Announcement: SAGE LEADER
A coaching and consultation service for higher education administrators
When I entered academic administration, first as department chair several years ago, I didn’t know what I was doing. Our department was young and having been recently tenured, I was nearly the only person available. I had no training or preparation.
Similar circumstances prevailed when I became a dean and, later, academic vice president (chief academic officer). In both instances, I was expected to learn on the job. I encountered no templates, parameters, or protocols to describe how I should perform these roles. I had watched predecessors to some extent, but that is not preparation. These jobs are always different when you’re on the inside.
My most enduring impression from this experience is the feeling of extreme isolation. To be sure, my days as an administrator were filled with tasks and personal interactions that tended to make things better for the institution. But the administrative role, itself, made seeking sound, confidential advice difficult.
Most academic administrators—department chairs, deans, and provosts—receive little or no professional preparation for performing their roles. Although some larger institutions provide development workshops for new administrators, most smaller colleges lack the financial and personnel resources to do so.
To fill this gap, I have decided to start a professional coaching and consulting venture, SAGE LEADER. My aim is to provide a space for academic administrators to receive confidential, informed assistance in addressing the complex challenges facing higher education today.
For individual administrators, I offer virtual sessions to help them gain clarity about the situation that faces them (knowledge), think critically about which options are realistically open to them (reflection), and decide on the optimal course of action that is most appropriate (wisdom). Knowledge, Reflection, and Wisdom — the motto of SAGE LEADER and a description of the process to be followed.
For institutions, I offer virtual or in-person structured workshops to provide professional preparation to groups of new or experienced administrators.
You can check out a detailed description of services offered to individuals at SAGE LEADER here.
Many of the challenges with which I can help have appeared in previous posts in this newsletter. In writing for the newsletter, I have learned much. I’m grateful to all who have subscribed (and who continue to do so!) for your support. Please be assured that Higher Ed Success will continue on a weekly basis as before.
And please watch for the next edition tomorrow, 12/13/2022! The topic is whether it’s too late for colleges to jump on the online education bandwagon.