Transparency has been a buzzword in business for many years. But what does it mean and how transparent are you in leading your department or organization? Why is transparency important? It builds trust, in the leader, in the department and its mission, objectives and values It strengthens a team or community because trust is at […]
Effective Leadership: Rules vs Structure
I hate rules. Not because I am a rebel, an egomaniac or disrespect authority. I hate rules because they stifle creativity, innovative thinking and decision-making. (My apologies to all compliance coordinators out there. It’s nothing personal). With proper vision, communication and accountability providing organizational structure, rules can be minimal. The problem is that most people […]
Recognizing Redundancy: 5 Keys to Working Smarter
In a sports world trending toward specialization, the role of the small college athletics director still is very much that of a generalist. The key to being effective in multi-dimensional roles is to eliminate redundancy in your department using clarity and accountability. Redundancy is the duplication of responsibilities or specific tasks. The most common issue […]
Perspective Podcast #006: What You Can Learn From Student-Athletes
Our research with student-athletes has provided revealing insights for athletics directors and their staffs. Many athletics administrators believe they have the pulse of their student-athletes and many may have a good relationship with them. However, we’ve found that some areas are often missed because these are not typically a part of conversations between student-athletes and […]
Keeping Focus on Your Strategic Core
Too Many Hats. Mission Drift. Job Scope Creep. Survival Mode. Any of these sound familiar? The job of athletics directors today is not getting any easier. Increasing expectations and shrinking resources for AD’s to juggle an array of job duties. And, unfortunately, these duties often have little or nothing to do with an athletics department […]
My Key Principles for Intercollegiate Athletics
This episode of Perspective on Athletics is a bit different than usual. Rather than addressing one topic, I will offer some of my random, and not so random, thoughts on how intercollegiate athletics needs to change, or at the very least engage in discussion about serious issues that continue to plaque the environment. The tables […]
Up and Running on iTunes
We are now officially up and available on iTunes! Episodes of Perspective on Athletics, as well as other audio or video webcasts, will be available any time you want. Plus you can subscribe and get new episodes automatically downloaded to your computer or smartphone. Just go here to subscribe or listen. And while you’re there, […]
Perspective Podcast #003: SAAC Beyond Community Service
Establishing an engaged and effective Student-Athlete Advisory Committee In this episode we talk about Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, and specifically how you can avoid a lack-luster SAAC on your campus. Developing a vibrant and effective SAAC group helps build a strong culture of trust and communication between student-athletes and athletics administrators and also provides students with […]