August 23, 2025

Read Time - 4 minutes

“Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge.”

— Simon Sinek, author of Start With Why

Last year, a friend shared what happened in a college-wide meeting at their university. The dean stood up and announced they were going to start scheduling one-on-ones with faculty—just to get to know them.

Then came the apology: “It’s been a busy time.”

And it caught the room off guard.

Because this wasn’t a new dean finding their footing. They were four years into the role.

It’s easy for time to get away from us in leadership. There’s always another fire to put out, another deadline to meet, and suddenly the year—or several—has slipped by.

Here’s what we often forget: the urgent work—budgets, schedules, reports—always finds its way onto your calendar. The important work rarely does.

That’s why we have to design the year intentionally (I wrote about this in a recent issue).

Because there’s one part of leadership you can’t afford to leave to chance…

The Part of Leadership They Don’t Write Down

Pull out your official job description. You’ll see words like “manage,” “oversee,” “plan,” “evaluate.”

What you won’t see is the single most important part of your role: building relationships.

Governance in higher ed is unique. Progress rarely comes from command-and-control. It comes from trust. And trust is built—or broken—by the quality of your relationships.

The strength of those relationships determines:

• Whether new ideas get shared.

• Whether curriculum changes succeed.

• Whether faculty feel empowered or skeptical.

• Whether staff step up with energy or disengage quietly.

No matter how good your ideas are, without strong relationships, they stall.

So let me ask you: If you looked at your calendar right now, would it reflect your role as primarily relational? Or would it read like a list of tasks and transactions?

Why Relationships Are the Multiplier

It’s easy to measure leadership by the visible wins—solving a problem, fixing a process, pushing through a new idea. However, the deeper credibility won't come from just your outcomes. It comes from the relationships you build along the way.

You don’t have to be best friends with everyone you lead. But taking the time to know them—their strengths, what they care about, what challenges them—signals that you’re invested in more than just their output.

That kind of investment is your leadership capital because it creates trust. And when trust is there, people are more willing to share ideas, take risks, and follow you into something new.

7 Ways to Build Relationship into Your Calendar

If you want relationships to be the through-line of your leadership,

don’t leave it to change—design for it. 

Here’s how:

1. Meet with Faculty by Program

Meet with faculty in each discipline. Go beyond the norm—ask what excites them, what’s weighing them down, or even how they spent their weekend.

2. Coffee with Early-Career Faculty

Once or twice a semester, host an informal coffee for new or untenured faculty. It’s relaxed and builds community.

3. Staff Check-ins

Don’t only meet when something’s wrong. Hold short, regular huddles to share updates, celebrate wins, and give shoutouts.

4. Listening Walks

Trade the office for a walk across campus. The casual setting often sparks more honesty.

5. Walk the Halls

Spend 20 minutes a week dropping by studios, offices, or labs. These informal visits make you visible and approachable.

6. Open Door Hours

Set aside a block once or twice a month where anyone can drop in. Even if few attend, the message is clear: “I’m accessible.”

7. Semester Cadence

The first meeting matters. The second builds trust. Put recurring conversations on the calendar once or twice a semester.

The Bottom Line

Budgets close. Reports get filed. Projects wrap up.

But the relationships you build will keep opening doors long after the tasks are done.

That’s where your true impact lies.

Build the relationships now.

The results will follow.

Try This Before Friday

Send three invitations this week:

• One 1:1 with a faculty member

• One coffee with a staff colleague

• One informal group chat with new or untenured faculty.

Don’t overthink it. Just start the cadence.

That’s all for now.

See you next Saturday.

👥 Ready to Help Others?

This goes out each week to leaders trying to build better systems, stronger teams, and healthier departments. If this helped you navigate your corner of campus, pass it on! 👉 Subscribe here.