It’s all about timing and permission. You’ve finally worked up the courage to share that crucial piece of feedback. You see your colleague in the hallway, and you seize the moment, launching into your well-reasoned points. But instead of the thoughtful discussion you hoped for, you’re met with a defensive reaction. The conversation is over before it even begins. What went wrong? The insight may have been valuable, but the delivery felt like an ambush. The effectiveness of your feedback often comes down to two things that have little to do with the message itself: timing and permission. The Power of an Invitation Think about the last time someone gave you truly helpful feedback. Chances are, you felt like a participant in the conversation, not a target. The single best way to foster that feeling is to ask for permission before offering your thoughts. Why? Because feedback works best when people feel invited into the conversation, not surprised by it. Asking, “Do you have a few minutes to talk about the X project?” or “I have some thoughts on how we might approach Y—is now a good time to share them?” does something powerful. It signals respect for the other […]
Success breeds success. The end of the academic year is rapidly approaching on most campuses, and with it comes the buzz of activity that surrounds commencement and student departures. Whether you are faculty, staff, or administration, the end of the academic year often brings days packed with the tasks of wrapping up projects and events. Before you settle into the rush of the end of the year, we’re inviting you to reflect with us on how the year has gone, and how you can apply what you’ve learned. This week in Leadership Insights, we’ll share some useful ways to think about what served you well, what you would change moving forward, and how to incorporate those lessons into your future work. What Served You Well This Year? Reflecting on what has served you well creates a foundation for intentional growth and sustainable success. When you identify your effective patterns, you can replicate and build on them rather than constantly reinventing your approach. This type of reflection serves several key purposes in your professional development. It: Builds self-awareness of your strengths. You gain clarity on which strategies, relationships, and decisions actually moved the needle. This helps you to distinguish between being […]
Here’s how to share feedback when you aren’t the person in charge. You see a way to improve a process. You have an insight that could save a project from a potential pitfall. You notice a recurring challenge that, if addressed, could make everyone’s work a little easier. But you hesitate. Why? Because the person you need to talk to isn’t your direct report. Maybe they’re your peer, a colleague in another department, or even your boss. The thought of offering unsolicited feedback feels presumptuous or risky without a formal title to back you up. So, you stay silent. The insight is lost, and the opportunity for improvement vanishes. Shift Your POV: From Critique to Contribution In many organizations, feedback is treated as a function of authority—as something that flows downward from a manager to their team. But in healthy institutions, insight and feedback flow in every direction. The most effective feedback isn’t tied to a position on an org chart; it’s grounded in a shared commitment to the work. This requires a fundamental shift in thinking, in which you stop seeing feedback as a personal critique and start seeing it as a professional contribution. When you frame your observations […]
How to turn everyday interactions into a leadership masterclass. 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 […]
Understanding your natural tendencies to lead more authentically. Have you ever noticed that certain leadership tasks—like brainstorming a new curriculum or mediating a departmental conflict—leave you feeling energized, while others—like detailed budget reconciliation or making a quick, top-down decision—leave you completely drained? This isn’t a sign of a lack of ability; it’s a reflection of your natural leadership tendencies. Many leaders spend years trying to copy the style of a mentor or “classic” administrative archetype, only to find themselves exhausted. True, effective leadership in higher ed isn’t about changing who you are; it’s about understanding the patterns you already follow. Shift Your Framing: Identify Your “Go-To” Patterns To lead authentically, you must first recognize your core tendencies. Self-awareness is the foundation of effective leadership, and you can uncover your patterns by observing three specific areas: Reflect on your stress responses: Notice what you default to under pressure. Do you dive into deep analysis, seek immediate input from colleagues, or focus purely on execution? Your stress behaviors often reveal your core strengths in an exaggerated way. Note: An assessment like the Five Paths to Leadership® Self-Assessment can help you to identify how you lead in typical situations and how you lead […]
Why recognizing that you’re “improvising” is actually a leadership strength. If you’ve ever sat at your desk—perhaps after a long faculty meeting or a complex departmental shuffle—and thought, “I’m kind of just winging this,” you aren’t alone. In higher education, leadership often happens organically. We are researchers, educators, and specialists who suddenly find ourselves responsible for people, budgets, and departmental culture. It’s a transition that can leave even the most seasoned experts feeling like they’re improvising. But here is the secret: Recognizing that you want to be more intentional is actually a significant leadership strength. It means that you are ready to move from being an “unexamined leader” to one with a clear, authentic philosophy. Shift Your Framing: Start with a Values Audit Developing a leadership philosophy doesn’t require a library of management textbooks. It starts with a Values Audit—reflecting on the principles that already guide your best work. To uncover your core leadership values this week, try these two reflections: Identify “Your Proud” Moments: Think of 3-4 specific situations where you felt genuinely proud of how you handled a challenge. What principles were you operating from in those moments? Consider Your “Never Again” Moments: Our strongest values often emerge […]
Facilitating dynamic meetings. Last time, we covered the shift from being an individual contributor to being a leader. Another common theme we’ve seen come up with Sophia (our AI leadership coach) has been around how to facilitate effective meetings. As a reminder, if you haven’t used Sophia yet, here are some resources to check out: 50 Conversations to Have with Sophia What’s New, What’s Next: Your Membership Unlocked — Register for free to join us on May 18. We’ve all been there: sitting in a staff meeting or a workshop where the leader is talking at the room for 45 minutes straight. In higher ed, where our calendars are often a mosaic of back-to-back sessions, meeting fatigue isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a drain on our collective productivity and morale. The secret to a high-impact gathering isn’t having the most polished slides, it’s shifting your role from Presenter to Facilitator. The Participation Pivot A presenter is a fountain of information. But a facilitator is a curator of conversation. When you facilitate, you aren’t just delivering content—you’re creating the conditions where voices from all levels can surface. This is especially vital when you consider that nearly 22% of higher ed professionals report […]
Moving from doing to leading. This week in Leadership Insights, we want to share how people have started using Sophia, the AI leadership coach that’s a part of our membership. Specifically, we’ll offer three themes we’ve seen come up time and time again. Some other resources to use: 50 Conversations to Have with Sophia What’s New, What’s Next: Your Membership Unlocked — Register for free to join us on May 18. One prompt that’s come up a lot with Sophia is about the shift of going from individual contributor to leader. The transition from being a “star performer” to a “star leader” is one of the most jarring shifts in higher education. Many leaders were promoted because they were excellent at the technical aspects of their roles. However, the skills that got you into the leadership seat aren’t always the ones that will help you to thrive there. The most significant challenge isn’t a lack of skill; it’s a need for a reframing of identity. The Expert Trap When you’re an individual contributor, your value is measured by your personal output. When you become a leader, however, your value is measured by the collective output and growth of your team. […]
