Following the conventional wisdom of Vince Lombardi that “leaders are made, they are not born,” Human Resources’ Organizational Development and Training Division launched a Leadership Academy this year, which recently finished its seven-month run.
The academy is a professional development program for administrators and faculty recognized as rising leaders. It stresses the importance of building the institution’s leadership capacity by preparing high-potential individuals for new or increasingly complex leadership roles.
This year’s participants were nominated by the vice presidents and deans of nearly every university department. While more than 100 people were nominated to take part in the program, a planning committee assembled by HR Associate Vice President Karen Cherwony and Director Marie Amey-Taylor was responsible for identifying 12 faculty members and 23 administrative staff to comprise the first class.
The program included one full-day session each month, with additional prep work in off-hours, beginning last October and ending in April. Participants took part in structured forums, individual evaluation exercises, real-time problem solving, journal writing and meetings with team members.
But now the real work begins. The 35 participants have access to coaching and mentoring to help them apply what they learned in the classroom. They also have formed think-tank committees to explore ways to solve or improve universitywide issues, and will present their recommendations in October to other Temple leaders involved in those issues. Cherwony and Amey-Taylor plan for the academy’s first class also to serve as mentors for the next group of rising Temple leaders, beginning in the fall.
Asked what they learned, this year’s participants reflected on the leadership principles they acquired over the past seven months. Here are a few:
Istvan Varkonyi, director of the Intellectual Heritage Program and this year’s Honors Professor of the Year, said that one of the most beneficial tips he took away from the academy was the importance of keeping a journal that includes both his personal and professional life.
“Journaling is a great way to reflect on moments in our professional career to gauge how well we interact with other people and also to examine what kind of leaders we are,” he said. “In today’s world, our personal and professional lives are so closely intertwined that many people don’t realize just how much of our personal life is influenced by how we feel about work.”
Bonny Reeder, director of finance and accounting for Temple’s Dental School, said that an important part of being an effective leader has to do with the way that you speak to others. Projecting confidence and power was something she had always struggled with, and through the program she was able to overcome her fears.
“I’m really nervous about getting up in front of people, so learning how to speak with power and confidence was beneficial for me,” she said. “I had always avoided speaking publicly, but this session made me realize that it wasn’t as nerve-wracking as I had thought.”
Academy members were videotaped as they used 45 seconds of airtime to talk about themselves and their goals at Temple. These “impromptu elevator speeches” let them practice what they would say to make a positive impression if they ever stepped onto an elevator with high-level university official — or say in any face-to-face interaction.
“The participants had to develop and analyze how they present themselves to others in order to understand how they can make the best first impression,” Cherwony said.
President Ann Weaver Hart spoke to the group about her personal experiences and challenges of balancing marriage, motherhood and a career in academia. Following her candid conversation, Hart took questions from participants.
“As a mom of a 3-year-old, Hart gave me some great tips and advice about how to manage a personal life and job responsibilities,” Director of Adjunct Instructors Annette McMenamin-Bakley said. “Too many times it’s hard to balance your priorities at home with those at work.”
Planning Committee members were: Diana Breslin-Knudsen, associate dean, Fox School of Business; Robert P. Buchholz, associate vice president, Facilities Management; Nancy Diamond, instructor, History Department, CLA; Barbara A. Dolhansky, associate vice president, Computer Services; Mark Eyerly, associate vice president of communications, Institutional Advancement; Amy Hecht, assistant dean of students, Student Affairs; Robert W. Gage, director of sponsored research programs,
Office of the Vice President for Research & Graduate Studies; Sally A. Gray, associate dean for academic affairs, School of Dentristry; Sandra K. Kyrish, assistant dean for administration, School of Communications and Theater; Betsy Leebron Tutelman, professor of broadcasting, telecommunications and mass media, School of Communications and Theater; Sheri Stahler, associate vice president for Computer Services; Karen Turner, associate professor of journalism, School of Communications and Theater; Bill Wilkinson, executive director of finance and administration, Provost Office; and Greg P. Zimmaro, director of human resources and administrative services, School of Medicine. |
