So You Want to be a University Leader?

A well respected senior university leader, talking to a group of undergraduate students, suggested the following twelve “leadership characteristics”.  Here we go:

1. Be authentic – the authentic person is reliable because their inner values and motivations are clear.
2. Be willing to consider the “big picture” – look beyond your immediate circumstance and consider the organization as a whole.
3. Inspire others to “dream big” 
4. Understand the mission and values of your organization
5. Show integrity – demonstrate respect, fairness and honesty
6. Don’t be afraid to show your passion
7. Be creative and nimble – figure out the goal and provide solutions on how we might get there
8. Be around people who are different and have different ideas
9. Be a “non-anxious” presence in the time of crisis
10. Communicate – you cannot over-communicate
11. Be a good listener
12. Focus your efforts on the mission and vision of your organization

A major focus of this discussion was the importance of being a positive force in regard to organizational initiatives and institutional change.     More on this later!

– from the pen of Dr. Percy Trappe