Navigating Change: The Podcast From Teibel Education

Bentley University President Gloria Larson returns to Navigating Change this week to share the story of her new book, Prepared U: How Innovative Colleges Drive Student Success. The book tells the story of our changing marketplace and asks some hard questions for institutions. At its core, how well are we pivoting to provide an education that meets the needs of a new kind of student, one who is prepared to enter the world with skills and sensibilities to engage in the global marketplace?  And what does this mean for a new kind of teaching we need to embrace to meet this emerging student? “How you go to college is more important than where you go to school,” says President Larson. “Employers want both hit-the-ground-running skill sets and very strong lifelong-learning capabilities.” In the book, and her work at Bentley University, Larson demonstrates the changes required for institutions to deliver both the hard skills and soft, and help cultivate graduates ready for the challenges ahead. Links & Notes Abo

People can see change as an affront to the way things have always been done. They’re right to feel this way. When we shift to engaging each other in culture change, something happens. People begin to see the change as a sign of progress, and not an attack on tradition. How do you produce this transformation? This week on the show, Howard Teibel leads us through a campus-wide process that can build this kind of emotional resiliency. Reducing costs, creating efficiencies, and generating revenue is not just about our financial picture. It’s about engaging our community to declare priorities for a future we envision.   This week’s show presents how to systematically unleash your community to creatively generate ideas around operations, pedagogy, and ultimately, impacting the student experience. It’s a combination of giving up control from the top and skepticism from the middle.

This week, we bring you part two of our conversation with Grant Lichtman, author of Moving the Rock: Seven Levers WE Can Press to Transform Education. In today’s show, Howard and Grant explore a few important questions for our K-12 and higher education leaders: What kinds of skills are needed by students beyond knowledge acquisition? What does it mean to develop the skills of a life-long learner in this age of accelerating change? How do we prepare students to have a resiliency in their capacity to remain open to learning and what happens to the institutions that don't make this shift? In the context of higher education, the struggle for change is happening on two fronts; how do institutions position themselves to attract students and families that celebrates their uniqueness in the market, and how do educators transition the classroom experience to one of deep learning, preparing graduates for complexity beyond the classroom? Together, Grant and Howard offer insights from their work that provides parallels

As emerging leaders, we are challenged by the question of where to focus our time and energy that makes a difference. What does it mean to be an orchestrator of change and lead others through these historical times in education? Orchestrating change demands a mindset and cultivation of mood that opens possibilities for us and those around us. Now more than ever, we need to build bridges between our administrative functions, the academy and countless constituents we serve. On Thursday, January 18th, Howard Teibel will be delivering the opening keynote address at WACUBO’s Leadership Symposium, exploring the type of personal skills and sensibilities that build a resilient and adaptable culture and keep us focused on the larger mission of our institutions. Today on the show, we’re thrilled to welcome Lisa Frace, Associate Vice President, Budget and Planning and Chief Budgeting Officer for Arizona State University. Lisa serves on the WACUBO board as chair for the Annual Leadership Program and she’s joining us to s

Once again this year, EACUBO and its members outdid themselves in building and hosting the 2017 Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh. As a part of the event, Howard Teibel was asked to facilitate a panel of three esteemed panelists for a conversation on reimagining budget and planning. But that title hardly captures where the discussion ultimately went. The challenges facing finance leaders are many, but above and beyond the day-to-day shuffle of administration, how do leaders across the institution stay present in the vision and the mission of the institution? How do you find inspiration in a vision of future success, and how do you muster the courage to get there? This panel — and engaged audience — focuses on positive change for moving institutions forward. Panelists J.J. Davis, SVP for Administration and Finance for George Mason University; Mike Gower, EVP Finance, Administration, and Treasurer for Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; and Robert Goldberg, Chief Operating Officer for Barnard College share

Our guest today returns to share the story of his research toward his latest book and his work understanding the nature of change in education today. In Grant Lichtman’s latest book, Moving the Rock: Seven Levers WE Can Press to Transform Education, he outlines the three fundamental questions facing education today: Why should we change, what is the change going to look like, and how do we get there? In the context of higher education, the struggle for change is happening on two fronts; how do institutions position themselves to attract students and families which celebrates uniqueness in the market, and how do educators transition the classroom experience to one of deep learning, preparing graduates for complexity beyond the classroom? Together, Grant and Howard offer insights from their work that provides parallels between the effort to adapt that impacts K-12 and higher ed alike. About Grant Lichtman Grant Lichtman is an internationally-recognized thought leader on the transformation of K-12 education. His

In our last episode, we shared the first half of our conversation on finding your calling, recorded on a shady porch at The Chautauqua Institution in New York. This week, we’re picking up where we left off with a few quick but important observations. What is the role of unconditional commitment to a cause in determining your calling? How well are we living that commitment as a responsibility to change the world of our students for the better? What skills are we teaching and demonstrating that equip our students to expertly navigate uncertainty?

