October 4, 2025

Read Time - 4 minutes

“The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.” — Ralph Nader

When I started as a department chair, I had 59 direct reports. That meant 47 faculty and 12 staff could show up at my door with a complaint, an idea, or a request. And most days, they did. My time disappeared in conversations that left little room for the things on my to-do list.

For the university, naming a new chair was the beginning and end of the plan. My department of 59 wasn’t any different, in their eyes, from a department of 5. Same job description. Same deadlines. Same expectations. …just more of it.

And as many of you know, the odds of someone teaching you how to manage all of that are slim to none. Most of us are left to figure it out as we go. If you’ve lived it, you know the burden: too many people looking to you, too little support, and no real structure to share the load.

And that’s the dirty secret of academic leadership: nobody’s coming to show you how to manage it all. Which is why the smartest move isn’t to work harder—it’s to build a team around you. A bench of people who can share responsibility, lead alongside you, and keep the department moving forward even when you can’t be everywhere at once.

Because the truth is, no one can carry 59 people alone.

But with the right team, you don’t have to.

The Takeaway: Leaders Need a Bench

At first glance, the problem looks like “too many direct reports.” And it’s true: A Quantum Workplace study of 20,000 managers found that engagement is highest when managers oversee just 8–9 people.

In higher ed, it’s not uncommon to oversee two or three times that number. But size alone isn’t the real problem. It’s the scope of the work that flows to you.

Course scheduling. Advising. Travel requests. Annual reviews. Faculty affairs. Staff development. Student complaints. In the end, all roads lead back to the chair. That’s why the presence—or absence—of a leadership bench makes such a difference.

In most institutions, leadership development is reserved for the top of the pyramid: deans, provosts, presidents. But the leverage point is actually at the bottom. If you invest in leadership capacity among chairs, deputies, staff, and faculty leaders, the dividends multiply upward. Whether you lead a department of 5 or 50, building that bench isn’t optional. It’s survival.

I learned this the hard way. The sheer size of my department made it nearly impossible to do more than react. So, by necessity, I started creating new structures: assistant and associate chairs, coordinators for different areas, and faculty committees with clear charges to help with the work.

That experience taught me what every academic leader eventually discovers: you can’t lead alone.

People will tell you to “delegate more” or “share the load.” But the real work is intentional—shaping your org chart, empowering colleagues to make decisions, and creating clear pathways for faculty and staff to grow into leadership.

So how do you actually build that bench?

Here are four moves that made the biggest difference for me—and for many leaders I coach:

Practical Ways to Build a Bench

1. Turn Committees Into Leadership Incubators

Committees don’t just divide the work—they can develop leaders.

When you form standing groups for things like...

• Award selection

• Budget or resource recommendations

• Professional development

• Event planning

• Managing or developing new initiatives

…you’re not only moving tasks off your desk, you’re creating chances for colleagues to step into leadership.

Clarity matters here. Give committees a real charge, not just advisory status. (I use a simple document you can download here). And don’t forget the people chairing them—you should provide guidance so they learn how to lead a group, not just run a meeting.

2. Use Deputies as Leadership Apprenticeships

Roles like assistant chair, program director, or division lead shouldn’t exist only to lighten your workload. They’re apprenticeships for the next generation of leaders.

When I gave a faculty member oversight of graduate advising, it wasn’t just delegation—it was ownership. That kind of responsibility builds confidence, decision-making skill, and credibility.

The best-case scenario? You place people in these roles who can devote the time and energy to grow into them. Over time, they become your resident experts—bringing not only relief for you, but real expertise that benefits the entire unit.

The key is alignment: get to know your faculty and staff and match their interests with your leadership needs. That’s where development happens.

3. Align Staff With Leadership, Not Just Logistics

Too often, staff are treated as task managers rather than strategic partners. But when their responsibilities are tied to the unit's priorities, they can become leaders in their own right.

I’ve seen this firsthand: when staff were trusted with both the responsibility and authority for their areas, the results were remarkable. As the people closest to the work, staff often know better than you (or faculty) how to lead in their areas. When you trust them with real authority, you don’t just get efficiency. You uncover leadership capacity you didn’t know you had.

4. Normalize Shared Leadership

The ultimate goal isn’t just to build a bench—it’s to change the culture.

When faculty see committees making decisions, deputies owning responsibilities, and staff driving strategy, they stop looking only at you for answers. They also see their own interests represented by colleagues—through committees or through clearly defined administrative roles. That visibility builds trust in the process, confidence in each other, and reflects the best spirit of shared governance.

That shift protects you from burnout. But more importantly, it signals that the leadership of the unit is a shared responsibility. We thrive not because of a single leader, but because leadership is embedded throughout our culture.

Try This Before Friday

Pull out your org chart or committee list. Identify one responsibility you’re still carrying that doesn’t have to sit with you. Then ask: Who could grow as a leader if I trusted them with it?

The Bottom Line

Your real measure of success isn’t how much you can carry alone. It’s how you move your unit forward—culturally and programmatically—by growing leaders around you.

When you build a bench, leadership shifts from one person pushing to a team pulling together. Progress outlives you. The culture sustains itsef.

And here’s the best part nobody tells you: leadership gets more fun.

These jobs are hard, no doubt. But when you’ve got a team to share the load, to celebrate the wins, and even laugh through the messier days—it stops being just a burden. It starts to feel worth it.

P.S. Next week, I’m kicking off a short series on one of the most common challenges leaders bring to me: the different ways people handle conflict—and how leaders can navigate each style. It's one of the most valuable skills you can build.

Until then—thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next Saturday.