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Although he’s writing from a different sector of higher ed than I am, I really liked Jon Boeckenstedt’s piece in The Chronicle about admissions directors flying blind. The gist of the piece is that COVID has so thoroughly upset the usual routes to college that it’s as if our institutional radar has been jammed.
It’s true. I saw it last spring, when folks were trying to guess whether the pandemic-induced recession would have the usual effect on community college enrollments, which is a short upward spike. It didn’t, but that wasn’t obvious yet. This recession didn’t behave like other ones.
Now we’re hearing of massive application increases at selective institutions, driven (presumably) by the move to test-optional admissions. That strikes me as a story half-told. If Snooty U used to get 10,000 applications for 2,000 seats but now gets 20,000 applications for the same 2,000 seats, then the only difference is more rejected and frustrated applicants. What those newly frustrated applicants will do is anybody’s guess.
In theory, of course, Snooty U could massively increase its enrollment. But that isn’t what typically happens, and it isn’t what a focus on exclusivity would reward.
For leaders, those moments when the crystal ball is especially murky are the moments when values matter most. In those times when confident precision is impossible, in which direction would you rather err? When you don’t know enough, but have to act anyway, which instinct wins? What matters most?
To steal a metaphor from David Riesman, if you don’t have a moral gyroscope, it would be easy to get turned around in the storm.
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@JoshuaOgundu asked a great question on Twitter this week. “Any advice for first-time managers?”
I’ll offer one piece, then ask my wise and worldly readers to chime in.
Learn to control your emotional triggers.
Admittedly, this reflects my preference for one style of management. Some people believe in the “dominate the room, keep them on their toes, volume = passion = results” school. In the very short term, that can work, though it’s hell on the employees and it wears badly over time. If you’re playing the long game, and you actually care about other people, it’s much better to learn to control your emotional triggers and focus on consistently setting a constructive climate.
Among other things, self-control is a sign that you understand the fundamental truth that it’s not about you. Many, many, many authority figures never quite figure that out, but it’s true. By focusing on creating a climate in which people can do their best work, given the inevitable material constraints, you’ll get better results over time than if you just terrify everybody.
It’s harder than it sounds, at least sometimes. There will be times when it will take conscious effort. But it wears well over time, it shows respect for others and as a side benefit, it greatly reduces the number of times you make a cartoonish fool of yourself.
Wise and worldly readers, what would you add?
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I know this will bring all manner of flaming, but my truth is my truth:
Welcome back, Daylight Saving Time! Happy to have you.
