Managing Up

Carolyn Dever tackles how managing up is a challenge for all department chairs, and how to navigate these difficulties, providing pro tips on how to approach your dean or provost.

Transcript:

So managing up is a challenge for every department chair, representing the interests of your department to deans, to the provost or president, and occasionally to trustees. Managing up is a skill that merits careful consideration. After all, resources and opportunities may depend on doing it well.

Ideally, you work in an environment of trust where you and your dean understand that a win for one of you is a win for both. But whether that’s the case or not, you should absolutely approach your management challenges with a win-win mindset.

So here’s a pro tip from me as a former dean and provost who has worked with many department chairs. For every problem you share with your dean, bring a couple of potential solutions as well. Trust me. From the dean’s perspective, this will be most welcome. And you gain a chance of winding up with a solution that works for you.

Video provided by Dever Justice LLC.

Learn more about The Chronicle’s Strategic-Leadership Program for Department Chairs