Jan 24th 12 Posted by Bob Sevier

A Subtle Shift of Tsunami-Size Proportions

Over the last 12 months, I have noticed a subtle shift in the willingness of boards and senior leaders at colleges and universities to take a realistic look at core issues of cost, mission, and economic sustainability. Interestingly, while these conversations began some years ago with examinations of extracurricular, co-curricular, and administrative issues, they are now slowing, perhaps grudgingly,... read more

Oct 4th 11 Posted by Brenda Harms

The Negative Attitude toward Adult Students

You will have to forgive me this week as I have the distinct sense that I am about to start preaching to the choir, but I just don’t think I can stop myself.  I have just had a most disturbing conversation with a group of higher education professionals about the need to “keep quiet” about the work their school is doing in relation to serving adult students.  In this discussion, which was really... read more

Apr 21st 11 Posted by Bob Sevier

The Impact of Culture On Change

The other day I was eating dinner with a client and we wandered onto the topic of how organizational culture impacts change. Based on his long experience with planning and implementation, he made a profound statement: “Culture eats change for breakfast.” In other words, no matter how good the idea, how important the need, or how clear the crisis, if you don’t acknowledge and deal with the organizational... read more

Apr 14th 11 Posted by Bob Sevier

The Flying Squad

I have this fantasy. I am a member of a flying squad, a group of highly trained people who travel to emergencies and quickly resolve the situation. If you are a fan of English murder mysteries (which I am), you know that most flying squads involve highly trained police: The best forensics people, the best interviewers, the crime scene investigators. Each person is highly trained, highly motivated,... read more

Feb 8th 11 Posted by Bob Sevier

Qualities in a New President

Last week I was called by a headhunter who was helping a client find a new president. I get these calls a lot and they usually begin like this, “What are the four or five most important qualities we should look for?”  I invariably tell them to look for someone who is: A visionary A leader A team builder A fundraiser I’ve addressed most of these qualities in past, so let me be brief.  First,... read more

Jan 27th 11 Posted by James Vineburgh

Managing Web Projects: Easier than Herding Cats?

Managing a web redesign project  can be compared to attempting to herd cats! For starters, there are a lot of cats involved: strategists, graphic designers, writers, developers, and managers. At a bare minimum, cats in these roles will be involved in redesigning your web site.  And, that group is only comprised of the agency side. On your end, you have administrators, faculty, students, alumni, and... read more

Dec 10th 10 Posted by Fritz McDonald

The 10 Best Things I Heard This Year

It’s been a challenging year for all of us…so I’m not going to bore you with the details. Instead, I wanted to end the year on a positive note and share with you the best things I heard this year. These quotes cover a range of issues that affect all of us, from marketing to coming up with ideas and designing technology. And though many come from the corporate world, their application to higher... read more

Oct 29th 10 Posted by Bob Sevier

Hustle as Strategy

I just finished preparing a presentation for a board retreat. This particular board was interested in exploring options for how the university might make and implement decisions more quickly. The board chair said it best, “There appears to be no sense of urgency around here.” As part of my preparation I reviewed one of my all-time favorite Harvard Business Review articles. It first ran in 1986... read more

Sep 29th 10 Posted by Bob Sevier

Seven Things Colleges Need to Get Right

Every now and then a president or board member asks me, “What are the keys to institutional success in the years to come?” I love this question and after some reflection, I want to share seven things colleges need to get right. Develop a compelling vision Build the senior team Diversify and expand your revenue stream Sharpen, not broaden your academic offerings Cut deeply but narrowly Decide... read more

Apr 28th 10 Posted by Bob Sevier

Leadership In Crisis

A Harvard Business Review article from last summer (HBR, July–August 2009) offered an interesting article entitled, “Leadership in a (Permanent) Crisis” by Ronald Heifetz, Alexander Grashow, and Marty Linsky. I have often felt that until higher education has its first heart attack, there will be a powerful temptation to maintain the status quo. Of course, over the last year or so, higher education... read more