Over the years I’ve had several opportunities to work with long-term leaders who are nearing the end of their careers. Many of them think about their legacies–how they will leave their campuses better than when they arrived.
Robert Galford and Regina Maruca, authors of “Your Leadership Legacy,” make the point that this shouldn’t wait until a leader nears retirement. They believe that legacy thinking encourages leaders at any point in their careers to think differently about the big picture and helps frame strategic decisions. You can learn more about their viewpoints in this article from Training magazine.
During November we’ll focus on the leadership competency of “builds organizational capacity to meet future challenges.” The behaviors that illustrate this competency not only provide a guideline for innovative leadership, but they also describe actions that can ensure a positive legacy.
- Engages and supports appropriate risk-taking.
- Identifies and removes barriers to innovation.
- Rewards and supports innovations advancing excellence and efficiency.
- Promotes accountability for self and others.
- Collaborates across educational and governmental boundaries in the system, nation and world.
- Networks with innovative thinkers, developers and donors.
As you look at this list, where could you focus to ensure that the people you lead are well-equipped to help achieve MnSCU’s priorities now and into the future? Where do you want to build a cultural legacy for the next generation of leaders?
Dee Anne Bonebright
Higher EDge 