Behind The Scenes

Upon Reflection

2016-05-15T07:04:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of The Chair Academy

Leadership is not telling others what to do. While leadership can involve offering guidance or direction, a good leader inspires and collaborates.

I work for a Dean who oversees Enrollment Services and Student Life. I have always been part of the Enrollment Services division and I am engaged with several of the departments. We work as a team to get things done. When one player is down, we step in to fill the gap.

Over the past few months, one department has found itself light in staffing. It was without a director for two weeks, one position is currently unfilled due to a job change, and recently a colleague went out on temporary medical leave. I watched as a young woman in the department stepped up and took a leadership role without asking.

In a time of need she reached out to her co-workers and outlined the needs of the department. She asked others what they could do to help. She did not assign. She did not boss. She asked. She took control of the situation and outlined the challenge that was facing the department. It felt as if her colleagues breathed a sigh of relief. Someone was taking charge.

This is leadership. Since that time I have watched as her director has trusted her with independent responsibilities. She is a leader.

Sometimes You Just Have to Ask

2016-02-14T14:59:00.001-08:00

Speaking up. Speaking out. Presenting at a meeting. Taking initiative. These are all expectations of leadership. Over the course of my career I have done all of these things. Mostly on a small scale. Sometimes I have submitted a session proposal for a local professional conference.

Recently I was asked to submit a session proposal for a professional development day. The topic: why community colleges should participate in financial aid experiments being offered by the U.S. Department of Education. My colleague, and team leader on a current project, asked me to submit the proposal and design it as a discussion panel.

How could I resist? After all, in September of 2014 I had asked the administration at my college if we could submit a letter of interest to participate in some financial aid experiments being offered. We were accepted as a participating institution and are now currently participating in one, with another one on the horizon. For this session proposal I asked my VP to present with me. He is an obvious choice because he is the administrator who is supporting our efforts.

I have to admit, that at the time I asked about the experiments and when I asked about the professional development day proposal, I was a bit unsure of myself. Not because my VP is scary or unapproachable, but because I lacked confidence that it was right to ask. In retrospect, asking if we could participate in the financial aid experiments, and asking him to be on the discussion panel with me seem to go hand-in-hand. If I had not asked, I would not have heard “yes.”

Sometimes, you just have to ask.

Lead By Caring

2016-01-23T10:21:00.001-08:00

We have all heard about “management by walking around,” a concept that has been around for quite a while. I recently read Encouraging the Heart in which the authors explore the notion of “caring by walking around.” The idea is that good leaders do more than observe their employees’ work; they care. They engage in conversation, take note of the photos and knick-knacks on the desk, and truly care about what is important in the lives of their employees. Caring should not be superficial, but honest and connected so that you can support and encourage someone in the work that they are doing.

I recently had an encounter with a colleague. She was struggling with setting priorities. It seemed that everything was vitally important and due yesterday. We are friendly and often chat when we walk past each other’s desk. We work in an open environment with low cubicles so it is easy to get to know each other.

Her struggle was not unfamiliar, but she had reached a breaking point. Something in me reached out and I offered to talk. We found a private space and I listened. I mean truly listened. I heard about all of her current projects, the lack of support from others, and the feelings of failure because she could not meet her supervisor’s expectations. Whether or not these statements are true is not the point. It is how she felt, and therefore are valid.

The truth is she is a valued member of the team. I know this because I hear it from her supervisor and her co-workers. I observe the exceptional quality of her work. In conversations with other managers I hear how people enjoy working with her because she is reliable, meets deadlines, and does not cut corners when it comes to policies and procedures. She is known for her detailed work.

But that is not how she felt in the moment. So we talked. I tried to encourage her. Then I gave her a suggestion that works for me when I am feeling overwhelmed with competing priorities. It is my technique and it may not work for her, but I think it helped because she stopped by later to tell me she was feeling better.

Leadership does not have to be dynamic and outspoken. A quiet, private act of supporting another in their time of need is also leadership. It can be sharing a moment over a cup of coffee or chatting while hanging up winter coats in the hall closet. Whether it is a co-worker or someone you supervise, leadership comes from listening and giving someone the tools to succeed.

By caring, I found a piece of leadership in myself this week.

Just Show Up

2016-01-17T14:53:00.000-08:00

As I explore the role of leadership I find myself asking what makes a good leader. There are always people who insist that they want to, or need to, be part of an initiative but anytime there is a meeting or conference call they have an excuse not to attend. There are those who involve themselves at the beginning of a project and then slowly drift away. There are of course the leaders who are heading the project. By the very nature of their role they always attend the meetings. Finally, there are folks who have a role, who are not dynamic or outspoken, but who always accept the invitation, attend the meetings, and volunteer to do the work.

