Day 2 ACE Leadership Academy for Department Chairs

At the ACE Leadership Academy for Department Chairs. Dr. Yi Yang and myself.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I recently attended the ACE Leadership Academy for Department Chairs. This has been an excellent experience - the facilitators have imparted excellent knowledge and it was wonderful to meet and learn from my fellow department chairs at the workshop. There was definitely more information and knowledge shared than I could ever effectively assimilate in such a short time period. However, I have boiled down a few few key insights from the experience.

The team of presenters. An excellent group!

What I Learned

• People - Many of the speakers spoke about different topics (diversity, finances, innovation, etc.), but the conversation always seemed to circle back to the importance of working effectively with the department faculty. Being able to work positively with your faculty is critical because without their support and efforts, all initiatives are essentially neutralized.  The ability to influence and lead change is paramount.
• The Department - One speaker stated that the department is the most important unit on campus. It is where all of the actual student learning takes place. Without faculty, there is no university. Therefore, we  It facilitates the work of the faculty and facilitates the learning of the students.
• Finances -  In any organization, money is the driver. Without financial resources (which essentially turns into people, space, or stuff) an links directly to our performances. I feel more confident but would like to build my understanding and experience therewith.
• Franklin has some excellent strengths - Many traditional universities faculty have little understanding of the changes happening in higher education. Franklin seems to be responding effectively through various strategic initiatives and is very active in adapting to change.

A great visual that shows the flow of resources in a traditional university.

What I Want to Learn

• Budgeting and finances. I realize that this is something that I am very interested in - for an organization's strategy to be effective, it must utilize its resources effectively and appropriately. I would like to better understand how finances are utilized to support and bring about effective strategy.
• Broader organizational view. I would like to get a larger view of all of the parts of an organization, including how all of the parts function individually and together to achieve student learning and success.
• A broader view of higher education. I would like to learn more about other universities, how they are structured, how they function, their strategies and problems. I would like to really expand my view of how higher education functions and where I fit within the big picture..

Perhaps my greatest benefit I gained from this meeting is motivation to continue to grow and expand myself. It was definitely motivating to see and learn from people who have done the things I want to do. I'll probably share more ideas and plans as time goes on...

Day 1 - ACE Leadership Academy for Department Chairs

As I mentioned yesterday, I am attending a leadership workshop for department chairs. Today was the first of two days, and I was very impressed with the content and approach. There is much too much information to discuss here, but I will provide some of the highlights of the experience. The workshop is facilitated by several former department chairs who have taken on higher positions as Deans, Vice Presidents, and Provosts at various universities across the United States. Their insights have been very interesting and exceedingly valuable.

Day 1 of the ACE Leadership Academy for Department Chairs.

• Pressure Over Time is often the only method you can use to achieve your goals. Just like the Grand Canyon was formed over many years, the results of your work may emerge over several years. Just constantly apply gentle pressure toward your desired outcomes. It requires patience, persistence, and a focus on the outcomes and results needed for your organization. 
• You have to plan your week so that you have time that cannot be interrupted (accept by your boss or her boss). This should be time that you use to focus on the things that are important but get crowded out by the urgent things that always arise. 
• There will never  be enough resources. Get over it and get to work. Don't waste your time complaining or lamenting the lack of resources. Use your energy to get to work.
• You are paid to think, not to fill the copier toner. 
• Delegate administrative things (e.g. scheduling and budget monitoring) to others whenever possible.
• Be a brave department chair. Have the tough conversations. Expect excellence from your faculty and staff. Lead toward excellence.

4 Words

We were encouraged to create four words that describe us as leaders. I chose the following, after some reflection: Results-Oriented, Respectful, Hard-Working, and Patient.

