Full Circle

The last of the seven competencies identified in the study Competencies for the College Presidency (sponsored by Academic Search and authored by Kevin McClure and Jorge Burmicky) is labeled “data acumen and resource management”.

As a former enrollment manager and two-time interim CFO, you don’t need to sell me on the importance of data. I built the early part of my career in enrollment on utilizing data to identify the most promising use of resources, so you have me at hello regarding the relationship between data and resource management.

But I would be remiss if I didn’t use this as one last shout out to the other competencies. The ability to utilize data to inform decisions, including resource management, is absolutely essential. That starts with data literacy, for sure, as well as knowledge of how to align resources. But how do those decisions actually come to life?

They come to life through a leader who has built trust, who will persist in the face of setbacks, who communicates clearly and effectively, who is supported by a talented and unified senior team, who demonstrates emotional intelligence, and who has the courage to make difficult decisions whose outcome is not certain. It comes to life through a leader who has the other six competencies.

So perhaps it is fitting that the last competency isn’t a soft skill…but makes a convincing case for the power of those that are, bringing us full circle back to where we started.