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Trust in the Decision Making: Management
To build a collaborative team and foster an ecosystem that supports both short-term performance and long-term growth, excellent management is indispensable. While a strong organizational culture and visionary leadership are essential, they are not sufficient on their own to achieve holistic and effective leadership. Leadership must also be grounded in the daily practices of management—the ongoing decisions, habits, and interpersonal dynamics that shape the institutional clima
cantensb
Nov 24, 20252 min read
Initiative
Stephen Covey’s classic The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People begins with Habit One: “Be Proactive.” This principle centers on responsibility—understood not merely as accountability, but as the profound recognition that human beings possess free will and thus the capacity to shape their own lives. Covey contrasts this proactive mindset with three forms of determinism that people often invoke to explain or justify their circumstances: Genetic determinism — the belief that
cantensb
Nov 10, 20252 min read
Adapting with Open-Mindedness as Conditions Change.
One thing we can all be sure of is that things change and that new challenges, barriers, and obstacles will arise unexpectedly. In addition to being flexible, leaders must be proactive in adapting by adjusting their responses, infrastructure, and tactics to overcome any difficulties that arise. The most important factors in meeting these challenges are confidence, optimism, teamwork, and creativity. Some leaders thrive when they are suddenly and unexpectedly confronted with n
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Nov 7, 20252 min read
Courage
What is courage? Aristotle described courage as the mean between cowardice and rashness. He believed that because human nature tends more easily toward cowardice, we should lean slightly toward rashness in order to achieve balance. Yet Aristotle also emphasized that courage cannot be defined in the abstract; it must always be understood in the context of a particular situation. Moreover, no two situations are identical. Therefore, what counts as courageous will differ from ca
cantensb
Nov 3, 20252 min read
Shared Decision-Making
There are many strategies, models, and schools of thought regarding decision-making. Yet perhaps the best place to begin is by identifying the wrong ways to make decisions. In my experience, there are at least three clear approaches a leader should avoid. A. Dogmatically or Authoritatively Possessing the authority to decide does not, in itself, justify making the decision. Nowhere is the adage “might does not make right” more relevant than in leadership. In logic, one of the
cantensb
Oct 28, 20252 min read
Vulnerability
Vulnerability can mean many things, but here it refers to the willingness to voluntarily reveal one’s weaknesses or limitations. This can feel risky because it exposes us to potential judgment or rejection. When we open ourselves up, hoping for empathy, we may instead face ridicule or dismissal, so it is no surprise that many people avoid being vulnerable. In professional settings, admitting a lack of knowledge or skill can seem especially dangerous, as it may appear to threa
cantensb
Oct 28, 20252 min read
Excellent Communication and the Art of Active Listening
Excellent communication is often understood in terms of oral and written expression. There is no question that the ability to write clearly and concisely is crucial to one’s success as a leader. Likewise, the ability to articulate thoughts persuasively and passionately is an essential quality of leadership. However, active listening is a form of communication that is even more fundamental than speaking or writing, and it is often the most challenging for leaders to master. T
cantensb
Oct 21, 20252 min read
Excellence
The Greek word for virtue, areté (ἀρετή), means “excellence,” “goodness,” or “fulfillment of purpose.” In Greek thought, virtue and excellence are inseparable. The Latin virtus —from which we derive the word virtue also means “excellence” or “skill,” as in the term virtuoso , someone with exceptional ability in an art or craft. So, what does it mean to be excellent? What should we strive to be excellent at? And what if we never become “the best” at anything? Does that mean
cantensb
Oct 21, 20252 min read
Integrity
The word integrity comes from the Latin noun integritas , meaning “wholeness” or “completeness.” One way to understand integrity, then, is as the state of being whole and consistent in our thoughts, words, and actions. As individuals, we lead rich inner lives filled with ideas, feelings, values, and principles we strive to live by. All of these exist in our minds, private and invisible to others. No one can truly “see” what we think or feel except ourselves. We express our i
cantensb
Oct 17, 20251 min read
A Shared Vision Within Contexts
Leadership, first and foremost, must have a clear vision of where it wants to take the organization. This requires a deep understanding of two key elements: the industry in which one operates and the nature, traditions, and politics of the institution itself. In higher education, the context matters profoundly. It makes a significant difference whether one is leading a large state university or a small private liberal arts college. The economic forces shaping these instituti
cantensb
Oct 15, 20253 min read
Leadership Requires a VISION that Can be Trusted
To build a collaborative team and establish an ecosystem that supports both short-term performance and long-term growth, excellent leadership is essential. While it is vital for institutional employees to trust their leaders as individuals, that alone is not enough. People must also trust their leaders’ ability to lead—specifically, their vision for the institution. This distinction is critical: a leader may possess integrity and honesty, which may earn him personal trust an
cantensb
Oct 6, 20252 min read
Stewardship: Leadership That Outlasts Your Tenure
In higher education, leadership isn’t just about solving today’s problems. It’s about stewardship—making decisions that safeguard the institution’s future long after you’re gone. The truth is, anyone can celebrate short-term wins like enrollment growth. But if you’re not building the infrastructure for tomorrow—academic programs, strong leadership, and an adaptive culture—you’re setting the institution up for eventual failure. Good stewardship means asking tough questions: Wh
cantensb
Sep 29, 20251 min read
Reasonableness: Commit to Evidence and Fair Deliberation
Reasonableness requires a commitment to evidence-informed decision-making and respect for open, civil dialogue, fair deliberation,...