Strategies for Moving Up to a Dean or Provost Position

The question was asked about what strategies should be employed to continue to move up the administrative ranks. Below are the strategies given by our facilitators (who have done it):

• Make the decision that you are going to do it. This can be scary, but you must decide and own it.
• Research what it takes to be a Dean.
• Talk to Deans - ask them what it is like, what they do on a daily basis.
• Read the literature on what they do, what they grapple with. Read up on academic leadership.
• Look at job postings to understand the parameters in greater detail.
• Do a Gap Analysis. Analyze several dean positions and identify what it takes to be a dean. Then analyze how you hold up against those requirements. Identify the knowledge, skills, and experience you need to develop and gain so that you are prepared for the position.
• Prepare yourself for the position:
• Gain diverse experience. Strategically engage on the committees that will make you an excellent candidate for a dean position.
• Serve on a President or Provost search committee.
• Participate in a fellows program such as the ACE Fellows program which allows you to interact with many university presidents and gives you a broad, enriched perspective. Some universities also have these kinds of programs internally.
• Apprentice with a Provost or a President.
• Simply spend time with Deans, Provosts, and Presidents. Become familiar with the issues they struggle with, their way of leading and communicating, their approaches to their work. 
• Become very familiar with budgeting and financial structures. This is critical to effective leadership.
• Build your fundraising experience and expertise. Deans do a lot of fundraising.
• Ask Deans and Provosts their advice for moving forward.

 Again, it has been a wonderful experience. Great ideas and insights, and I feel blessed to be among such an amazing group of academic administrators!

ACE Leadership Academy for Department Chairs

UPDATE: Here are my notes and insights from the two days at the ACE Leadership Academy:

• Day 1 Notes and Insights
• Day 2 Notes and Insights

This week I am attending the ACE Leadership Academy for Department Chairs, a two-day workshop facilitated by the American Council on Education. The workshop "focuses on the chair not only as a unit leader but also as an academic leader in service to the institution and its mission." It appears that it will be a hands-on workshop including interaction with other participants and case-based activities. 

From what I have gathered, there will be around 70 attendees, and the facilitators come from a wide variety of universities and backgrounds. I am impressed with the credentials and experience of the facilitators, and I anticipate a positive experience!

Why This Conference?
I have recently been promoted at Franklin University to the position of Department Chair in the Department of Design and Assessment. This department is housed within the International Institute for Innovative Instruction, which provides leadership in instructional design, teaching, and assessment both locally (at Franklin University) and internationally (among our many partner institutions).

With this appointment I am working with and leading eight outstanding faculty members, and my goal is to be as effective as possible in my administration - hence my attendance at this workshop.

I plan to write about my experiences and insights gained in this workshop over the coming to days and will share my insights in blog posts each night. I am excited for the knowledge and skills this workshop will provide and I look forward to the experience!

Leadership Development: Communication and Relationshps

This post is part of a series on leadership development.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I am currently participating in a Leadership Development Program (LDP) as part of my work at Franklin University. This week, I attended a presentation by Dr. Mike Posey, the Chair of the Public Relations Program at Franklin University. I have worked with Dr. Posey in the past and it was good to hear from him in this format. 

Dr. Posey shares his insights on the importance of relationships in leadership.

Dr. Posey presented on the importance of relationships in leadership. He started the session by having us view a presentation on leadership styles of orchestra conductors. I enjoyed the video and have embedded it below.

Below are some of my notes from the meeting. Note that these are likely some of my own ideas mixed in with Dr. Posey's.


A Cool "Warm-Up" Activity

Dr. Posey started out the session by having each member individually roll a die and answer one of 6 questions on the slide, based on what they rolled. Here are the questions that were answered:

1. Describe in one sentence your professional life.
2. What are your hobbies?
3. What makes you happy?
4. What don’t you now that you would like to know more about?
5. One thing you want to do professional before you die?
6. One thing you want to do personally before you die?

Dr. Posey observed that people tend to become more excited and animated about their personal goals and less excited about their professional goals. The take-away message was that we should be sure that our work life aligns as much as possible with our interests and passions in life. It was also a really good way to learn more about the others in the group.

Three People You Admire

Dr. Posey then asked us to write down three people we admire. I was thinking of the list in terms of public figures, and here is who I wrote down (I acknowledge that I wrote more than three, here):

• Mahatma Ghandi
• Martin Luther King Jr.
• Gordon Hinckley
• Jesus Christ

Characteristics of Good Leaders

The following were shared as positive characteristics of leaders, which strongly correlates to the people we admire:

• Motivator
• Colleague
• Passionate
• Listener
• Authority
• Controlled
• Teacher

I would say that the people that I wrote down as admirable certainly possess many or all of these attributes.

It's All About Relationships, Empowerment, and Communication

Dr. Posey’s belief is that despite the many different theories related to leadership, it all comes down to three major components: relationships, empowerment, and communication.

