Ten Leadership Lessons, Courtesy of Satire
A recent Inside Higher Edpiece by Lisa Chasan-Taber and Barry Braun provides tongue-in-cheek advice on how to avoid being asked to lead again. While written for department chairs in higher education, the inverse of these “lessons” also applies to anyone in leadership, including heads of school, division directors, department chairs, and board chairs.
Here are the real takeaways, flipped right-side up.
Strategic planning should benefit the organization, not the planner. The best plans are concise, free of jargon, and grounded in stakeholder input. They aren't just performative documents filled with buzzwords. And the leader's role isn't to delegate the work and then step back — it's to set direction, stay involved, and ensure the process feels meaningful for everyone involved.
Meetings should be worth attending. If information can be shared in an email, send the email. Reserve meeting time for discussions, deliberations, and decisions that benefit from group input. When sensitive issues call for a vote, protect the integrity of the process — anonymous ballots show that you value honest feedback over conformity.
Invest in individuals personally. Annual reports can't replace real conversations in real time. Leaders who prioritize one-on-one check-ins — especially with newer team members — send a clear message: your growth matters here. The same applies to mentoring relationships, which need ongoing support, not just a one-time assignment and hope for the best.
Understand what you don't know. Effective leaders delegate with confidence. Trying to be the expert on every operational detail doesn't show competence — it signals a lack of trust in those around you and causes bottlenecks that slow down the entire organization.
Distribute work fairly, not just equally. Equity involves considering the context. A faculty member pursuing a major grant, a teacher starting a new program, or a staff member managing a family crisis — each deserves a respectful conversation about workload, not a strict formula applied without considering circumstances.
Lead from the middle, not just the top. The best leaders serve as a bridge between the higher administration and the team below — but they don't just pass messages in one direction. They advocate upward for the resources and autonomy their team needs, and they develop strategy from the ground up based on what their team truly values.
Make decisions carefully, not theatrically. Asking for input before deciding isn't a sign of weakness — it's wise. And being consistent matters more than just being decisive. When others can't understand the reasons behind your decisions, trust quickly decreases, no matter how confident you seem.
Protect your team. When complaints come up, due process isn't unnecessary bureaucracy — it's a leadership duty. Rushing to conclusions or avoiding tough conversations erodes the trust your team needs to perform at their best. Your job is to be fair, not just quick.
Stay humble about your role (and about you). Nobody benefits from a leader who constantly reminds everyone how tough their job is or how much better things were at their previous organization. Leadership credibility comes from actions and results, not from emphasizing your own importance.
Take care of yourself. Leaders who neglect their own professional growth and personal well-being won't become martyrs — they become cautionary tales. Carving out time for your work, your thoughts, and your renewal isn't selfish. It's what enables lasting, effective leadership.
Inspired by "How to Ensure You'll Never Be a Chair Again" by Lisa Chasan-Taber and Barry Braun, Inside Higher Ed, April 23, 2025.