What does it mean to have a calling? How do you know you’re living a life of contribution? As a leader in higher education, are you living up to the mission of your institution? Howard and Pete get to share some rare face-to-face time in this conversation coming to you from a shady porch at The Chautauqua Institution in New York. As a recap of some of our recent interviews, we’re discussing the role of facing our failures, finding a calling, and how our calling motivates us, drives us, and propels us to do good work inside — and outside — our institutions.

This week on the show Howard Teibel sits down again with University of La Verne President Devorah Lieberman. President Lieberman begins by sharing the story of a windfall donation that caused the school to think more broadly about giving, celebrating the role the institution serves in the community to help engender enthusiasm and direct financial support beyond alumni. Then, she introduces a course that she leads herself, co-teaching with a president at another university, in another country, a shared stage blended with international students, designed to give practical experience in breaking down borders in education. Both of these stories serve as milestones in the journey of change leadership and examples of the pivot in leadership that comes with a shift in perspective. Links & Notes Education Across Borders — Herstory.com

This week, we welcome Gloria Flores to the show, co-founder and President of Pluralistic Networks. In her work, Gloria is committed to developing innovative ways for people to learn to collaborate, to listen, to build trust, and to build value for each other. Gloria has collaborated with Dr. Fernando Flores for many years, and her work is inspired by their many collaborations. Of particular interest to her is the creation of learning environments that will enable people to develop what many describe as “soft skills,” but that really should be referred as “crucial skills” for today’s world. She has designed and led many courses, including a four-month virtual, but fully immersive program – Working Effectively in Small Teams (WEST) – designed to support people as they develop skills and sensibilities that will enable them to work more effectively with other people.   Her book, Learning to Learn and the Navigation of Moods: The Meta-Skill for the Acquisition of Skills, helps readers to become more aware of the e

This week on Navigating Change, Berkeley Professor Ricardo San Martin joins us in a conversation about teaching. What does transformational teaching look like and what does it mean to present that teacher as learner. How can we empower students to explore with each and build a sense of their own ownership in the learning process? Professor San Martin’s own transformation comes at the forefront of the science he teaches. As a visiting lecturer at the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology at UC Berkeley, he leads a class on the development of plant-based meat. The cutting edge chemistry, biology, business, and manufacturing that goes on in the course serves to put student and teacher alike in the role of explorer, and it’s changed the way San Martin approaches the classroom. Professor San Martin shares his personal journey with us today, and as such offers lessons in the future of the faculty-student relationship. Links & Notes Connect with Professor San Martin on LinkedIn Meat substitutes ar

Dr. Daniel Greenstein serves as director of Education, Postsecondary Success in the United States Program, for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Before joining the foundation, Greenstein was Vice Provost for Academic Planning and Programs at the University of California Office of the President. In his current capacity, he oversees work to substantially increase the number of students who acquire a post-secondary degree or certificate. Dr. Greenstein frames the conversation for us around the following key points: How do we address the significant gaps in our workforce development needs as we head toward 2025? What is the role in seeking business efficiency in building a sustainable institutional future? Are we doing enough to be genuinely disruptive? How may our emerging divide in civil dialogue impact student enrollment patterns and the diverse makeup of our institutions? Dr. Greenstein takes on these questions in the context of student success, and as powerful factors in the sustainable financial succ

Howard Teibel has joined the line-up of presenters at this year's Administrative Management Institute at Cornell University. This week on the show, Howard shares the inspiration for his presentation, Creating a Culture of Innovation & Creativity. Using examples of the work of animation studio Pixar under the leadership of Ed Catmull, attendees will learn to design a process that encourages people to think differently about organizational problem solving while generating a high level of enthusiasm, energy, and positivity across divisions. Links & Notes Administrative Management Institute at Cornell University NACUBO HR Horizons: “Loosen the Grip on Silo Thinking” Navigating Change 168: Finding Inspiration on the Outside — Bringing Innovation to Higher Ed

