Academic Leadership Isn’t a Side Gig—It’s a Calling

May 3, 2025

Read Time - 4 minutes

“To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.”

—Douglas Adams

I’ve met so many talented academic leaders who still talk about their roles like they stumbled into them. I get it—I did the same. But if we want to lead with purpose, the shift has to start inside. This week’s issue is about that exact pivot.

When Leadership Starts as an Accident

In higher ed, leadership often begins with a tap on the shoulder.

“Would you consider chairing this department?”

“We need an interim—just for a bit.”

Suddenly, what felt like a service favor becomes a full-blown job. You’ve got people relying on you, big decisions to make, and very little time to rewire how you see yourself.

And that’s the catch.

Most academic leaders enter their role without ever stepping fully into it. They continue thinking of leadership as a side gig—something layered on top of their “real” work as a faculty member.

But leadership isn’t a side gig.

It’s a calling.

And it only works when you start treating it like one.

The Real Problem: We Still Treat Leadership Like a Temporary Favor

Too many institutions treat academic leadership as an “extra”—a box to check between sabbaticals. You can hear it in the way we talk:

• “I’m just keeping the trains running.”

• “It’s only interim.”

• “I’ll go back to my real work soon.”

And when leaders think this way, several things happen:

• Strategic thinking disappears.

• Culture problems go unaddressed.

• Confidence wavers.

• Faculty and staff sense that the person “in charge” isn’t fully in.

The result?

The role feels thankless. Progress slows. Burnout creeps in.

And all because we never made the identity shift.

Why Your Leadership Identity Is the Most Important Thing to Get Right

Research from the Center for Creative Leadership shows that leaders who identify strongly with their role are more likely to be proactive, resilient, and trusted by their teams. Identity shapes behavior.

If you see yourself as a placeholder, you’ll:

• Avoid long-term decisions

• Delay hard conversations

• Default to maintenance over momentum

But if you step in with ownership—even without long-term plans to stay—everything changes:

✅ You start shaping culture, not reacting to it

✅ You make decisions with clarity, not fear

✅ You’re more confident in setting direction

Why It’s Hard to Embrace Leadership as a Calling

Here’s why so many of us get stuck:

• The inbox fills up instantly: There’s no margin to reflect.

• The culture reinforces the “side gig” mindset: You’re still expected to publish, teach, and sit on committees like nothing’s changed.

• Peers see you as the same: Faculty colleagues may still treat you like “one of us,” even as you’re making hard calls that affect them.

No wonder it’s hard to fully own the role.

A Better Way: Reflect First, React Later

Leadership becomes more meaningful when you choose it—even if you didn’t plan it.

Try asking yourself:

1. Why am I leading in this season?

   Even if you didn’t seek the role, what purpose can you find in it?

2. What kind of leader do I want to be?

   What values should guide your decisions?

3. What legacy do I want to leave?

   How do you want others to describe the impact you made?

You don’t need the perfect answer.

You just need to start asking better questions.

Because clarity of identity creates clarity of action.

Bottom Line

Academic leadership isn’t just about managing meetings, budgets, or people. It’s about shaping culture, elevating others, and building something that lasts.

And that kind of leadership only happens when you stop seeing it as a burden—and start seeing it as your calling for this season.

You don’t need to be perfect.

But you do need to show up with clarity, conviction, and care.

The students, staff, and faculty you serve are worth it.

And so are you.

Try This Before Friday

Take 10 quiet minutes this week and answer the three questions above.

Bonus: Write your answers in a notebook you keep at your desk.

Refer back to them when your calendar gets chaotic or you’re about to make a tough call.

👥 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.

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Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:​

1.) Get the free guide: Lead by Design. Put an end to reactive leadership. Learn how to clarify decisions, streamline workflows, and surface expectations—so you can fix what’s broken and focus on what matters most. 2.) Coaching for Academic Leaders: A focused 1:1 coaching experience for higher ed professionals who want to lead with clarity, build smarter systems, and stay centered on what matters most. I work with a limited number of clients each quarter to provide highly personalized, strategic support. Send me a message.

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