Navigating Campus Mine fields through Mindful Leadership

If asked to define minefield, most people would recite something similar to an area set with explosive devices or landmines. All would agree that minefields connote a sense of risk and danger. As a faculty member in higher education for over 30 years and a faculty developer for more than 18 of those, I’ve noticed the first-person focus of many faculty, staff, and administrators has created minefields on some campuses that are just as dangerous. These mines often result from an unconscious shift from “We” to “I” and a perceived threat to “what’s mine.” These potential dangers include not only apathy and burnout of faculty but also breakdown of our campus cultures.