- Kevin Sanders
- 4 days ago
- 6 min read
January 10, 2026
Read Time - 4 minutes
"You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them." ~ Maya Angelou
I've been thinking a lot lately about what's on my plate for this spring semester—and I'm guessing your list looks similar. There's the day-to-day work: managing course schedules, addressing student concerns, navigating personnel issues, keeping programs running. Then there's the strategic work you're being asked to do: innovate new programs to meet workforce demands, rebuild public trust in higher education, demonstrate impact, find new revenue streams, prove value in an increasingly skeptical climate. And underneath it all, there's the weight of everything happening around us: new legislative restrictions, federal funding thrown into chaos, hiring freezes, budget reductions, faculty jobs dwindling, AI reshaping teaching faster than anyone can process, public trust at historic lows. And the expectation? Adapt. Innovate. Lead your unit through it. But the reality? Your people are exhausted. And…most likely…so are you. In a recent Chronicle piece, Faculty Motivation in a Uniquely Demotivating Time, author Kevin McClure called this "one of the most uniquely demotivating eras in the recent history of higher education." He interviewed faculty across ranks and institution types and found the same pattern: the external pressures are relentless, and the traditional sources of academic motivation—autonomy, meaningful work, community—are being steadily eroded. McClure's piece is a call for institutional leaders to rethink how they support faculty. And he's right—institutions need to do that work. But as a campus leader, you don't have to wait for top-down change. You have agency right now—and the strategies below can help you lead your team through this moment in ways that actually matter.
Leadership Takeaway
Here's the challenge: Higher education is facing a convergence of external pressures that no single leader can solve. You can't control federal policy, legislative intrusion, or the broader crisis of public trust.
But you can control how you lead through it.
Right now, a lot is being asked of us. We're expected to innovate, adapt, and demonstrate we're part of the solution. The pressure to do something—to prove our relevance and value—is real.
But we’re not starting at 100%. Energy is already low. And asking exhausted faculty and staff to take on more—even important work—without first creating the conditions for success is a setup for failure.
When faculty and staff are running on empty, they don't need another rallying cry. They need clarity, stability, and small wins that restore a sense of progress and agency. They need to know you see the weight they're carrying—and that you're leading with their reality in view.
This doesn't mean lowering standards or abandoning priorities. It means being fiercely intentional about what you ask people to focus on, protecting them from unnecessary chaos, and creating conditions where they can do meaningful work without burning out.
Practical Guidance
Here's what that looks like in practice—five concrete ways to lead when energy is low and the pressure is high: 1. Start by naming the reality—don't skip over the weight.
When leaders skip over the hard stuff, it creates distance. Your faculty and staff know things are tough. Pretending morale is fine makes people feel unseen.
The move: Use your next team meeting to acknowledge what's happening. Name it directly, with empathy.
"I know this semester is starting with uncertainty. There's pressure from multiple directions, and I know you're feeling that weight. I'm feeling it too."
You don't need all the answers. Just show you're in the same reality.
2. Choose 1–2 strategic priorities—and protect them fiercely.
When energy is low, people can't absorb a long list of initiatives. Every new priority feels like one more thing on an impossible load.
The move: Clarify the one or two things that matter most this semester—and say no to everything else.
"Our two priorities this spring are [X] and [Y]. Everything else is either on hold or being streamlined. If something doesn't serve one of these goals, we're pushing back."
This reduces cognitive load and signals you understand they can't do everything—so you're helping them do the right things.
3. Double down on community and connection.
McClure's article highlights something critical: isolation and loneliness drain motivation. When faculty operate as independent contractors, they lose access to the support that comes from working alongside people who care about the same things.
The move: Create intentional opportunities for people to connect—not around more work, but around the work that brings them joy.
This could be a faculty reading group, a monthly lunch with no agenda, a shared project space, or simply protecting time for conversation. If you have budget for a catered event, use it.
The goal is rebuilding the sense that we're in this together.
4. Reduce administrative burden.
Every report, metric, assessment form, and documentation request consumes energy. When energy is scarce, administrative burden becomes a significant demotivator.
The move: Audit what you're asking faculty and staff to produce. What can you cut? What can you simplify?
Even small reductions matter. Eliminate one unnecessary report. Streamline a redundant process. Stop asking for documentation no one uses.
Make the low-level, high-volume work (i.e. travel requests, reimbursements, class scheduling) as friction-free as possible. Protect your people's time for work that actually moves the needle: teaching, research, mentorship, meaningful service.
5. Lead with incremental wins and model steady, sustainable leadership.
When people are exhausted, they need two things: small, visible progress and a leader who isn't burning out in front of them.
The move on wins: Identify one thing you can improve in the next 30 days that people will notice. Fix a broken process. Make a lingering decision. Solve a small frustration. These rebuild momentum and restore agency.
The move on tone: Don't performatively overwork or send midnight emails. Lead calmly, consistently, predictably. Show it's possible to move forward without burning out.
People take their cues from you. If you're steady and intentional, they'll feel permission to be the same.
The Bottom Line
You didn't sign up to lead during easy times. And yet here you are—showing up, carrying the weight alongside your team. That matters more than you know.
You can't control federal funding or stop legislative chaos. But you can create clarity when everything feels uncertain. You can protect what matters when pressure is coming from every direction. You can build connection when isolation is the easier path. And you can show your faculty and staff that meaningful progress is still possible.
Your unit doesn't need you to fix everything. They need you to lead them well through what you can't fix.
You have more influence over this moment than you think. Not because you can fix the external chaos, but because you can shape how your faculty and staff move through it. That's the leadership that matters most right now—and you're already capable of it.
Try This Before Friday
Before your next unit-wide meeting—or your spring semester welcome-back gathering—ask yourself two questions:
What's one thing I need to acknowledge that people are feeling but not saying?
What's one priority I can clarify—or one thing I can take off the table—to reduce the load?
Then lead the meeting with those answers in mind. You don't need to have it all figured out. You just need to show people you see them, and that you're leading with their reality in view.
That's it for today. Thanks for reading. See you next Satuday.
P.S. What leadership challenge are you facing right now?
Reply to this email and let me know what you'd like to see covered in a future issue.
When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:
💡 1:1 Coaching
When you need a thinking partner who gets higher ed leadership. We'll tackle your specific challenges—navigating politics, building systems that stick, protecting time for strategic work, or managing that difficult personality. Limited spots each quarter. → Reply and tell me what you're working on.
🗣️ Workshops & Speaking
Help your team stop spinning their wheels. Interactive sessions that teach practical skills: making better decisions faster, handling conflict productively, and creating systems that free up time instead of consuming it. Your campus. Your challenges. Tailored solutions. → Reply and tell me what you're looking for.
📥 Free Resource
Your First 14 Days: The essential playbook for new academic leaders [Download]