33 min
Weekly Wisdom interview with Howard Community College President Daria J. Willis The Innovating Together Podcast
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- Education
In today's episode of the Innovating Together Podcast, hosts Bridget Burns and Doug Lederman are interviewing President Daria Willis. President Willis is the current president of Howard Community College. President Willis shares her experience and advice on how to navigate the early stages of a new presidency. She emphasizes the importance of listening to various perspectives, and avoiding disparaging one's predecessor.
Being a new leader in an institution can be a daunting task, especially if you're the first person of color or woman in the role. President Willis offers valuable advice for new presidents on how to navigate the early stages of their presidency. She emphasizes the importance of being guarded and not trusting everyone immediately, especially those who may have their own agendas. She advises taking the time to listen to various perspectives and picking up on common themes to gain a clearer picture of the institution. She suggests taking a strategic approach to leadership and bringing in trusted colleagues to provide a different perspective.
Today's conversation also touches on the challenges of turnover and the importance of long-term planning for institutions. President Willis discuss the pressure to differentiate oneself from the previous leader, and how boards can contribute to this pressure by emphasizing the need for a new leader to take the institution to the "next level," without defining what that means. She notes that this can set new leaders up for failure, especially if they are the first person of color or woman in the role.
President Willis talks about the importance of having a coach who can help you think from a business and entrepreneurial mindset, especially if you come from a non-business background. She also emphasizes the need for boards to have more diverse representation to better understand and support the president's vision. President Willis shares her positive experience with a former board chair who provided her with a safe space to discuss issues and helped her move forward during the pandemic.
President Willis provides valuable insights and advice for new community college presidents, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning, listening to various perspectives, and finding time for reflection and personal growth. President Willis's experience and wisdom serve as a valuable resource for anyone navigating the early stages of a new presidency.
“I have learned that who you see, what you see is what you get. I'm going to keep it 100, and I know how to act when I get in front of state legislators and all of that stuff, but I'm still Dr. Willis.” - President Daria Willis
What you will learn -
Authentic leadership is key
Diverse leadership in institutions
Building a Positive Community
Many pathways to success
Learn more about President Willis by visiting:
About
LinkedIn
Twitter
Learn more about the UIA by visiting:
Website
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube
Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovationalliance/message
In today's episode of the Innovating Together Podcast, hosts Bridget Burns and Doug Lederman are interviewing President Daria Willis. President Willis is the current president of Howard Community College. President Willis shares her experience and advice on how to navigate the early stages of a new presidency. She emphasizes the importance of listening to various perspectives, and avoiding disparaging one's predecessor.
Being a new leader in an institution can be a daunting task, especially if you're the first person of color or woman in the role. President Willis offers valuable advice for new presidents on how to navigate the early stages of their presidency. She emphasizes the importance of being guarded and not trusting everyone immediately, especially those who may have their own agendas. She advises taking the time to listen to various perspectives and picking up on common themes to gain a clearer picture of the institution. She suggests taking a strategic approach to leadership and bringing in trusted colleagues to provide a different perspective.
Today's conversation also touches on the challenges of turnover and the importance of long-term planning for institutions. President Willis discuss the pressure to differentiate oneself from the previous leader, and how boards can contribute to this pressure by emphasizing the need for a new leader to take the institution to the "next level," without defining what that means. She notes that this can set new leaders up for failure, especially if they are the first person of color or woman in the role.
President Willis talks about the importance of having a coach who can help you think from a business and entrepreneurial mindset, especially if you come from a non-business background. She also emphasizes the need for boards to have more diverse representation to better understand and support the president's vision. President Willis shares her positive experience with a former board chair who provided her with a safe space to discuss issues and helped her move forward during the pandemic.
President Willis provides valuable insights and advice for new community college presidents, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning, listening to various perspectives, and finding time for reflection and personal growth. President Willis's experience and wisdom serve as a valuable resource for anyone navigating the early stages of a new presidency.
“I have learned that who you see, what you see is what you get. I'm going to keep it 100, and I know how to act when I get in front of state legislators and all of that stuff, but I'm still Dr. Willis.” - President Daria Willis
What you will learn -
Authentic leadership is key
Diverse leadership in institutions
Building a Positive Community
Many pathways to success
Learn more about President Willis by visiting:
About
LinkedIn
Twitter
Learn more about the UIA by visiting:
Website
LinkedIn
Twitter
YouTube
Facebook
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovationalliance/message
33 min