There are a variety of leadership styles. Some leaders deconstruct the parts of a project and assign individual tasks in order to achieve the objective. Some can see the big picture and connect the dots, letting people know who needs to be involved in the project and at what point. Some quietly gather the players together on a weekly basis to assign jobs or mark progress. Some stumble along with the support and encouragement of their supervisor. All of these approaches are, and can be, good leadership.

You may wonder how someone stumbling along can be a good leader, but leadership is more than a loud voice or a vibrant personality. What I have learned, even from those who seem to be stumbling along, is that leadership involves consistency. Be true to your word. Meet deadlines. Ask for help. Attend meetings. Return phone calls. Answer emails. Be reliable.

Sometimes, leadership is just a matter of showing up.

Impostor Syndrome

2015-12-30T08:37:00.000-08:00

I have a colleague who tells me to “fake it till you make it.” I’m not sure I can agree with that sentiment. As a lawyer, and a “learner” I need to do the research. I need to have the laws and regulations behind what I am presenting. I need to be prepared with charts and lists before I can offer an opinion.

However, I can learn from her advice. I believe my need for information is a strength, and in my quest to become a good leader it is an important asset. Rather than faking my data, I should to learn to fake my confidence. According to the Caltech Counseling Center, impostor syndrome is “a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist even in face of information that indicates that the opposite is true. It is experienced internally as chronic self-doubt, and feelings of intellectual fraudulence.”

While my feelings of inadequacy are not as daunting as this definition, I often look to others for support and affirmation because sometimes I feel as if I’m a fraud. Yet I find confidence when I can adequately respond to an email or feel thoroughly prepared for a meeting. Is it possible that I know something that others do not?

I often joke that in “true lawyer fashion” I answer simple questions in three paragraphs. I have learned that my colleagues look for that. Why are they looking to me for insight and advice? They turn to me because they want the tempered and thoughtful answers. Sometimes my answer is not what they were hoping for, but they can be assured that it is researched and well-thought out.

I suspect that most good leaders have periods of self-doubt; do I really deserve to be here? I know with practice, and preparation, these doubts will diminish.

Am I a Leader or Just a Team Player?

2015-11-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

I work at a college that faces leadership challenges every day. Some are ongoing. Some are organizational. Recently, the Dean of Students retired. Instead of replacing her the college took the opportunity to make some changes; changes that are for the better when it comes to student services. My Dean, the Dean of Enrollment Services was asked to take on the additional responsibility of being the Dean of Students over this next year.

As a result of this change I was asked to help out in the area of Student Conduct. I and another employee share the responsibility of discipline, grievance, and concerns that may arise.

My Dean was asked to take on this extra role because she is a good leader. She manages her teams and her time well. She depends on staff members’ talents, and surrounds herself with knowledgeable people. I often espouse upon what a good leader she is because she can look around and make decisions based on peoples’ strengths.

I was asked to step in because I’ve done it before, and was able to balance a few student meetings a week with my other job responsibilities. Filling in and helping out is what team members do for each other. But does being a team player make me a leader?

I have held the title of “Director” in several capacities. Until now, being a Director meant that I had a staff that I supervised. I happen to believe that modeling expected behavior is a good way to encourage and motivate a team. I never asked a staff member to do something that I was unwilling to do myself. For me, a good leader is also a team player. My Dean is just such a person.

However, I’m not sure being a team player necessarily makes me a leader; especially in this circumstance. I am helping out until a Director can be hired. I agreed because I’ve helped out before. I do know that I am learning a lot about our institutional practices. I also know that I will be able to help my Dean develop good internal procedures that follow our written policy. So while I do not feel like I’m “leading” in this instance, I do know that learning a new skill will come in handy as the college continues to grow and change.

Being a team player can, in fact, help me become a leader.

Leadership Lessons from Star Trek TNG

2015-10-25T09:36:00.001-07:00

My husband and I are big Star Trek fans, having grown up watching what is now referred to as Classic Star Trek starring William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. We are currently rewatching Star Trek: The Next Generation. I’m not sure how many times we’ve watched this particular series but while watching two particular episodes I was struck by the leadership lessons they conveyed.

In the episode Disasterthe Enterprise hits a cosmic string that disrupts the automated functions around the starship, cutting off communication and the ability to know what was happening in other areas of the ship. In this episode, Captain Picard is trapped in the turbolift with three children; the bridge crew consisted of Counselor Troi, Chief O’Brien, and Ensign Ro; and Lieutenant Worf finds himself acting as a midwife in 10-Forward.

In this episode the children were all scared and unsure of what to do, so they looked to the Captain to fix their problem. One child, an older girl, did not speak and would not even look at Captain Picard. He assigned her the role of “Number One” because, as he said, he always needs a second in command and she was the oldest. By the end of the episode she had fully embraced the role of “Number One.”

