By Anthony (Tony) J. D’Angelo, The Collegiate Empowerment Company, Inc. © & ™ 1995-2020 All Rights Reserved.
“History doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” This quote has been attributed to Mark Twain and it reminds us that about once every decade life hits hard. Economic upheaval, hot & cold wars, natural disasters, terrorist attacks and political events make people anxious and fearful about their future. For the most part the leaders of 21st Century American Higher Education have been there and done that. We all had contingency plans for our contingency plan. And then BOOM! A pandemic of epic proportions hits us. Like Mike Tyson said, “Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face!” Boy are we getting pummeled and it’s only the 2nd round. I’m writing this for you, The American Higher Education Professional. Stay in the ring, as we need you now more than ever.
At Collegiate Empowerment, our mission is to help growth minded Higher Education Professionals increase their sense of Clarity, Confidence, Capability, and Commitment in all areas of their personal and professional lives. In response to many requests from our clients for insight on how to cope when events seem to be beyond their control, I offer These 10 Collegiate Empowerment Mindsets for transforming negativity and unpredictability into opportunities for growth and progress. I trust these mindsets will support your leadership with members of your campus community. Here are 10 things every Higher Ed Pro Needs to Forget About So They Can Remember What To Focus On...
1. Forget About Yourself; Remember To Focus on Others.
Uncertainty can drive people to go within, making them feel isolated and helpless. The best strategy here is to go in the opposite direction, expanding your connection with others—focusing on helping them transform their obstacles into opportunities for transformation. The more you contribute in this fashion, the less you will need to worry about your own situation. You will become a source of confidence for everyone else. Today run toward the fire, not away from it. Others are looking to you.
2. Forget About Your “Massive Pivot to Online Ed”; Remember To Focus on Your Relationships.
While this virus is not a computer one, it sure is moving the entire industry into the 21st century via online learning. A more empowered response at this moment in time is to disregard your own degree offering (which is now totally commoditized) and focus on deepening the power and possibility of all your relationships—with your people, students, faculty & staff, donors, vendors, and local community. Every time you strengthen a relationship, the viability of your “degree” will increase. The phone and the sound of your voice is one of the most powerful connectors, use it.
3. Forget About Enrollment; Remember To Focus on Engagement.
Most people don’t like being “sold” even during the best of times. When the future isn’t certain, they turn off, hang up, close down. Yet what people want at all times is value creation. What they want from you is: Leadership, Relationship, Creativity, and Management. They’re all silently begging for your Clarity (Leadership), your Confidence (Relationship), your Capabilities (Creativity) and your Commitment (Management). Use these four attributes to help them reduce their concerns, amplify their opportunities, and reinforce their strengths. When you focus on providing these three solutions, the enrollment will naturally follow. Right now the game is about Retention, not Recruitment. Keep everyone engaged.
4. Forget About Your Losses; Remember To Focus on Your Opportunities.
Things you had and may have taken for granted sometimes disappear. Some people never get over this. They keep trying to replay their old games. A better strategy is to start an entirely new game—using new ideas, new energies, new tools and new resources. As the world changes, opportunities suddenly become available to achieve far more than you ever did in the past. All the obstacles you face are the raw material for your future success. Start creating a new game.
5. Forget About Your Difficulties; Remember To Focus on Your Progress.
Because of change, things may not be as easy as they once were. New difficulties can either destroy you or reveal a new you. Our muscles get stronger from working against resistance. This is what Taleb meant by Antifragle. The same is true for our minds, our spirits, our character, as well as our campus communities. Treat this whole period of challenge as a time when you can make your greatest progress as a human being. Welcome to Grit & Resilience 101, class is now in session.
6. Forget About the “Future”; Remember To Focus on Today.
The “future” is an abstraction. It doesn’t exist except as a concept in our mind. The only future that has any reality is the one that you continually create for yourself through each day’s contributions, achievements and results. This is an excellent time to ignore all those experts who never saw the present circumstances coming. Focus on what you can do over the course of each 24 hours and you’ll be the only expert on the future you’ll ever need. Pick 5 big rocks to focus on and leave the small stuff for tomorrow.
7. Forget About Who You Were; Remember To Focus on Who You Can Be.
Circumstances do not define us, rather the reveal us. Do not let this experience define you. Rather allow it to serve you and your campus community. When life abruptly or unexpectedly changes, don’t forget about who you are, give yourself the Grace to metamorph into a new being. From now on, take your cues from the inside—from your vision, ideals, values and operating principles. These need never change, regardless of the circumstances. Take advantage of external confusion to become self-directed and self-motivated. Be a professional who shows up with batteries included. Oh and remember to recharge.
8. Forget About Events; Remember To Focus on Your Responses.
When things are going well, many people think they are actually in control of events. That’s why they feel so devastated and depressed when things turn bad. They think they’ve lost some fundamental ability. The most consistently successful people in the world know they can’t control events—but continually work toward greater control over their creative responses to events. Any period when things are uncertain is an excellent time to focus all of your attention and energies on being creatively responsive to all of the unpredictable events that lie ahead. Stop being reactive and get creative. What do you notice about these two words: reactive & creative? (Same letters, just in a different sequence.) It’s time to realign and reinvent yourself and your campus community.
9. Forget About What’s Missing; Remember To Focus on What’s Available.
When things change for the worse, many desirable resources are inevitably missing—including classrooms, desks, knowledge, tools, systems, personnel, capital, and capabilities. These deficiencies can paralyze many people, who believe they can’t make decisions and take action. An empowered response is to take advantage of every resource that is immediately available in order to achieve as many small results and make as much daily progress as possible. Work with every resource and opportunity at hand, and your confidence will continually grow. What’s one thing you can do today to make progress?
10. Forget About The Complaints; Remember To Focus on Your Gratitude.
When times get tough, everyone has to make a fundamental decision: to complain or to be grateful. In an environment where negative sentiment is rampant, the consequences of this decision are much greater. Complaining only attracts negative thoughts and people. Gratitude, on the other hand, creates the opportunity for the best thinking, actions and results to emerge. Focus on everything that you are grateful for, communicate this and open yourself each day to the best possible consequences.
Oh!, and remember: You’re not in control, however you are ridiculously in charge.
You are now the Adult in the room. Now let’s get back in the ring.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE PODCAST VERSION OF THIS ARTICLE.
Anthony (Tony) J. D’Angelo, is founder & Chief Visionary Officer of Collegiate Empowerment, a educational production company dedicated to serving the US Higher Education Industry. Since 1995, Tony has served as a coach and strategic consultant to thousands of Higher Education Professionals and University Executives from over 2,500 US colleges. Learn more @ www.Collegiate-Empowerment.org or Follow: @TonyDAngelo on Twitter.
COLLEGIATE EMPOWERMENT
Enhancing Educational Impact In US Higher Ed Since 1995
400 Northampton Street, Suite 402 • Easton, PA 18042
Toll Free: 1-877-338-8246 • www.Collegiate-Empowerment.org
Anthony J. D’Angelo & The Collegiate Empowerment Company, Inc. © & ™ 1995-2020 All Rights Reserved.