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Want support for change? Involve your stakeholders!
“In an age where everything and everyone is linked through networks of glass and air, no one – no business, organization, government agency, country–is an island. We need to do right by all our...
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Who are your stakeholders?
This month we will be focusing our blog on engaging stakeholders in your change effort. By definition, a stakeholder is any group or individual who can affect or is affected by the achievement of your...
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How do you make them feel?
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou (1928-2014) This week, one of my modern-day...
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No is the beginning of commitment
“…if we cannot say no, then our yes has no meaning.” – Peter Block In his book, Community: The Structure of Belonging, Peter Block helps leaders understand how to build accountability and commitment...
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Who’s on first?
Sad to say, many change initiatives start out with great ideas, energy and high engagement before they dissolve into confusion, frustration or apathy. In fact, I have been in change meetings that...
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Energize to act!
If you could double your investment without risk, would you? Seems like an easy question to answer. Assuming the offer was legal and ethical, I know I would take action and make that investment....
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Did it work?
“Did it work?” looks like a simple question to answer but when dealing with people and change there are no easy answers. In fact, there is usually more than one answer, and it takes a lot of work to...
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I wasn’t expecting that to happen
I am confident that if I asked all the readers of this blog, “do you focus on the common good of your organization?” the overwhelming response would be, “Yes!” The reality is that most of us believe...
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Get Lean!
Are you a glass half full or a glass half empty type of person? Do you see great opportunities for making significant change in higher education over the next few years or does it feel like the...
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Customers? In higher education?
At times higher education seems to be channeling Mel Brooks, “Customers? We don’t need no stinking customers!” We have students that need to be educated. In fact, the term “customer service” can lead...
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Where to start? The middle perhaps?
Now that I have your attention, lets talk about customer service in higher education. Based on the current presidential campaign in the United States the middle ground appears to be an impossible...
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Are you my customer?
Do you remember the children’s book, Are You My Mother? The story of the young bird asking, over and over, the critical question, are you my mother? I believe that leaders in higher education need to...
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Listening as customer service
Last week I attended the 2016 Minnesota summit on preventing campus sexual violence. It was a difficult topic, but very energizing to be with 300 people from 57 different campuses who are engaged in...
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Is the customer always right?
I imagine this isn’t a revelation to anyone who has ever worked with another person – no one is ALWAYS right – not even the customer. On the other hand, we know that customer satisfaction in higher...
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Stewardship means change!
“Houston, we have a problem….” is how Jane Wellman, higher education finance expert, describes the reality most public higher education institutions are facing today in an Inside Higher Education...
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A balancing act!
Stewardship and fundraising is a delicate balancing act for leaders in higher education. And it is easy to crash! A 2014 doctoral thesis from Penn State provides details on what drives donors to...
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Find the sweet spot!
Author Dan Pontefract has released a new book that I found energizing and I encourage you to check it out. In The Purpose Effect (2016) he suggests that leaders can help their people recognize the...
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Where’s the meaning?
If the people on your team have to ask “Where is the meaning in my work?” something is wrong! In his book Meaning, Inc. , Gurnek Bains ecourages leaders to bring the organization’s mission and vision...
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You mean I have to talk (and listen) to people!
As a confirmed and proud introvert it is hard for me to reach out and ask for help. Others of you may be confident extroverts and struggle to truly listen to others. Either way, when you transition...
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Can you see from where you are?
What engages your people? At our colleges and universities we hope it is the success of our students both during college and after graduation! What would your people say? In reality it is often...
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