Karen Whitney is a seasoned higher ed executive as well as a nationally recognized organizational and leadership development writer, speaker, consultant and advisor. When coaching higher ed leaders, Karen draws on her 40-year career in higher education where she has held roles with increasing levels of responsibility, eventually serving as president and chancellor. In our conversation with Karen, we discuss the importance of higher ed leaders developing networks of support, as well as the unique role of a coach in relation to trusted colleagues, mentors, consultants, friends, and family. We also explore how leaders can draw on a coach as they navigate their relationships with different stakeholder groups. To see more conversations in this series, check out the other sessions.
Peter Cimbolic has spent his entire career in higher education in both the public and private sector. In his coaching, he draws heavily upon his background as a practicing psychologist, professor, internationally recognized scholar, dean, provost, and university president. In our conversation, Peter describes how coaching can be a valuable tool for faculty, staff, and administrators as they consider academic or administrative career pathways towards increasing levels of leadership in the college/university structure. Peter offers thoughts on how to best position oneself to be considered for the next step on the career ladder. We also discuss the challenges of transitioning to a new level of leadership, keeping the unique culture of higher education in mind. To see more conversations in this series, check out the other sessions.
Christine J. Quinn is a certified executive and team coach, motivational speaker, facilitator, and organizational development expert. Drawing on over 26 years of higher education leadership experience, she works with higher ed leaders to achieve personal and professional success. In our conversation with Christine, we discuss why coaching is timely for leaders navigating current complexities in higher ed. In addition, we explore how leaders can grow their leadership skillset in these times and lead their teams with authenticity and positivity. To see more conversations in this series, check out the other sessions.
Our conversation this week is with Steve Riccio. Steve is a leadership coach, author, professor, and higher ed consultant. Drawing on his expertise in leading change and human resource initiatives, Steve brings a deep commitment to working with leaders in higher ed to move their goals into action. In this conversation, we explore how coaching supports leaders to translate their goals and purpose into concrete actions, move a ‘problem’ – even those seemingly intractable – into a well formulated plan of action, and effectively manage their time and priorities. To see more conversations in this series, check out the other sessions.
Our first conversation is with Beth Weinstock. Beth is a clinical psychologist, leadership coach, author, and cofounder of Women’s Leadership Works. She has taught at universities on both coasts and coached many higher ed leaders. She brings a unique blend of clinical, academic, and leadership expertise to her coaching practice. In our conversation with Beth, we discuss how coaching provides a safe space for leaders to understand and better manage their patterns under stress. In addition, we consider ways to think about and build resilience. To see more conversations in this series, check out the other sessions.
Chairs Leadership Program – 2025-26’ September 19, 2025 | The Five Paths to Leadership® As a department chair, you play a pivotal role in advancing your department’s goals in partnership with your faculty, staff, and academic leadership. To lead effectively in this role, you need a clear understanding of yourself and how you show up as a leader. In this session, you’ll use the Academic Impressions Five Paths to Leadership℠ Self-Assessment to explore your leadership strengths and gaps. You’ll gain insight into how your natural leadership style surfaces in both everyday and high-stress situations, and learn strategies for adapting your approach to meet the needs of different individuals and contexts. By increasing your self-awareness and leadership agility, you’ll be better equipped to foster engagement, build alignment, and lead your department with confidence. October 17, 2025 | Embrace Your Leadership: The Balancing Acts of Academic Leadership Leadership requires the constant evaluation of a series of trade-offs. For instance, you may ask yourself questions like, “Do I lead as a faculty member or as a department head?” “Do I focus on the immediate or the long-term?” “Am I a colleague or a supervisor?” This session introduces the “balancing act” or “seesaw” as […]
In a time when higher education is navigating persistent uncertainty and complex stakeholder dynamics, bold leadership isn’t just aspirational—it’s essential. This session invites you to pause and reflect: What is the future of higher ed that we want to see? How can we work toward that future? Building on the powerful themes in The Best Gift Higher Education Never Asked For, this interactive webcast will introduce practical ways to help leaders create space for meaningful, forward-looking dialogue. You’ll learn how to structure sessions that surface real concerns, mobilize your teams around a shared vision, and move from reactive planning to strategic investment. Whether you’re just beginning to rethink what’s next or are already leading change efforts on your campus, this hands-on experience will leave you equipped to initiate critical conversations with clarity, intention, and momentum. Come prepared to reflect, explore, and take the next bold step. Can’t join us live? Watch the recording and reach out to us to learn more about how we can support you in hosting these conversations on your campus.