On the bridge, Counselor Troi, Chief O’Brien, and Ensign Ro were cut off from the rest of the ship with no way to know what was happening elsewhere. Their first concern was who should take command. The role fell to Counselor Troi as the ranking officer because she is a Lieutenant (though in a U.S. Naval structure, the role would have fallen to Ensign Ro because she is a line officer in the command structure. But this is the future, so I’ll let that one go). Counselor Troi suddenly found herself in a leadership role in which she was not trained and had no experience. Once it was decided that she should take command she turned to her fellow crewmates and asked for their help since she had never been in a situation like this one. By the end of the episode she was asking for their opinion, and made a critical decision based on both their input and what she herself knew from experience.

In the episode Conundrumthe crew of the Enterprise lost the memories that identified them but they retained the ability to perform functions as if they were second nature. They naturally assumed roles based on their abilities, taking direction from Lieutenant Worf and executing their tasks with expertise and professionalism.

Here are the lessons I learned from these episodes:

Leadership can come from being granted a title, but with it must be assigned tasks and support from supervisors and mentors.
Leadership can come from necessity, but it is important to rely on others who have expertise.
Leadership can come from natural ability.

We can learn a lot about leadership from Star Trek, and it’s not always cowboy diplomacy.

Do Your Homework

2015-08-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked to present at two big meetings. Well, they were “big” to me. The topic of discussion was regulatory requirements and the question was “How does this affect our institution?” More importantly, what are we going to do about these regulations? How do we, as an institution, conduct business so that we are in compliance?

They were also “big” because I was the one that would be in the spotlight. I thought about how I would approach the topic of discussion, and decided to apply a method that has worked for me in the past. Only this time it would be on a slightly larger scale. I started with research. I read the regulation and various guidance. And then I did some more research.

I made notes. I created charts. I compared laws. I wrote lists. I reviewed my work. I edited my notes, and lists, and chart. I learned the regulatory requirements. I absorb myself in the task of knowing the topic.

At one point I wondered if I were taking too much time on this project. After all, there are other projects to attend to. I checked my task list and calendar to make sure I was not missing an important deadline and blocked off time to work on this project while meeting other responsibilities. In the end, I was able to effectively communicate the information.

My advice to those who are not comfortable with group presentations:

Do your homework
Do not be afraid to use notes
Make lists
Make charts
Create handouts

But most importantly, do your homework. Knowing your information so that you are comfortable with the topic goes a long way to making those “big” meetings not so “big” after all.

Introductions

2015-07-26T14:46:00.000-07:00

I am not quiet. In fact, if you were to ask my friends and colleagues, the word “quiet” is not the first thing to come to mind when describing me. You see, I love people. I love the connections. I have a loud laugh. And I love a good party. But at the end of the day, people exhaust me.

You see, on the extrovert-to-introvert scale I tend toward introversion. However, being an introvert does not mean I am shy. Believe it or not, there are shy extroverts. It’s about what gives you energy. I recently interviewed a young woman about her experience as a student intern. The conversation turned to leadership styles and public speaking. I started to ask her whether she would prefer to deliver a speech to an audience of 10,000 or lead a small book club. She interrupted after “an audience of 10,000” with, “Oh, I know what I’m going to choose even before you finish!” The audience is what gives her energy. She is an extrovert.

I work with some dynamic, intelligent, and opinionated colleagues. I wish I could be like them. Growing up my favorite people, my best friends were (and still are) the extroverts. You see, I collect people. I gather friends who are different from myself. And while I wish to be like them I know that I am not. That’s ok.

I am participating in the Chair Leadership Academy this year. The purpose is to help develop higher education leaders. I am working with a mentor who has promised to guide me as I “find my voice.” Here is the place that I plan to share my journey and insights with you. Because I know that there is a place for a quiet leader.

Listening is a Sign of Good Leadership

2015-07-26T14:45:00.001-07:00

Listening is a Sign of Good Leadership. Or Is It? I read a lot about leadership, leadership styles, and what makes a good leader. A common theme is the ability to listen, and listen well. Leaders are encouraged to actively listen, giving feedback and asking questions. This indicates to the “talker” that you are genuinely interested in what they have to say. It also helps you, as a leader, determine what is important to your employees (or volunteers) as you move forward to making good decisions.

But what about groupthink? Groupthink is a tendency within an organization or society to promote or establish the view of the predominant group. [Dictionary.com; British Dictionary definition]. It is said that groupthink was the reason for the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion. According to historical accounts, no one spoke up.

When I am in a group, on a committee, or part of a team I like to listen. I find that if the conversation continues long enough someone will probably say what I am thinking, or make the suggestion that I was going to make. However, having studied both psychology (my undergraduate major) and some history, I am aware of the need to speak up when an idea, question, or concern has not been mentioned in order to avoid groupthink. Chances are, if I’m thinking it, someone else is also thinking it. Rather than risk a “Bay of Pigs,” it is important to express concerns and ask questions.

While listening isa sign of good leadership, so is speaking up.