If you've spent more than a minute working in higher ed, you know that we're never at a loss for "leadership development" opportunities. Some are internal to our institutions (HR-type workshops) but most of it comes in the form of workshops, seminars and short programs offered by an array of consultants, professional associations, think tanks, and accrediting agencies.
My sense is that this method of leadership development has far exceeded it's usefulness and applicability. Training current or emerging higher leaders how to "understand your own reaction and response to outside environmental factors," or how to "explore your impact on your team and learn ways to positively leverage your influence to increase trust and encourage action" isn't going to equip leaders with the tools to successfully navigate the existential crises battering higher ed. Learning how to "influence institutional initiatives by embodying core skills of collaboration, innovation, and exploration" isn't going to help the senior leader looking wide-eyed at evaporating traditional enrollments, rapidly eroding public trust in higher education, and an industry being reshaped by AI.
The best universities that are equipped culturally and operationally for rapid response have trained differently. They've run the enrollment and budget crisis simulations. They've trained their senior leaders with actual financial fluency so they can look beyond the digits on a balance sheet and make informed decisions about closing programs, merging units, and cutting costs. As I've suggested before, the foundation of this type of leadership is action and courage. That leadership seminar offered by that consulting firm isn't going to prepare or empower your leadership team to make the hard decisions that place survival before the mission. What we've lacked for years and desperately need at this moment is the training and preparation that equips our capable and competent leaders with the confidence and tools to act decisively under pressure.
No comments:
Post a Comment