Lead With Heart

Congratulations to Dr. Darby and Drs. Culhane! At the beginning of Saturday’s SB & SOTA Graduation Ceremony, Buddy, Dianne, and John were awarded honorary doctorates in recognition of their impact on the College! As last week’s Pulse Post articulated, we cannot do our extraordinary work without the work of those who have come before us. I am so thankful that the college honored them in this special way. So well deserved.

This and last week’s posts have me thinking (pondering). Where is our school in the business lifecycle?

We’ve seen tremendous growth in the last few years, but the reality is we are in the maturity stage, particularly in light of the higher education landscape, and we are 255 years old! Because higher education is an infinite game, our just cause is much bigger than us. We will see an exit in some areas, but as an institution, we should strive to thrive as a mature institution. So, I’ve been playing with Gemini more lately and thought I would ask what we, as a mature school, should consider. It was a great conversation! Here are the key points:

Maintaining Market Position and Competitive Advantage:

• Innovation in Programs and Pedagogy
• Focus on Student Success and Alumni Engagement
• Operational Efficiency
• Monitoring the Competitive Landscape

Exploring New Growth Avenues:

• Market Penetration (Expanding Reach within Current Market)
• Market Development (Reaching New Student Segments or Geographies)
• Program Development (Creating New Offerings)
• Diversification (Potentially Less Direct)

Strategic Considerations:

• Strategic Partnerships
• Branding and Repositioning
• Long-Term Vision and Fundraising
• Faculty Development and Research

Potential Pitfalls to Avoid:

• Complacency
• Resistance to Innovation
• Weak Alumni Engagement
• Lack of Responsiveness to Industry Needs

As with any interaction with AI, the narrative was quite robust. These are just the main points. The fascinating part is that we are already on the right path on many of these. Email me if you want to read the entire narrative, but the bullet points are helpful as we prepare for the 2025/26 academic year.

Graduation ended on a high note, too. Adam El Hassan, SGA President and Management major, presented comments on behalf of students. The theme was kindness as a super power. It was short, impactful, and memorable. It will take 2 minutes to read. You will be encouraged. I’ll end with a paraphrase of his closing:

CSB colleagues (he said Class of 2025), “the world needs your voice, your brilliance, and most of all your kindness. Let’s go lead with heart.”

Like Buddy, Dianne, John, and Adam, we can lead with heart.

YOU make a difference.

Ponder this with me …