One word that I heard repeatedly from the 50+ higher ed leaders I interviewed last summer[*] was “impossible.” According to these interviewees, leadership jobs today are impossible, working with faculty who oppose them no matter what they say or do can feel impossible, and imagining succession plans for their roles seems impossible (assuming they even have time to think about it).
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
