The Innovating Together Podcast

Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, and Doug Lederman, Editor and Co-Founder of Inside Higher Ed, speak with Dr. Daria J. Willis, president at Howard Community College. Since President Willis' last visit to the Weekly Wisdom Podcast, she's changed institutions and has a lot to share about her growth and insights. This time, she talks about common mistakes in a new presidency, challenges for presidents of color, ensuring the board of trustees' support, contract negotiation tips, and cultural resonances and responsibilities of higher ed leadership. Topics include:

• Practical advice for new higher ed leaders
• A different set of expectations that women and people of color might face
• The politics of higher ed leadership
• Must-haves and nice-to-haves for new presidents
• Book and program recommendations

Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, and Ian Wilhelm, Assistant Managing Editor of The Chronicle of Higher Education, speak with Peter Temes, president of the Institute for Innovation in Large Organizations. Dr. Temes talks about how the ILO Institute works, the cost of failure, efficiency organizations versus discovery organizations, two-way communication in higher ed, and leaders who foster innovation. Topics include:

• What it means to innovate by matching function
• The perception of success versus the reality of failed iterations
• Why the process of discovery within an organization can't be treated as business as usual
• Making learning truly available within the traditional higher ed model
• Microsoft's Satya Nadella as a positive example of innovative leadership

Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, and Doug Lederman, Editor and Co-Founder of Inside Higher Ed, speak with Dr. Michael Sorrell, president at Paul Quinn College and a frequent guest on the Weekly Wisdom Podcast. President Sorrell talks about good and bad examples of leadership, showing vulnerability, finding work-life balance, the best way to deliver bad news, and DIY executive professional development. Topics include:


• Takeaways from leaders who understand people and power, and also from leaders who don't lead effectively

• The importance of leaders showing their humanity to those who follow them

• A necessary strategy for building personal time into a high-pressure job
• 
Helping others maintain perspective during a crisis

• Seeking and accepting critical feedback through informal peer reviews