• Relationships – everything we do in leadership (and in life) has to do with relationships. We are constantly asking ourselves “How do I relate to this person, object, idea, or environment?” Managing human relationships is absolutely critical. Human beings are relational beings - we must interact with other people to exist and to thrive. For positive interaction, we must have a self-awareness and awareness of other people. The key to relationships to find out what motivates them, what gets them excited, and help them see how they fit within the organization.
• Empowerment – we empower others by giving them responsibility and ownership. This leads to higher trust, productivity, and a positive working relationship. Let people do what they love and are good at.
• Communication – in the workplace, communication is very often extremely disjointed. There are means of communication, which disrupt how we communicate. A leader should communicate in ways that they are good at. In addition, communication should not take place as a monologue - it should be two-way. Listening is absolutely critical.

“The hard stuff is easy – the soft stuff is hard. The soft stuff makes all the difference!”

The people/relationships side of things is perhaps the most difficult, yet it can have the most profound impact on our success as an organization. People need to feel empowered, cared for, supported, protected, and trusted.

30 Seconds of Reflection

We have been doing 30 seconds of reflection at the end of each leadership session. Here is what I wrote down: "I continually think about whether I am on the right track with my profession. Am I doing what is truly important to me? I believe so. I enjoy my work - I am learning and growing, and I love higher education.  Ultimately, I want to live an incredible life and have a positive impact on the people I work with and interact with."

Leadership Development: Leadership Theories and Decision-Making

This post is part of a series on leadership development.

As noted in a previous post, I have been attending leadership development presentations on a monthly basis at Franklin University. Today we heard from Dr. Timothy Reymann, the Chair of the Business Administration, Management and Applied Management Programs at Franklin. Below are my notes on his topics of discussion, as well as some reflections.

What is leadership? 

A leader has the ability to influence others. It isn’t directly linked to a position within an organization. Simply sharing ideas with others can have a great impact on others and on an organization. Leadership also includes helping move others toward a specific or shared common goal. Importantly, great leaders start off as great followers. Dr. Reymann shared an example of Dr. Tom Seiler, the Dean of the College of Business at Franklin, who exemplified followership at many levels as he progressed in his career.

Leadership Styles

Dr. Reymann outlined some of the major theories of leadership being discussed today. I'll give a brief outline of these below.

• Transformational Leadership – transformational leaders focus on helping the people they lead to change and improve. They do the following:
• Build Trust – Work hard and pull through for your people.
• Act with Integrity – Work hard, stick up for your people, own your mistakes.
• Inspire Others – Show what is possible. Encourage the growth mindset.
• Encourage Innovative Thinking – Model and reward creative thinking.
• Coach Individuals – work with specific people individually to help them move forward
• Authentic Leadership – The focus here is leadership that is transparent, ethical, and worthy of the trust of the followers. Apparently the Millennial generation wants leaders who are transparent and trustworthy.
• Transactional Leadership - this is typically seen as less-effective, today. I see this as a remnant of past societal needs - in the industrial society, this kind of management style was probably important, but in our current society, people need to be able to do their work without constraint. Transactional leadership tends to employ micro management strategies wherein they are "all up in their employees' bidness" and don't allow them to move forward with faith and confidence.
• Servant Leadership – The servant leader’s goal is to develop others and not to develop his or her own interest. Listening, empathy, and foresight are key skills. It is based on principles of Christianity – the leader is there to develop others and have them carry on as leaders.
• Full Range Leadership – This model seems to show the big picture and help leaders move from totally apathetic to passive, to transactional, to transformational. Transformational seems to be the best fit for the knowledge society, according to this model. I tend to agree, though I might mix in a little servant leadership (as they appear to be very similar). 

“A leader is best when people barely know he exists. Of a good leader, who talks little, when his work is done, his aim is fulfilled, his followers will say “We did it ourselves.” Lao-tsu

Decision-making in Leadership

Reymann identified 8 steps for decision-making. These align well with the “scientific” or “analytical” approach to decision-making. Very often we are making split-decisions instead of using critical thinking approaches. The main thing is to take enough time to make the right decisions.