In higher ed, there is a widely-held myth that the smartest person in the room should lead. Taking for granted that someone who is smart is also ready to lead, we often fail to take steps to develop new leaders, leaving them unprepared for the challenges ahead and more likely to derail. This is especially true now, as higher-ed leaders navigate complex challenges without a clear map forward. The tendency to fall back on tradition–to rely on “smartship” rather than effective leadership–leads to four destructive and pervasive dynamics, and Patrick Sanaghan’s book explores these four in depth and offers specific strategies for countering them. Note: This course and the associated digital copy of How Higher Ed Leaders Derail: A Survival Guide for Leaders are for the use of Dallas College employees only. Distribution of the book is strictly prohibited. If you have trouble accessing the book or completing the quiz, please contact your Partner Success Manager Breanne Holloway by clicking on “Questions about this course?” in the right-hand column.
Louisiana State University seeks to transform the culture of service and faculty leadership, beginning with mid-career faculty who bear significant research responsibilities. Given that research output and productivity hold considerable importance in academia, prioritizing leadership development within this framework ensures that the discourse is both relevant and impactful for individual faculty members and the institution alike. By investing in faculty leadership, we can expect to see tangible improvements in research outcomes, enhanced retention of vital faculty and staff, and, ultimately, a more vibrant and positive institutional culture and climate. Agenda topics are subject to change based on ongoing collaboration between LSU and Academic Impressions. Please revisit this page for updated pre-work and other information in advance of each session. August 7, 2025 | 9:00am-4:00pm (Breakfast and Lunch provided) Welcome & Introductions9:00am – 9:30am Empowered Leadership 9:30am – 10:15amThere is no one-size-fits-all approach to leadership. Leaders must learn to adapt to different contexts and situations without losing their authenticity or integrity; in fact, the more self-aware a leader is about their own style and approach to leadership, the more successful they will be at adapting to new people and changing realities. In this session, each participant will identify the qualities, skills, […]
Earn the only customer service certification built for higher education. In just four weeks, this blended course will equip you with practical tools to improve service culture, support front-line teams, and handle challenging interactions with empathy and professionalism. With guided reflection and peer discussion, you’ll apply what you learn directly to your campus role—no matter your department or title.
Higher education needs leaders who are versatile and self-aware. The Five Paths to Leadership® Self-Assessment provides a way for leaders to dive deep into their leadership strengths and areas for improvement, understand their teams’ needs and motivations, and communicate more effectively across the board. This self-paced course is designed to provide just-in-time support and practical tools to help you apply the Five Paths to different aspects of your leadership. We’ll cover topics ranging from leading yourself, to leading others and your team, to leading systems. Whether you’re focused on improving your own leadership in an individual or one-on-one setting or leading a large team or division, this course will help you lead more effectively and confidently in specific situations.
Higher education leaders are constantly called upon to make tough, high-stakes decisions—often without complete information, under tight timelines, and in environments marked by competing priorities. The pressure is real, and it can lead to feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of the best path forward. This self-paced course is designed to provide just-in-time support and practical tools to help you regain clarity and momentum in your decision-making. Whether you’re struggling to make an individual decision or navigating a complex decision with others, this course will equip you with both personal and collaborative strategies to move forward more confidently.
you look to move into the workplace, it is more important than ever to expand your leadership abilities in order to be successful. Although you will have learned key content and practiced skills like creativity and collaboration in your classes, employers often report that graduates do not possess the level of preparedness in leadership skills needed to be successful in their careers. This course is designed to reinforce and help you to demonstrate your ability to work in increasingly global and collaborative work environments. This course covers the following topics: This course consists of five modules encompassing leadership skills that will benefit you in the workplace. Each module includes several short videos and accompanying workbook prompts and activities, with each designed to take you about 50-75 minutes per module. We recommend pacing them out to one module per week, but you can complete the activities at your own pace!
