. We must challenge the misconception of neutrality and embrace the fact that the classroom is where we actively shape the future of our students, exposing them to diverse perspectives and critical thinking skills that prepare them for the complexities of the world. By contrast, when campuses are “neutral”, we inadvertently support the transition from a society that appreciates facts to a society that believes all opinions are valid regardless of facts. A transition that fuels the degradation of human capital rather than advances it.   We must intentionally create spaces where students, faculty, and staff can engage with diverse perspectives, question the status quo within […]

Over the past year, there have been a number of think pieces and declarations related to the need to maintain DEI as integral to the success of campuses. While many of these well-written and impactful statements offer a myriad of reasons we continue to need DEI programs, effective approaches to maintain these programs beyond “fight for the right to say/keep DEI” are harder to come by. We demand courageous leadership (as if DEI professionals haven’t always operated with courage) and then we define that courage as the willingness to put out a statement affirming their values and/or affirm that they will continue to say DEI. But if we’re being honest, that has always been the problem we’ve never addressed: allowing DEI to simply be platitudes and virtue signals, as if the words people say in public are always translated into meaningful action. And even when the words are truly courageous, the reality is that courage without a strategy is either ineffective or reckless.  As we transition from “fact-checking” to “community notes”, it is imperative that we infuse diverse experiences and perspectives within the overall lived experience. We must help everyone around us think critically about sources of knowledge and the […]

Leadership has always been an endeavor laden with challenges—both the good kind that enables you to grow, and the difficult kind that stretches you. This year will certainly be no exception and is likely to test leaders, both formal and informal, at all levels. Given this climate, how do you not get stuck just reacting instead of intentionally leading? How do you prepare for what you don’t know is coming?    It might feel like there’s too much happening to focus on how you show up as a leader, and that other things should take priority—but this is exactly the time to lead, and leadership is the way forward. Throughout the year, Academic Impressions will highlight essential skills for leading in the moment, no matter the circumstances. We’ll focus on such skills as knowing yourself as a leader, making decisions amid uncertainty, and managing disruption fatigue, to name a few. You may not be able to predict every challenge, but you can build the skills to navigate them—keeping yourself and your teams moving forward.     Learning how you show up—both in normal and times of stress Some of the biggest pitfalls that can trip you up as a leader might […]

In times of stress and chaos, leadership is often put to the ultimate test—and that is certainly an apt description of what’s happening in higher education these days. Faculty and staff are looking to their leaders for direction, stability, and reassurance at a time when leaders themselves are struggling to make sense of the flood of executive orders and guidance coming out of Washington, D.C.   Practicing resilient leadership provides the tools for navigating uncertainty with intention, clarity, and flexibility. There are a number of strategies that leaders can employ to not only guide their teams effectively but to also sustain their own well-being along the way.    Embracing the Difficult Realities As we react to unprecedented executive orders that are attacking higher education on any number of fronts, it can be easy to react with dismay, pessimism, or even denial. Neither reaction is helpful.  Jim Collins wrote about the “Stockdale Paradox,” in which he referenced the experiences of Admiral Stockdale, a prisoner of war (POW) in the Vietnam War. The Admiral had reflected on his impressions of those who survived and those who didn’t, and he shared that the survivors were those who embraced the very difficult and real circumstances […]

Last fall, Academic Impressions launched our inaugural summit for Provosts. Held for 20 participating Provosts, the summit’s focus was on how Provosts can lead in the face of increasing ambiguity and complexity, a topic for which there is a lot more “talk” than “walk.” We wanted to show Provosts that there are proven strategies for doing so, and in particular, for engaging their teams in hard conversations when stakes are high.   This is even more important because most senior teams avoid talking about the really hard topics—like allocating scarce resources, cutting programs, etc. At many of the institutions we work with, Deans are more likely to lobby the Provost privately rather than to voice candid opinions in team meetings. But not only does this pattern make it much harder for the Provost to make effective decisions, it also isolates decisions with the Provost and ensures that Deans can easily absolve themselves of any responsibility.  What’s more, when the hard issues are only raised in one-on-one meetings, Deans and Vice Provosts don’t get to see the whole picture. The underlying mental models and assumptions that drive decisions can’t be challenged. And it reinforces a zero-sum mindset where there are only winners […]