Note: Frank is a fictional character based on common challenges many higher ed. leaders are currently facing. Clients’ personal stories are always kept strictly confidential.
Our first phone call
“Hello, Audrey. I am under so much pressure that I am considering early retirement. COVID-19 turned our world upside down.”
“Hi, Frank. I understand; I am hearing similar statements from many people. First, tell me, how soon were you planning on retiring before this whole thing happened?”
“Well, to be honest, I wasn’t thinking about retirement at all. I finished my Doctorate Degree only five years ago. I am a Dean now and I was planning to move up to a Vice President position. I thought I had at least eight or ten years left in me. But my job is becoming impossible and I no longer think I can be successful.”
“What are the most significant elements that have changed?”
“Our campus has been closed since March 2020. We can’t re-open this fall so all classes will be online. Students are not happy about that, and our enrollment numbers are low. We’ve had to make devastating budget cuts. We started with furloughs, then layoffs, and my team has been decimated. Initially, we let go part-time temporary employees, since they are at will and don’t have a union. Our classified staff had to pick up their workload and got overwhelmed. I have had to sacrifice one high-salary person to get larger savings and lost my Associate Dean. I also have an Executive Director position vacant and I’m not allowed to fill it. Usually I am good at managing my time, but now I have to be Dean, Associate Dean, Executive Director, and also delegate less than before because my support staff are stretched too thin. I am so stressed I am losing sleep over this. I don’t know how I am going to get through this year.”
Thinking rationally
If you are reading this, you are most likely in a similar situation, or you know someone who is, and you’d like to help them. The first step is to think rationally about the work that needs to be done and how to get it done.
Clarify priorities, define what must get done and let go of the rest.
Streamline processes, improve productivity and efficiency.
Effectively communicate decisions, how they were made, and manage expectations.
Make sure you don’t become a “busy bee” who forgets about leadership, strategic planning, and motivating employees. Be an inspirational leader.
I could add much more to this section but am I telling you anything that you haven’t already considered? Probably not. That’s because you are smart, experienced, educated, and you know how to think rationally.
You see, knowing what to do is actually the easy part. The hard part is dealing with your thoughts, preferences and habits.
Being ready for a radical shift
Anyone who looks at their standards and expectations for 3 different positions and thinks that given all 3, they have to maintain the same standards and expectations for all 3, is going to create soul-crushing pressure and anxiety. One person can’t work 120 hours per week. I agree that this person will likely have to work more than 40, but not 120! Something has to go… In fact, a lot has to go.
Before you can make though decisions, you have to gain a new perspective, expand the way you think, and discard some self-created limitations. Here are some examples.
Learn to be ok when you have to change your own standards and expectations.
Have self-compassion.
Drop judgment and criticism.
Open your mind to new ways of doing things.
Trust yourself. Trust you will figure things out, as you move forward, step by step.
Understand that your mindset will be your greatest ally or your worst enemy.
Do not indulge in wasting hours thinking about all the things that can go wrong.
Take care of your health and energy levels.
Get a coach! You need someone unbiased to provide structure, strategies, and accountability. COVID brought unprecedented disruption. 2020/2021 isn’t going to be an easy year for anyone. You can embrace fear and resign or retire early, or you can choose courage and make it your best opportunity to grow into a more empowered and effective leader. Let’s talk.
Back to Frank’s story
Frank chose courage. He realized that if he left, he couldn’t be sure someone else could take his place and do better than him, so he chose to stay to serve his institution at the highest level. Also, he didn’t want to feel like a coward and end his career prematurely. Retirement is appropriate for those who were ready to leave anyway, but not for those who dream to advance their career.
The most dramatic transformation for Frank was to learn to redirect his focus. Instead of wasting time and energy thinking about what he didn’t have time to do, he focused on what he was able to do, and did it masterfully. Instead of obsessing about what may not have been good enough, which usually led to discouragement and procrastination, he put his attention on progress and accomplishments, which kept him energized and his team highly motivated.
Frank quickly realized that a key success factor was effective communication. He discovered that people weren’t as negative or resistant as he expected, after he explained how decisions were reached. He made people feel understood and showed them how their suggestions had been taken into account, even when he had to make unpopular choices. He created buy-in and collaboration which allowed the team to perform better than before. If you like Frank’s story, I invite you to schedule a complimentary call with me (click here) to discuss how we can work together. Have a great academic year!
About the author: Dr. Audrey Reille has empowered thousands of professionals through one-on-one coaching, group coaching, speaking engagements, and online courses. Audrey is the go-to coach for leaders in higher education administration. She empowers them to thrive by reducing stress, optimizing strategies, improving professional relationships, and developing a strong and empowered mindset.