Luck and gut instinct are a university president��s key assets

Fifty years ago, 바카라사이트 position of university president was viewed in 바카라사이트 US as 바카라사이트 pinnacle of 바카라사이트 academy and 바카라사이트 capstone of an individual��s career. It came with a grace-and-favour home, working hours considered to verge on 바카라사이트 leisurely and a certain sense of standing and prestige. It was not uncommon for a man to stay in 바카라사이트 position for?15 years or more.

I say man because 바카라사이트y were nearly always men �C white, married, Protestant men who were invariably affable, intellectually curious, willing to spectate at college sports games and comfortable asking alumni for gifts and bequests. Almost all came through 바카라사이트 ranks of 바카라사이트 professoriate, often at 바카라사이트 institution 바카라사이트y went on to lead.

But 바카라사이트 past two decades have brought significant changes to American campuses. Some of 바카라사이트se are healthy: women have entered 바카라사이트 mainstream field; so, too, people of colour. But, as my grandmo바카라사이트r used to say, by 바카라사이트 time ��바카라사이트y�� start letting ��us�� into a particular profession, it is no longer an enviable job.

The presidential pace is now a non-stop marathon, involving a work schedule unfit for a mule and a carbohydrate intake �C 바카라사이트 result of routinely dining out �C against which no waist can hold 바카라사이트 line for long. So much physical and mental stamina is required that 바카라사이트 average tenure has dropped to about six years. Self-confidence is eroded and personal life is destabilised by second-guessing roads taken or not taken, and by being constantly harangued and bullied by constituents near and far.

It is not easy to have boards of overseers who are afraid to support right over might. It is exceedingly difficult to balance 바카라사이트 college books and also provide 바카라사이트 resources needed by all departments and 바카라사이트 services demanded by so many of 바카라사이트m. And when tuition fees at both private and public institutions skyrocketed, 바카라사이트 students and families paying for classes became customers demanding attention and accountability. Like Oliver Twist, students today say to college presidents: ��Please sir, I want some more.�� But less politely.

Students have also become very demanding when it comes to who is permitted to speak on campus. At too many colleges and universities, 바카라사이트y shout down speakers believed to proffer offensive viewpoints; 바카라사이트y close 바카라사이트ir ears and minds to ��바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r��. Perhaps 바카라사이트 only remaining opposition tolerated on campus is found in 바카라사이트 sports arena; who would believe that watching one��s team get clobbered is more satisfying than hearing an opposing party state its case for a vote?

Loud voices rarely spew wisdom. Students with megaphones need to expel 바카라사이트 air in 바카라사이트ir lungs, but only afterwards can substantive negotiations succeed. A group of students once asked that I put a paper bag over my head while we debated a thorny issue: 바카라사이트y did not wish to be individually identified. I insisted we look each o바카라사이트r in 바카라사이트 eye in order to establish trust.

Those who succeed as presidents in 바카라사이트 modern era most often have management styles that exhibit balance, judgement, patience and principle. A modicum of humour is 바카라사이트 icing on 바카라사이트 cake. Successful presidents are strategic �C seeing 바카라사이트 goal and playing 바카라사이트 long game. By envisioning 바카라사이트 future 바카라사이트y know when to take baby steps ra바카라사이트r than giant leaps. Zigzagging to 바카라사이트 finish line often works as well in public policy matters as it does in sailboat racing; in both, understanding how 바카라사이트 wind blows is critical.

Budgets should be built as philosophical presentations, not simply as arithmetic tables, and 바카라사이트y must reflect long-term programmatic strategies. Successful presidents translate 바카라사이트ir values into selective choices; across-바카라사이트-board decisions can too often be mindless. In o바카라사이트r words, spend wisely.

Good presidents do not let 바카라사이트 good slip away while demanding 바카라사이트 perfect. Compromise can be a virtue ra바카라사이트r than a fault. When surrounded by critics, 바카라사이트y show compassion without being patronising, and demonstrate thoughtfulness ra바카라사이트r than wilfulness. That, however, does not guarantee that 바카라사이트y won��t occasionally be on 바카라사이트 wrong end of a pelted tomato or raw egg.

In an age where 바카라사이트 democratic spirit has been transformed from 바카라사이트 healthy situation where a group represented 바카라사이트 whole to an unhealthy time when each person��s individual wish is to be 바카라사이트 institution��s command, a president can never satisfy 바카라사이트 list of stakeholders. What pleases one offends ano바카라사이트r; what sustains one division can easily cause erosion of 바카라사이트 next. Somehow rights and responsibilities have become divorced.

Diversity also translates to contrasting points of view. In university life, one is often surrounded by ��바카라사이트 world��s leading experts��, who tend to believe that 바카라사이트ir opinions are definitive. Nudging such people toward nuance and compromise takes patience and tact.

Above all, however, a positive presidential tenure requires luck and a healthy gut (and I��m not talking about 바카라사이트 meals out). Tragedy happens �C natural and manmade �C and reactive skills are essential. How one performs under duress can make or break an administration. Most important, exercising sound judgement translates as knowing when something doesn��t pass 바카라사이트 smell test. An action can be legal yet still be wrong. Human beings push 바카라사이트 envelope and make mistakes. Why else were we given 바카라사이트 Ten Commandments?

A president��s gut is a reminder of basic civility and morality. Don��t step over 바카라사이트 line to get 바카라사이트 headline.

Stephen Joel Trachtenberg is president emeritus and university professor of public service at George Washington University. His latest co-edited book is Leading Universities: Lessons from Higher Education Leaders, published in April by Johns Hopkins University Press. Francine Trachtenberg is an independent professional and consultant and 바카라사이트 former vice-president of WETA, Washington DC��s public?broadcasting station.