This week on the show Howard Teibel sits down again with University of La Verne President Devorah Lieberman. Today, President Lieberman shares insights into the planning process with background on the University’s 2020 plan, forecasting 30-year career demand, and driving toward sustainability while maintaining agility. Beyond theory, La Verne is demonstrating their promise of innovation through two programs designed to meet the needs of its community. The first increases access to education that meets future career demand, while the second improves the availability of aid to serve students today. Learn more about these creative programs from President Lieberman on today’s show. Links & Notes Convergence at University of La Verne

“Jeff, what does Day 2 look like?” That’s the first line of Jeff Bezos’ 2016 letter to shareholders, a question from a staff member at an all-hands meeting in which he describes a transformation that organizations can find themselves undertaking without careful and diligent attention. His response: “Day 2 is stasis. Followed by irrelevance. Followed by excruciating, painful decline. Followed by death. And that is why it is always Day 1.” We start our conversation on the podcast today, pivoting off of Bezos’ response and his drive to maintain the agility of Day 1 inside Amazon, with a question of our own: Where is higher ed? Is higher ed in Day 1 or Day 2? There is power in exploring this question for ourselves and then finding ways to explore with others. Jeff Bezos’ letter will take you just a few minutes to read, and it sets the stage for a broader discussion that is critical for us in higher ed to help move our institutions forward with courage. Links & Notes Jeff Bezos’ 2016 Letter to Shareholders —

We’re talking about mood today. Now, a discussion of mood may sound strange for you and your academic or administrative team to be paying attention to. It’s far from strange and we’re going to make the case that being receptive to your mood and those of your team is foundational to drive productivity and success for your organization. This conversation is inspired by the work of Fernando Flores and writings of Gloria Flores in her book, Learning to Learn and the Navigation of Moods: The Meta-Skill for the Acquisition of Skills. You can find the link to her book in the links below. Links & Notes Learning to Learn and the Navigation of Moods: The Meta-Skill for the Acquisition of Skills by Gloria Flores About Pluralistic Networks

One of the realities of complex human organizations is that culture is emergent, that we put teams and departments and structures in place and then we hope. Whatever sort of campus culture that comes out of that cocktail is what we’re stuck with. Our guests today are here to demonstrate that culture can be crafted, developed, and encouraged when approached with intention. Jennifer Williams serves as director of campus climate, and Katy Rees as associate VP for finance and administrative services at Cal State University San Marcos. Thanks to the deep support of their president, the two have spearheaded an initiative to build a healthy culture and along the way uncovered some fascinating lessons around the role of strategy, demographics, and what it takes to truly engage around core service delivery. Links & Notes CSU San Marcos Campus Connect CSU San Marcos FAS Division Quality Improvement (QI) "Intentionally Designing a Winning Culture" (PDF)

This week on the show Howard Teibel sits down with University of La Verne President Devorah Lieberman. Her tenure at La Verne and her approach to leadership is defined by a guiding principle: that students select a major not based solely on their interest in a specific discipline, but in a mission, a guiding cause that reflects the mark they want to make in the world. President Lieberman joins Howard to share how this principle has come to reflect not just the encouragement she offers her students, but the approach the administration takes to ask deeper questions and allow their mission to serve institutional growth. Links & Notes University of La Verne — President’s Message

This week on the show, founder and principal of rpkGROUP, Rick Staisloff, joins Howard Teibel for a conversation on leadership from the outside in. As seasoned consultants to higher education, the two address how to affect the way leadership sees themselves, the contingencies forcing change. According to Staisloff, if colleges want to be truly innovative, they need to start by educating their own leaders about the business model. How can this first step serve to improve the types of investments made in innovation, the expectations of these initiatives, and achieving a holistic cultural change on campus? About Rick Staisloff Rick Staisloff is the founder and a principal of rpk GROUP, a leading national consulting firm supporting colleges, universities, and other non-profits with their growth and reallocation strategies. He has been a leading voice in the development of new business models for higher education, working closely with the Association of Governing Boards, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the

“The biggest mistake we make is that we think the best subject matter experts will be the best teachers,” says our guest, Elliott Masie. He’s head of the Masie Center, a think tank focused on how organizations can support learning and knowledge in the workforce and he leads the Learning Consortium of over 200 global organizations cooperating on the evolution of learning strategies. This is how our conversation begins today, but certainly not where it ends.  This is a conversation about adaptation. As administrators, coming to terms with the fact that our institutions are changing is only one step. Understanding how they’re changing and then getting out of the way as our principle educators experiment and evolve will be our coming charge. Masie’s take: employers care less and less about our transcripts; they want us to prepare our graduates to accomplish complex tasks. But do we really understand the contingencies in place to enable us to change from the inside? About Elliott Masie Elliott Masie is a futurist,