Writing external review letters for faculty’s tenure and promotion cases is a vital piece of service to the profession. But guidelines around them can be unclear and vague. If you’ve been asked to write an external review letter, and you’re unsure of how to start, this course will help. How It Works This course incorporates written resources, labeled by topic. To view the resources in a topic, click on the topic heading. If you’re completely new to writing external review letters, it may make the most sense to go through the topics in order. If you’ve written letters before, you may want to jump to topics that are most applicable to you in the moment.
This webinar will explore how to cultivate a data-informed culture within your institution, empowering you to make strategic and impactful academic program decisions. Learn to leverage valuable data sources—including student demand, employment trends, and competitive analysis—to gain a comprehensive understanding of program effectiveness and make informed choices about whether to start, stop, or grow programs. Learn how to implement a “leading from the middle” approach that encourages leaders to be program evaluation software users who frequently gather data insights to inform critical program decisions. We’ll examine how to use program economics to uncover hidden costs, optimize resources, and ensure program sustainability. We’ll delve into practical strategies for building a strong foundation of data literacy and explore why a phased approach, starting with foundational concepts, can lead to greater success. Join us to gain valuable insights and practical strategies for leading from the middle, empowering stakeholders to make data-informed academic program decisions that drive institutional success. Key takeaways:
Le leadership est l’une des choses les plus difficiles à définir et pourtant, nous sommes capables de reconnaître instinctivement une bonne expérience de leadership lorsque nous en sommes témoins. Le bon leadership est difficile à définir entre autres parce qu’il peut prendre plusieurs formes.
Deans across higher education are tackling some of the biggest challenges yet. Take, for instance, declining student enrollments (and the reduced budgets that follow) and the low levels of faculty morale and engagement (which, in turn, lead to high turnover). Let’s face it—these are big problems that take a village to solve. And yet, you probably feel like the responsibility to remedy these challenges falls largely on your shoulders. So how can you convene others across your college to become part of the village that can help you to tackle these challenges? Watch this recording of a live event where you’ll learn how you can elicit the best thinking in your unit. This training includes a simulated activity which will demonstrate how you can design and facilitate a collaborative and interactive meeting or brainstorming session with your team. You’ll walk away with a detailed facilitation guide and tips for how to implement this practice on your campus. If you’re looking for ways to reinvigorate your meetings and workshops, this training is for you!
In your early career, you don’t always have a lot of control over your schedule, and you may not get direction on how to manage a long-term project. Professionals who are open to working with the schedules of others while also advocating for their needs and setting their own schedules can develop reputations as team players and top performers. In this session, we’ll discuss how you can manage your time in an environment where you don’t always have choices over what you work on. This event is part of Developing Leadership Skills in Your Early Career to help you build leadership skills as an early leader. Learn more about the series, how it works, when the other sessions will occur, and who it was designed for.
As students move through higher education and into the workforce, it is more important than ever for them to develop an understanding of who they are as leaders. Help your students deepen their self-awareness, apply what they’ve learned in and out of the classroom to interviews and their future employment, and develop the skills to communicate effectively about their leadership strengths and areas for improvement using the Five Paths to Leadership® Self-Assessment. Join us to learn more about how this assessment can benefit your students, from classrooms to student employment to extracurricular activities! You’ll hear from Academic Impressions practitioners and partners who have applied the Five Paths to Leadership® to a student context. You’ll also receive a toolkit and case studies to help guide your work with students around the assessment.
Your early career is a time for a great deal of learning, and you often encounter so many new things that it can be overwhelming. Professionals who learn quickly where they can take initiative and build a sense of curiosity in their work really stand out in their organizations. In this session, we’ll explore how you can build your sense of initiative even with limited knowledge.
