Category: Leadership
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The Iceberg Effect
“Nature abhors a vacuum.” So said Aristotle, and maybe some other Greek philosophers before him. Originally, Aristotle’s statement was about physics. But one of the most noteworthy uptakes on Aristotle’s dictum comes from playwright George Bernard Shaw, who applied it to human communication: “Nature abhors a vacuum: whenever people do not know the truth, they… Read more
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The HigherEdInk Reader: The Small College Imperative
Marcy, Mary B. The Small College Imperative: Models for Sustainable Futures (New York: Routledge, 2020). ISBN 978-1-62036-971-5 The news from our industry is more and more troubling each day. There are prognosticators, critics, and sirens on all sides. But what about solutions? If small IHEs are in trouble, what shall we do about it? One… Read more
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Work the Job, Not the Clock or the Calendar
The best employees I’ve ever had always worked the job and not the clock or the calendar. Indeed, in my first meeting with a new staff person, I would tell him and her that this work ethic was my daily expectation. Some days will be easy, I would say. Other days will be hard. Most… Read more
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Transparency Is Overrated
Transparency. It’s what we say we want from everyone: our spouse, our pastor/priest/rabbi/imam, our politicians, our employees, our boss. The great philosopher Billy Joel sang about it: Honesty is such a lonely wordEveryone is so untrueHonesty is hardly ever heardAnd mostly what I need from you Honestly, I doubt it. And I’m being totally transparent… Read more
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Leadership Is Like Bathing in the Dead Sea
Many years ago, my institution paid for me to go on a tour of Israel. As with many such Israel tours, our trip included an overnight stop at the Dead Sea. The Jordan River feeds the Dead Sea, but there is no river outlet for the water that goes into the lake. Instead, the only… Read more
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Be A Solutionist
When I first approached my mentor about my interest in going into higher education administration, the first piece of advice he gave to me had to do with problems and their solutions. Even though the following dictum may seem obvious to many, it is advice too often ignored. Here is our third Earlyism: Earlyism #3: … Read more
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The People Who Will Work
From time to time, I’ll be sharing some aphorisms about leadership, management, higher education, and human nature passed along to me by a professional mentor. I’ll not reveal his identity specifically. But in his honor, I’ve dubbed these aphorisms “Earlyisms.” Some who know me well will understand who this person is. Still, I will leave… Read more