1. Identify relevant facts – gather solid data.
2. Identify ethical issues for the decision – make sure you take care of your ethical obligation.
3. Identify stakeholders – who will be affected by the decisions? How?
4. Identify possible consequences and alternatives – predict what will happen when decisions are made and actions taken
5. Think long-term – how does this decision affect our people and our organization in the long-term? Come up with a 3-5 year plan for increasing your successes.
6. Identify relevant obligations – what are you obligated to do? What if your decision was published in the newspaper? Would you be comfortable with it?
7. Think creatively about courses of action – create many options.
8. What does your gut say? – Get a sense of what your instincts tell you to do. Decisions will tell you what the right decision is.

Other Notes

Self-awareness– without an awareness of your own thinking strategies, emotional intelligence, communication abilities, you will not be able to make the changes necessary to affect positive change.

Risk-taking – leaders must encourage risk-taking among the people they lead. They must not point out when errors are made because this will encourage “playing it safe” and hiding mistakes.

 Leadership Development – to develop yourself toward increased leadership, do the following:

• Have a clear goal – know where you want to go and how you want to impact the world.
• Have a clear path forward – evaluate yourself and identify what you need to do to prepare yourself to move forward effectively. Map out how you will do it and get moving!
• Obtain a mentor – find someone you can go to lunch with, someone that you can rely on for guidance. Ideally, this should be someone who has done what you wish to do in your career. Perhaps have several mentors!
• Risk-taking – do scary things and do your best. Take risks, try your best, learn from the experience, and try again! If you never take the leap, you will always remain where you are.

30 seconds of reflection

(In these leadership development meetings, we are always directed to reflect for 30 seconds. This is my reflection). I would like a clear path forward toward the fulfillment of my goals. Much of this includes gaining an objective view of my current abilities so that I can identify how to really change and improve myself. I've realized that I really need to get clear feedback and guidance from the people that I work with so I have a clearer picture of what my strengths and weaknesses are. This will be scary and potentially painful, but it may yield a practical path forward.

Article Review: Leadership Through Instructional Design in Higher Education

I recently read an article by Kristi Shaw entitled Leadership Through Instructional Design in Higher Education. It introduced to me the suggestion that instructional designers have unique skills that enable them to have particular success in higher education leadership. She writes:

"The qualities of instructional designers and the necessary characteristics for leadership overlap. Expert instructional designers are highly educated and many possess advanced graduate degrees. Instructional designers are experts in problem solving and critical thinking. Designers demonstrate high levels of professionalism and believe in a learning mindset. In addition, instructional designers commonly have backgrounds that enrich their leadership and design toolkit. For example, many designers have backgrounds in training, technology and education. "

I will discuss each of these concepts below. Shaw lists several key skills for higher education leadership and describes how instructional designers already possess many of these skills and abilities as a result of their education and the nature of their work.

• Problem Solving - Leaders must have the capacity to solve complex problems, and instructional designers are in the practice of solving complex problems in their work. I have personally found that the capacities I developed as a designer and in my PhD studies in instructional technology and learning sciences can be transferred and applied to problem solving in many areas.
• Critical Thinking - Critical thinking involves analysis (taking the whole apart), evaluation (placing value on something), creativity (synthesizing for highly contextualized solutions) and reflection (metacognition, consideration of different approaches and strategies). Designers by default take knowledge apart to make it more easily learned. They continually evaluate their own work, the work of others, and the learning of their students. They create solutions to design problems and have the capacity to consider their own processes and actions and take new approaches to their work.
• Model Ethical Behavior - I've personally committed to ethical behavior through my commitments of faith (no lying, cheating, misrepresenting, stealing, etc.). In addition, I have committed to live by the 10 Standards espoused by the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI), which standards guide me toward ethical contribution to the organizations I work for. 
• Constant Adaptation and Learning - This means establishing a habit of continual improvement. It has been shown that higher degrees earned in higher education facilitate the habits of lifelong learning. I am continually learning in my instructional design work - I read dozens of books and many scholarly articles each year, and I attend one or more academic and professional conferences annually.
• Analyze where an organization lies in comparison to institutional goals - This is the concept of gap analysis - identifying where goals are not being met so that improvement can be made. This is a fundamental task for instructional designers, and bridging this to organizational goals makes sense. I've bridged my analysis skills to organization and program performance issues with some success.
• Background in the facilitation of learning and an advanced degree - This makes an individual well-suited to lead in higher education. Designers clearly have this kind of educational background. I have personally designed courses for and taught at multiple universities, and these experiences have helped me to understand the processes of learning and instruction.

Again, this was a great article, and I appreciate Dr. Shaw's insights and ideas.