ELMI Format and Sessions - 2008

FORMAT

The Institute offers a variety of different formats for its activities: lectures, demonstrations, round-table discussions, case studies, small group projects, competitive events, video-taping, and one-on-one executive coaching. All are designed to provide the building blocks of skills which, over the long run, lay the foundation for successful leadership in higher education.

SESSIONS FOR 2008

The “Big Picture” of American Higher Education

What are the different kinds of institutions that make up American higher education, and what challenges must effective leaders meet now and in the future? This opening session will answer those questions and encourage participants to see how their institution fits within the universe of American higher education.

Personal Style, Public Speaking, and Leadership

This session deals with the skills for handling complex or controversial subjects in a clear, concise, and compelling way, whether in a small or large group, or in front of a news camera. The emphasis is on verbal and nonverbal strategies for presenting ideas with maximum effectiveness and building a more powerful and persuasive communication style. Central to this session are ways to improve public speaking and become a more confident presenter. Effectively using PowerPoint and other electronic devices during presentations will be highlighted. Participants will also have the opportunity for voluntary video-taping sessions with nationally prominent speech coaches.

The Diversity of Higher Education and Implications for Leadership

This session describes the effect of social policies, political priorities, and economic needs in creating the wide range of governance structures and decision-making processes among modern colleges and universities. The session will contrast the different kinds of institutions in American higher education, with special attention to the effect of these differences on successful leadership styles. The strengths and weaknesses of current leaders at all levels in higher education will be discussed.

Academic Values and Faculty Perspectives on Administrators

What are the most important things to understand about academic values and the perspectives of faculty concerning administrators? Participants will discuss these issues with emphasis on the essential concepts of academic culture and will debate the case for tenure as one aspect of academic life. Particular emphasis will be placed on the best methods and strategies for non-academic administrators to deal with the faculty and others on “the academic side of the house.”

Anticipating and Managing Crises

Effective leaders in higher education do more than just deal with crisis and conflict--they learn how to anticipate which disagreements will lead to serious disruption and take preventive action. Inevitably, some situations evolve into full-scale crises, a few of which can shake the very foundations of institutions and threaten the careers of leaders within them. Presentations, case studies, and interaction will allow participants to critique crisis situations generated from high visibility conflicts. The session’s goal is to develop keen skills of anticipation and effective action in situations where adrenaline and retribution threaten to take over.

The Trials and Tribulations of Committee Leadership

There is an old saying that “academic politics is so vicious because the stakes are so low.” Perhaps so, but whatever the stakes, higher education leaders operate in a complicated and political environment. This session identifies some basic principles in dealing successfully with power and influence; strategy and intrigue. The session first covers the most important elements for planning any meeting: its purpose, membership, and the stakes. Then, participants discuss a case study about how to lead meetings and chair committees effectively, with special attention on the subtler interactions and politics of these situations.

Establishing Credibility and Authority

What does it take to establish personal credibility among those we deal with on a daily basis? The ingredients are ethics, honesty, caring, toughness, listening well, and vision. How can authority be exercised in a way that is fair and balanced, holds people accountable, and establishes a reputation for leadership? This session deals with these questions and about how to move successfully into new positions, both “up the ladder” on one campus and between institutions.

Managing Conflict and Difficult People

Disagreement and conflict are part of the institutional landscape. Both one-on-one and in groups, no successful leader can avoid dealing with difficult people and challenging language. Through descriptions, simulations, and case studies, this session will highlight skills of understanding relationships and interpersonal strategy in dealing with difficult people in contentious situations within a higher education environment.

Being a Better Leader: What ELMI Alumni Say

This session is a panel consisting of past participants in the ELMI who represent the range of professional responsibilities on a campus. Did their administrative style change as a result of leadership education? What were the most successful techniques they have used to improve their communications on campus? Do they handle crises better? What has happened to their careers since the ELMI? What other professional development to enhance their leadership has proven most valuable? These and other issues will be addressed by the panel in an active dialogue with current participants.

“SWAT” Team Presentations by Participants

SWAT teams consist of highly trained professionals who come together quickly to deal with serious problems that face society or institutions. Within the ELMI, however, these SWAT teams do not use weapons of destruction. Rather, the Institute’s SWATs deal with situations, which are identified, described, and analyzed by participants, and which have the most potential for leadership education. These competitive presentations will define the elements of the problem, the options for solutions at the time, and analysis of other ways to address problems than were actually used.

Real Career Planning: Balancing Work and a Personal Life

This session deals with the challenges of being successful professionally while maintaining a satisfying personal life. Some readings will be discussed in the context of individual experience and ideas from participants. A discussion about individual career goals will show systematic and strategic approaches for accomplishing these goals and describe aids to advancement such as multiple mentors, the best roles to play in associations, and how to evaluate personal investments in professional development.

Dealing with Violence, Lawsuits, and Employee Evaluations

This session covers some “nuts and bolts” areas for successful day-to-day management of higher education institutions. The first portion deals with “Violence in the Workplace,” a problem of increasing concern. The second is entitled “You, Your Institution and the Legal System—How to Stay out of Court.” The final portion covers the subject of “Improving Your Leadership as a Manager by Bringing out the Best in Your Employees.”

We welcome your application for 2008. Please read all web pages associated with the ELMI and then, to apply, send an e-mail to whpickens@aol.com. In that email, include your name, position title, campus or agency, office address, telephone, email address, a description of current position’s responsibilities (a resume is fine if these are included), and the names of two individuals on campus who know you well now.

Dr. William Pickens,
Director of the Executive Management and Leadershiip Institute at Stanford.