If you’re reading this, you – or someone important to you – is currently in an interim position.

You have a mission, you are fighting for a cause dear to your heart, and despite your efforts, you don’t see progress.

It seems people talk a lot, or about the right amount, or very little, based on their habits or personality rather than what the situation requires.

What it means to do your due diligence before making a decision, without creating delays!

Know what you are here to accomplish, be professional, be appropriate, and read the room.

Pause and learn what other people think and feel, as well as what their goals and challenges are. What kind of pressure are they under? How well are they coping? Is there anything you can do to support them, or at least to show sensitivity?

Most higher ed. leaders are creating far too much self-imposed pressure, in addition to the pressure created by their job responsibilities

Remember that your emotions are contagious. People look to you for guidance and also for clues on how to feel.

Are your staff members tired and anxious because of current events and massive disruptions in every aspects of their lives?

Have you experienced more communication problems this year?

He blamed others for his problems and couldn’t see how his situation was the natural result of his behavior.

Under pressure, their unhealthy patterns grew stronger.

Most people who make excuses have no idea that’s what they are doing.

Please don’t ever say you’re not good at answering emails, or you don’t like politics, or you’re too busy to follow-through on your commitments.

It’s not what we face but what we avoid that holds us back. Unspoken problems and feelings tend to spread and fester.

Typically, we notice what we look for, and we don’t see what we are not ready to see.

When a manager is used to receiving excellent performance evaluations from their supervisor, they may not respond well to the feedback provided by a newcomer.

When two higher ed. leaders have difficulty communicating and working together, it almost always stems from the same pattern…

"I have been going out of my way to show appreciation and try to make them want to be more engaged, but I am not seeing any improvements."

When you suspend judgement and show you are interested, people will feel more comfortable with you and stop being defensive.

One thing I don’t love about higher education is how common it is for employees’ poor work performance to be tolerated.

Managers don’t shy away from expressing their opinions, and often forget that when their Presidents “ask” for something, they are not really asking, they are telling

People pleasers typically lack boundaries and have a hard time saying no. They tend to put other people’s desires before their own which causes them excessive workloads and too many sacrifices.

If you think your only option is to be punitive, think again! Start by no longer rewarding undesirable behavior, and you will positively affect your co-workers and covertly help them become better professionals.

It means developing an ability to see situations from other people’s perspectives and understanding their feelings.

A natural human reaction to a less-than-perfect workplace is to focus on the self. Our attention goes to what we are not getting. Can you relate?

One of the things I love about higher education is the shared belief in logic and reason. Leaders intend to look at facts, as objectively as possible, to make logical and reasonable choices.

You need to take the other person into consideration to be more effective in the way you communicate...

To have a more enjoyable experience than you did in the past, it is up to you to change the way you think and act in the presence of people who trigger you.