Davidson College

The Foundations of Authentic Higher Education Leadership

The foundations of authentic leadership needed for higher education today are the identification and confirmation of values.

Personal values guide nearly every thought, decision, and action that we make. Once leaders identify and confirm values, congruency with ethical community standards becomes easier to proactively ascertain. This process could not only provide clarity in decision-making but also in building community.

For institutions, this process is necessary for affirming the present and future actions of their administration. When a college or university can trace its strategic priorities to its undergirding values, it can provide its constituents and stakeholders with confidence in those priorities that will drive the institution forward.

Creating Meaningful Student Experiences

As many know, the first six weeks of a college experience can heavily influence the success of the following years. Many institutions are capitalizing on this timeframe by offering students opportunities to engage in socials, development workshops, first-year experience courses, and service-overviews that encourage belonging and student success.

Additional ways that colleges and universities could create meaningful experiences to help students lead with confidence are recorded student success coaching interviews. Students can share what’s working, where they could use additional support, and a few aspirations. These videos would be shared with the student to review along with bulleted highlights from the conversation.

“Leaders should practice conversation skills that lead to connection with others. Connection that builds community is important because leadership is not a solo sport. It is a team activity.”

These videos would also serve as strong data collection for the institution. With the students' permission, these videos could be edited for sharing with prospective students, the campus community, or even stakeholders on how students are capitalizing on their collegiate opportunity.

The Knowledge, Skills and Mindsets for Students Leaving an Impact

It is my belief that students need the following to make a meaningful impact in their communities:

• Knowledge

o Their unique talent that makes their contributions meaningful.

o How to build their talent into a consistent strength.

o The talents of those around them for optimal partnerships.

o Educational content that excites them.

• Skills

o Initiating and hosting conversations that lead to connection with others.

o Resource and asset mapping to decrease duplication of student organization initiatives and to strengthen existing efforts through collaboration/support.

o Systems exploration to ease navigation.

• Mindset

o Honoring differences & lived experiences of others.

o Humility. Releasing pride to ask for help.

Transforming Students into Confident, Values-Driven Leaders

It’s important to make all of the points connect. Many people compartmentalize their lives to reduce emotional overload, reduce anxiety and maintain a sense of control. However, when one draws lines between seemingly different experiences, they fail to see the consistency of thoughts and behaviors, as well as the impact one situation may have on another.

When people can see themselves as a whole person, opposed to one person who performs different roles, it allows for a holistic approach to support. As a coach, my role often includes making the connections between what appears to be life compartments, allowing the leader to see a full picture of their challenges and their successes.

Becoming Authentic Leaders Who Create Positive, Lasting Impact

Advice I’d give anyone who aspires to become a more authentic leader is to give yourself room-the space and time—to think. Take the time to process your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. In your reflection, you’ll find patterns that reflect actual values. These discoveries can lead to celebrations of consistency or even changed behaviors.

Additionally, don’t shy away from the opportunity to ask those around you to share how they experience you. This external data is akin to a peer review of your leadership. The challenge is finding the people with whom you’d be vulnerable enough to ask for their observations and opinions, which leads to my last suggestion.

I’m spinning the block on a skill I suggested earlier in this piece that leaders should practice conversation skills that lead to connection with others. Connection that builds community is important because leadership is not a solo sport. It is a team activity. As social beings, we must have a community that creates a sense of belonging, presents opportunities to be vulnerable, and provides opportunities to stretch ourselves.

A muscle can work effectively by itself, but it becomes a dynamic force when it joins other muscles to move the body forward.