I’d love to see examples of higher ed leaders whose big vision was simply to create an organization with conditions in place for all people to thrive.

Too often these days, change is driven from the top. Through a strategic plan, big restructuring, or launching of a flashy initiative. These new things are often built on top of existing work, stretching people thinner and thinner.

Some leaders seem to think that achieving goals is entirely in their hands. What if they put all of their energy instead into building up a really humane organization where people are supported, compensated. Like radically focus on helping employees thrive.

I think they’d find they achieve goals and then some. They might find faculty, staff, students doing really creative and forward-thinking things. They wouldn’t have to put it all on their shoulders because the organization itself is healthy.

As I’ve said before, I’m not sure what leaders expect will happen when they burn people to the ground. You can only squeeze so much out of people. You can’t attract more students, launch new programs, graduate more students if you burned through all your talent.

What are some of the conditions necessary for people to thrive? I don’t know for sure and it would be better to ask than assume. Compensation and benefits are foundational. This might mean reducing what some at the top make to more fairly compensate others.

Really figure out the mission—stick to it, communicate it, invest in it. Stop asking people to fulfill multiple missions at the same time. Be good at what you do and give up chasing the next big thing. That chase exhausts people and rarely benefits employees.

Treat people as whole human beings, maybe? Create opportunities for community building. Make it easy to exercise and have fun. Figure out how to help with childcare. Resources to help people find and afford housing. These things would be a magnet for talent.

I think blowing up traditional approaches to workload would be good. We don’t measure workload well, for one. Beyond that, we don’t adjust workload quickly. I like the idea of flexible, individualized workload plans. A starting point is to ask how people can do less, better.

I’ll end by saying this may mean having the courage to cut things that don’t contribute to thriving. Rankings, football, growth. And it would sure help to have robust state support. But there are things leaders can do now to move in the right direction.

Leaders do way to much to promote and protect institutions. What they don’t realize is that promoting and protecting people is perhaps the best way to strengthen institutions. I see so much possibility for good by making this shift in perspective and action.

PS - I know there are leaders who do this. @LoweryHart @michaelsorrell @TRINITYPREZ come to mind. More would be good. People with this mindset on boards would be great, too.