A recent conversation with a board chair approaching the search for a new president prompted some reflection on presidential transitions. Our work with presidents, boards, higher education organization leaders, and leadership teams affords us a unique look at presidential transitions from all sides.
Here are a few tendencies we observe in presidential hiring and subsequent recommendations we have for a leadership transition to set up your college or university up for success.
Tendency 1: The Presidential Spin Cycle.
Often we find a new president arrives and almost immediately looks for a new senior team, a new strategic plan, a new brand, new consulting partners, and a new campus master plan. While this can be good for our business (unless we’re the newly ousted consulting firm), it may not be best for the campus. Take the strategic plan, for example. If it was developed comprehensively as a reflection of the college’s mission and vision, involving board and campus input, then a new president might be better served to carry it out than start the process over again.
The key question is, “Will a new plan be measurably better than the existing plan, especially given the opportunity cost of developing a new one?" The same could be said for the brand. This spin cycle takes several years to complete. Given an average independent college presidential tenure of seven years, this does not leave a lot of time for reaping the results of the new plan or brand.
Several years ago, we asked a vice president how the presidential transition was going on his campus. His response was, “We spent 18 months saying goodbye to the previous president and now we’ve spent 18 months saying hello to the new one. At some point we need to do stop with the hellos and goodbyes, and do something!” On most campuses, the level of urgency is high enough that losing three years to inaction could cost the institution dearly.
Solution: If the existing plan and brand are functional and effective, look for a president who will bring life and energy to these as a reflection of the college’s strengths and vision. Make it clear in the search process that changing plans is not a high priority; executing them is. Hire accordingly, recognizing several years into the new president’s tenure the time will be right to update plans and brands.
Tendency 2: The Pendulum Theory of Hiring.
Another observed tendency when replacing a long-time leader involves the following steps:
- Identify gaps from the soon-to-be former leader in style, talent, team-building, or focus.
- Determine that the new leader must fill these gaps.
- Ignore the strengths the soon-to-be former leader brought to the position.
For example, imagine a president with a very inclusive leadership style who makes decisions by consensus or by soliciting thoughtful input from key stakeholders. This type of inclusive process takes time--often a lot of time. In seeking a new leader, the board and the campus might go in another direction, looking for someone who will lead decisively and make quick, independent decisions. After a year or two of “ready, aim, fire,” the campus may look back fondly on the previous leader’s deliberate, inclusive--albeit slow--process.
Solution: Assess the strengths of the outgoing leader, as well as their gaps, and seek a leader who will combine the best strengths and fill key gaps. Prioritize presidential characteristics since they aren’t all equal in weight.
Leading a college through these challenging times requires fortitude, transparency, and passion. Boards would be wise to ensure their selection addresses all three. Finding the right fit for a president and institution is vitally important in today’s challenging environment. In our work with over 325 independent colleges and universities, we have found courageous and collaborative leadership to be central to moving institutions forward. In fact, this trait is so important, Credo Founding Partner Joanne Soliday includes a chapter devoted to it in her 2014 book, Surviving to Thriving: A Planning Framework for Leaders of Private Colleges Universities.
In an effort to support presidents and other leaders and to stay abreast of their most urgent needs, we offer a no-fee Strategy Day and leadership coaching we call Strategic Advising. We are so proud of the dedication and success of so many of today’s leaders of independent higher education and stand ready to continue to support them and their work.
Contact us to schedule your no-fee Strategy Day or find out more about our leadership services for independent higher education.
