Good mentorship provides personalized guidance and skill development and helps students navigate career paths, build confidence, and achieve meaningful professional success. For deans and academic leaders, fostering strong mentorship programs means nurturing future leaders prepared to excel within their chosen fields.

As faculty roles in universities expand in scope and complexity, leadership skills are ever more important. Executive coaching, or leadership coaching can play a critically important role in faculty development and career success. In this article we look at the roles of advisors, sponsors, and mentors and how they support faculty careers, then we take a deeper dive into the value that a coach can provide, and how to find a coach who is a good fit.

Leadership in higher education comes with unique challenges. While academic training hones specialized expertise, it often doesn't fully prepare individuals to become department chairs and engage the complex skills needed to drive a consensus-driven culture forward.  This article offers guidance for department chairs and other faculty leaders on how to meet today’s leadership challenges by leveraging personal strengths, setting clear goals, communicating effectively, focusing advocacy efforts, and leveraging strengths.

Future-proof leaders are essential for higher education institutions to thrive in an ever-changing landscape. By emphasizing lifelong learning, fostering emotional intelligence, enhancing organizational acumen, developing data-driven decision-making, and promoting a culture of innovation, institutions can prepare their leaders to navigate the challenges and opportunities of the future.