Diverse Leadership: Promoting Many Options

It is with some trepidation that I, a man of my era but also the CEO of NACAS, embark on a Commentary about promoting diverse leadership options. The topic is fraught with controversy, but that's never stopped me before.

NACAS has always known about and promoted the value of diversity.  During my first year, we discussed statistics that show how diversity strengthens every organization.  Through different outlooks, values and approaches to problems and solutions, cultural, racial, gender, transgender, age and other differences can come together to create a better and more cohesive whole.

Together, our regions, committees and board have worked to be inclusive and balanced— and to use that balance to work together to fulfill our mission.  Together we have kept our focus on diversity, yet expanded our outlook into the broader realm of social responsibility.  We have not achieved excellence by any means in my opinion, but we are improving and moving toward excellence.

Part of what makes diversity and social responsibility complex and valuable is the reality that various components come not only with different group world outlooks, but with different group views of any operation.  Individuals bring not only their personal strengths and weaknesses, but they bring the strengths and weaknesses of the social background from which they come.  For instance, it has been pointed out to me that our magazine does not include enough specific minority members.  It causes me to pause and review the content and realize that we need to make sure we are more inclusive, looking at many specific audiences—not one labeled as diverse.

But I've learned that any organization is much like a three-dimensional ball.  In the past, many organizations viewed that ball from the perspective of older, white men.  While that view attempted to benefit a broader population, it clearly left gaps that did not benefit the entire organization. Much was ignored—not from malice—but because they'd never viewed the organization from another perspective.  It was a very two-dimensional approach in a multi-dimensional world.  Having two-dimensional views from differing perspectives has the advantage of more accurately representing the entire organization, but it still is not ideal.

As an association, what we need to work toward is a diverse group of leaders striving to have a multi-dimensional approach to the organization.  Inclusion is a first step, but understanding takes far more. I can and do suffer easily from not knowing what I don't know.  A diverse board helps broaden my perspective, as do other experiences and education.  While I'm striving for a multi-dimensional view, I can trust and measure that my diverse colleagues will represent their unique view AND work together for a more three-dimensional approach as well.  On an interim basis, I can try to know what I don't know and compensate.

So, we come to our approaches to strengthening our association.  We recognize the importance of diversity and encourage each group to be the best that they can be.  We accept the value of a two-dimensional approach that is working to understand the viewpoints of all.  Picking our best and brightest as leaders is not enough.  Inclusion is not enough.  Working to encourage differing views of our best and brightest; to demand and measure that we have differing needs, opinions and views of how to advance our mission; and to meld all of us into an improved association is what we've started, but what we have to continually improve.

We have made big potential changes with our move toward a social responsibility committee.  The work of member Rita LaRue Gollotti is being considered by the Board in late July for advancing diversity.  Our magazine, professional development programs, board and committee choices, and more are using the mirror of diversity to improve ourselves and our higher education mission.

One program which NACAS is supporting is the Women's Leadership Institute, sponsored by a group of more than a dozen higher education associations.  This special program is for women seeking to enhance their skills as leaders in higher education administration.  It was reviewed by the NACAS Professional Development Committee and unanimously recommended for inclusion in our broad offerings.  You can find out more at this link.