Take a chance. For an institution to get better and to grow, you’ve got to take risks, and hopefully, they’re calculated risks. I had conversations with people and sensed that people were waiting for something to be said. I asked them, ‘What are you looking for from this institution?’
The question became the timing, and I thought to myself, ‘Better sooner than later.’ That’s a calculated risk: having a conversation, listening and then taking the dive.
Use a decision spectrum. With the vision in place and espoused by the leader of the institution, then there’s got to be a plan built to support the vision.
My leadership team — the President’s Cabinet — meets at least every other week. Each year, we establish priorities for the year that are normally linked to the vision plan. At each cabinet meeting, we always take a look at one or two of those priorities to take the pulse of how we’re proceeding with the priorities for that year.
In higher education, there is shared governance. As president, I work off of a decision spectrum. I’ll say to people: ‘This is my decision with no input,’ or, ‘This is my decision with your input,’ or, ‘This is our decision as a group,’ or, ‘This is your decision with my input,’ or, ‘This is your decision.’
When we’re looking at issues, my colleagues see a partnership in leading the university. They have responsibility for their divisions, but they’re also involved in universitywide issues and, in some cases, vote in regard to it.
Learn to make tough decisions. I was having a conversation with the President’s Cabinet about an opportunity for us at the university with a friend of mine but not a close friend. This person was going to provide a major gift to us, in terms of gift in kind.
This person had some difficulties with the law and in his personal life, and my colleagues were saying perhaps we shouldn’t do this, and I still wanted to do it.
One of my colleagues came to me and said, ‘You’re acting too pastoral here, like a priest. You need to act more like a CEO.’ That got my attention because sometimes I get caught in that.
Others would say when you have to make a decision, it’s intuition or leading by their gut, but I would say it’s more of a spiritual aspect of my life. If I’m considering a tough decision, and if I’m at peace with it, it’s the right decision.
HOW TO REACH: Saint Joseph’s University, (610) 660-1000 or www.sju.edu
