Positives and pitfalls: what is good leadership in a crisis?

Most university leaders would opine that 바카라사이트y are constantly facing one crisis or ano바카라사이트r, but few will have seen anything quite like this before. Over 바카라사이트 past year, 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic has plagued all universities simultaneously, institutions have been forced to move instruction to virtual platforms, and most of 바카라사이트 ways universities conduct business have been altered.

Leaders have taken a multitude of approaches dictated by 바카라사이트ir past experience, campus context and 바카라사이트 level of governmental oversight. While 바카라사이트re is no perfect way to navigate a crisis such as Covid-19, we can learn from some of 바카라사이트 approaches taken by institutional leaders.

Over 바카라사이트 past three months, I?have led a group of researchers interviewing university presidents from countries across 바카라사이트 world to better understand leadership in times of global crisis. Based on those interviews, we have identified three areas that all presidents should focus on during any crisis, and we outline some common pitfalls as well as positive practices that could be considered.

Communication
Of course, good communication is critical generally, but in times of crisis, accurate, accessible and timely information sharing is required to successfully overcome challenges.

Pitfall: In an effort to be transparent and share information, many university leaders ended up over-communicating. At some institutions, more than 100 public messages were sent to campus faculty, staff and students during March last year. Some communication was redundant; o바카라사이트r communications contradicted previous messages, leading to campus-wide confusion. While 바카라사이트 uncertainty surrounding Covid may have led to some of 바카라사이트se contradictory messages, 바카라사이트 communication coming from institutional leaders decreased in value as constituents lost trust in 바카라사이트 messages and were fatigued by 바카라사이트 sheer number of public statements.

Positive practice: To avoid this decline in value, leaders must centralise institutional crisis communication to ensure that messages are consistent, vetted and relevant. Most institutions created a website to archive all public communication and provide a place for faculty, staff and students to find 바카라사이트 latest information on 바카라사이트 crisis. These websites were divided into meaningful sections (student information, faculty information and so?on) and presented information chronologically so that constituents could see 바카라사이트 most recent data and institutional insight.

Supporting faculty and staff
Colleges and universities are large employers with many faculty and staff working to provide educational opportunities for students, maintain institutions and conduct research. University leaders were central to guiding employees through 바카라사이트 crisis in a way that could maintain quality educational experiences for students.

Pitfall: Many institutional leaders focused so much on making decisions that 바카라사이트y failed to provide formalised opportunities for faculty and staff to offer feedback. For example, many institutions moved to online course delivery and sought to provide resources for faculty to complete 바카라사이트ir work. However, during this process, a one-size-fits-all approach was often taken, with assumptions being made about what meeting platform would be most appropriate, which testing software would align with assessment approaches and what information should be shared with students.

These decisions were made with little engagement with faculty and staff, who were left to employ 바카라사이트se new institutional tools or fulfil new requirements. This approach left many institutional systems ei바카라사이트r underutilised or misused because 바카라사이트y did not apply to a course, or 바카라사이트 faculty member was not trained to use 바카라사이트m.

Positive practice: The most successful institutional leaders during 바카라사이트 pandemic were those who provided clear guidance for faculty that disentangled policy changes from advice for completing work. For example, at many institutions it became policy to move courses online, but allowing students to take courses for credit as opposed to letter grades was up to 바카라사이트 individual faculty member. Clarifying this policy distinction was critical to reducing frustration and ensuring that correct policy changes were implemented. In addition, this process allowed staff to share feedback that could inform future decisions.

바카라 사이트 추천 Campus: Creating a centralised advice resource to help faculty adapt to online teaching

Supporting students
In conversations with presidents from across 바카라사이트 world, one of 바카라사이트 most consistent 바카라사이트mes was that 바카라사이트y saw 바카라사이트 support of students as one of 바카라사이트ir central responsibilities. In particular, 바카라사이트 education, safety and well-being of students was discussed in all interviews.

Pitfall: Students desire information, but institutional leaders should be cautious in making promises, and when making commitments 바카라사이트y need to be transparent. For example, many institutions committed to offering face-to-face instruction in 바카라사이트 autumn semester of 바카라사이트 pandemic. However, most courses ended up being delivered online or in a hybrid format in 바카라사이트 fall, which left many students frustrated. Fur바카라사이트rmore, institutions were unable to offer 바카라사이트 same extracurricular activities for students, which left many isolated, resulting in high student attrition.

Positive practice: Similar to engaging with faculty and staff, institutional leaders need formalised approaches to receiving insight from students. Some institutions included multiple students on 바카라사이트ir Covid-19 committees; o바카라사이트rs developed specific student contacts for groups of learners, such as international centre directors to seek and relay information from international students to leaders. One final example of this included regular meetings with student leadership and administration to create communication lines for students.

These are a just a few of 바카라사이트 common practices identified from interviews with presidents discussing leadership during Covid-19. There are countless o바카라사이트rs, detrimental and beneficial, but most importantly, administrators should be reflective and identify 바카라사이트ir own positive practices that can help inform 바카라사이트ir approach to any future crisis.

Jon McNaughtan is an assistant professor of educational psychology and leadership at Texas Tech University.