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Leadership Insights
In the busy halls of academia, we spend a lot of time watching other leaders. We sit in faculty senates, attend town halls, and observe how Deans or Provosts navigate high-stakes decisions. But there is a significant difference between simply watching and developing a critical lens.
Most “unexamined” leaders unconsciously absorb the behaviors of those around them—the good, the bad, and the messy. To build a truly intentional philosophy, you must move from passive observation to active, structured learning.
Shift Your Framing: Develop Your Leadership Intuition
Observational learning is powerful when it is focused. Instead of just watching, start looking for the “why” behind the “what.” You can sharpen your leadership intuition by focusing on three active approaches:
- Structured Observation: Pay attention to specific high-pressure situations. How do respected colleagues handle conflict, communicate bad news, or decide when to “draw a line in the sand” versus when to offer less information?
- Direct Engagement: Don’t be afraid to ask a leader you respect for a 20-minute coffee. Frame it simply: “I want to be more effective in my role. Can I pick your brain about how you handled that last project?” Most leaders in our field appreciate being asked and are surprisingly open to these conversations.
- Practice Integration: When you see a technique that works, don’t just copy it—adapt it. Ask yourself how that principle fits into your own values and natural style.
Anchor Your Growth in Experience
Your leadership philosophy is not a static document you write once and file away; it is a living foundation that evolves as you gain experience. By consciously choosing which elements to incorporate and which to leave behind, you ensure that your leadership remains authentic rather than as a patchwork of other people’s habits.
Whether you are a new department head or a long-time administrator, the work of an “examined leader” never truly ends—it just gets more rewarding.
Pause & Reflect
Identify one leader you respect. What is one specific behavior they possess (e.g., how they start a meeting, how they say ‘no’) that you want to adapt for your own style?
Or, if you’d like to utilize Sophia, our AI leadership coach, try this prompt: “I recently observed a leader who is excellent at [insert skill, e.g., de-escalating tense meetings]. I want to adopt this skill, but my natural tendency is to [insert your tendency, e.g., stay quiet/over-analyze]. How can I adapt their technique to fit my personality authentically?”