Throughout my academic journey, I’ve found that departments driven by acceptance, curiosity, and trust were more positive and productive than those characterized by competition, blame, and criticism. More than policies, structures, or even talent, culture shaped whether people felt safe to speak up, ask questions, and take intellectual risks. This intuition was recently confirmed by Google’s Re:Work project (n.d.), which found that the single most important ingredient for team effectiveness is psychological safety.
How Leaders Shape, Signal, and Build Cultures: A Discussion Guide for Academic Leaders and Their Teams
Among the many desired traits most prized in academic leadership, the ability to shape (or reshape) institutional culture is sometimes overlooked in favor of fiscal acumen, the ability to drive
Lisa Jasinski
May 4, 2026