cantensb
Sep 29, 20252 min read
Trust-Based Theory of Leadership
I have served in higher academic leadership for over 20 years. During this time, I’ve learned a great deal about leadership through experience, reading numerous books, attending conferences and workshops, and overcoming a variety of challenges as a leader. I’ve encountered many excellent leadership theories and strategies, many of which have helped me grow and succeed as a leader. Leadership is a deeply complex endeavor, one that can be approached from a variety of perspectiv
cantensb
Sep 22, 20259 min read
Confidence: Believe in and Trust Yourself
The word confidence originates from the Latin root fidere , meaning “to trust,” combined with the prefix con- meaning “with” or “fully.” Confidence, then, is the habit of self-trust —learning to trust your talents, abilities, beliefs, ideas, and vision. At its core, confidence is the decision to believe in yourself. But how does one achieve a strong level of confidence? Consider this example: John is not a confident dancer. Because he does not trust his ability to perform s
cantensb
Sep 22, 20252 min read
Humility: Know Your Self-Worth
Humility does not mean devaluing yourself or degrading your worth. Quite the opposite: humility requires recognizing your incredible potential to accomplish great things while also acknowledging your humanity. We all make mistakes. None of us can know everything. Mystery will always be part of life—there will always be events we cannot explain and truths beyond our grasp. Humility accepts this reality without frustration or arrogance. Humility also means recognizing that we a
cantensb
Sep 15, 20252 min read
Trust as the Foundation of Organizational Culture
“Trust is the foundation of any thriving culture. It’s what allows people to collaborate, innovate, and bring their best selves to work every day.” Satya Nadella (CEO, Microsoft). The conception of culture is nebulous and difficult to define. Both successful and unsuccessful cultures are difficult to measure. However, interestingly, they are easy to recognize, since when you are in an institution or unit with a bad culture, you know it. When you are in an institution or un
cantensb
Sep 15, 20252 min read
Leadership: Why Character is Not Enough
The development of excellent leadership can be approached from several important perspectives. One essential perspective emphasizes the leader's personal habits and virtues . This view is common in discussions about leadership qualities and traits. Characteristics such as initiative, discipline, consistency, focus, high standards, and courage often come to the forefront. Here, I will explain why this popular approach is limited. Exceptional leaders are defined by their abilit
cantensb
Sep 8, 20253 min read
Authenticity: Who Are You?
To be authentic means to be your true self—to resist the temptation to become someone you are not. Some say we should “fake it until we make it.” But if you pretend to be someone else and then achieve “success,” can you truly say that you made it? Authentic success requires that the real you—the person you honestly are—is the one who succeeds. But how do we know who we really are? Isn’t identity always changing? Am I the person I am now, or the person I aspire to be? If I ch
cantensb
Sep 8, 20252 min read
My First Year Seminar Class
This year I am teaching a First Year Seminar course for the first time. It is only a 1 credit course and we meet once a week. About sixty...
cantensb
Sep 1, 20252 min read

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