Reflections on Leadership and New Beginnings

I wanted to write a deeply reflective blog about leadership timed just right for Leadership Week at the University of South Carolina. I thought this was THE PERFECT time for me to lay out my thoughts on leadership and especially on my current experiences with leadership transition. But I have not been able to bring pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, in this case. It is not because I do not have a lot to say: I do. It is that I want to say it in exactly the right way. In this case, it is better that I get it done rather than wait around for it to be perfect. Here goes.

“Be the kind of leader you would want to follow.” – Gordon Tredgold

I fundamentally believe people are good and want to do good things. I believe people want their neighbors to lead healthy and meaningful lives and are willing to help make this a reality. I believe we go farther by working together rather than alone. My life and work have centered around this belief system. I try to work hard and bring people together to create synergy and build systems and teams to support progress. In my role as associate dean, I have tried to build programs to foster the professional growth and development of graduate students. In my research, I have tried to bridge communities and research to improve health by using what we know works in practice. I also strive to be an effective communicator and supporter. I want to be the type of leader who I would follow.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

My belief system demonstrates how much I value people. This includes valuing their feelings – and their lives beyond my interactions with them. I think it is incredibly important to acknowledge success – big and small – and extend praise when there is progress. I also think it is important to push people to learn and grow through constructive feedback. I lead with kindness, which encompasses generosity, friendliness, and consideration for the feelings of others. I find inspiration in other people but also from within myself. I want other people to feel this way too. When people feel valued, their potential is limitless.

“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” – Helen Keller

I must admit that I do not think of myself as a visionary leader. I work with people who are visionary leaders and admire their ways of thinking and their abilities (I also happen to be married to one, as an aside.). I am more of a goal-oriented thinker who can systematically, and in a highly organized fashion, help to get us “there.” Perhaps this is a type of visionary but certainly not the traditional. For example, I think of visionaries as being risk takers. I am not risk adverse, per se, but I am risk hesitant (I may have made up that last term). I believe if we are going to try something new and fail that we must fail early and quickly and pick up and move on – but never at the expense of our commitment to work together. Maybe part of my vision also ties back to my belief system in that I believe people are good and I believe in their abilities to accomplish more than even they believed. My vision is for all of us to have the same chance at leading healthy and meaningful lives.

“You cannot swim for new horizons until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – William Faulkner

I have lived in South Carolina for the last 23 years of my life. The University of South Carolina is very special to me as it is through this university that I met my spouse. I have established a legion of friends, colleagues, and collaborators through my life and work during this time. My growth personally and professionally would require many more words than I can include in this blog, so I will sum this up by saying it has been exponential. I have been a faculty member at the University of South Carolina for the last 15 years – research faculty, tenure-track assistant professor, tenured associate professor, and tenured full professor. For the last four years, I have served in an administrative role as associate dean in the Graduate School. I enjoy my work. I work with great people. I like this institution. I care about my neighbors in this state and beyond. However, my path forward as a leader at this institution is unclear. I may have reached the pinnacle, as is sometimes the way in academia. My long-term goals include serving at the highest levels of leadership in academia – maybe as a president or a provost. I cannot get there from here, which was a very hard reality to embrace. I had to entertain other opportunities and find a place where I can continue to learn and grow as a leader. This was not an easy decision. (It also is important to note I did not make the decision alone. It was a decision made jointly with my spouse.) I have elected to lose sight of the shore to find new horizons at another institution in pursuit of my goals.

“And suddenly you know: It’s time to start something new and trust the magic of beginnings.” ― Meister Eckhart

This blog post first appeared on the University of South Carolina The Graduate School blog.