This session focuses on the “hows” of leadership. It takes advantage of the knowledge that experienced academic leaders already have to prompt participants to reflect on and develop their own leadership style.

Participants learn how others with an array of executive leadership styles have approached challenges faced by deans, what they have found to be (in)effective and give and receive suggestions for addressing challenges they and their fellow participants face.

Participants also focus on developing strategies for engaging others in moving toward a vision for their school or college. The session includes consideration of how to leverage resources (time, money, people, space, technology, etc.) to achieve goals. Deans develop their list of priorities and meet in small groups to consider strategies for moving priorities forward. Participants learn from a presentation by a top-level leader (provost) about what they consider in allocating resources to deans.

The day concludes with discussions of how participants can empower and collaborate with others to carry out their work and develop trust despite organizational and personal impediments.