Most Christian institutions understand the importance of developing and maintaining a High-Performing Culture based on Christian values interwoven with the school’s mission. But few know exactly what that actually “looks like” or how to establish one. In those special circumstances when it “clicks,” when there is a High-Performing Culture in place, nothing is as productive […]
Angry, hurt, resentful, and confused. That’s how an employee I used to supervise came to me with her latest performance evaluation. Though no longer under my supervision, I volunteered to sit with her to analyze the evaluation with the goal of helping her reframe the perceived injustice. My first step was to calm and reassure […]
I have spent more than 38 years of my professional life in Christian higher education, the first 33 years of that time in administration, before moving into my current consultative role in semi-retirement. Looking back on my varied professional experiences, I again consider the question that faced me when handling all the responsibilities of a […]
Seminaries have an incredible opportunity to reimagine what their future can be as a truly new version of themselves — Seminary 2.0. To accomplish that, they can’t simply update their existing program. They must be willing to adopt a “new version” mentality, as they say in the software industry. Creating a new version of your […]
Dr. Drumm McNaughton is the CEO of The Change Leader, a consultancy that helps Christian colleges educate students for a life of faith and service through holistic approaches to improving planning and change management, governance, academic and business operations, assessment and IR, leadership and culture, accreditation, and diversifying revenue streams. In this interview, he elaborates […]
The prestige of being a top higher education leader is highly alluring. The perks of the office, the collaborative leadership style, and the constant focus on maintaining positive public relations on behalf of the institution and the leadership can create a bubble of false security and pride. However, that bubble can quickly burst when fiduciary […]
Over the past few years, frequent news stories have announced the closure of several Christian higher education institutions. Although institutional officials may cite a number of reasons leading to closure, the primary reason appears to be finances. Many of these institutions have a small enrollment, a dwindling number of applications, and possess a small or […]
Terminating for Moral Failure: How to personally thrive when terminating senior staff The third-hand rumor of sexual misconduct came to my office. Without corroboration, I could do nothing. I would not, and could not, ask a valued senior staff member about a sexual rumor. Without substantiation, I could not cause his spirit harm with such […]
A colleague asked: “Is it more important for people to believe in the cause or the individual?” My response: “Every cause needs a voice; every organization needs a face.” We all know dynamic, inspirational figures that lead organizations we support or serve in. We follow pastors, executive directors, presidents, and other leaders who speak […]
What some have called a “perfect storm” of disruptive circumstances has impacted all of post-secondary education in both Canada and the United States for the last five years. The result has been two interrelated trends that have especially shaped Christian colleges and universities: a more constrained enrollment on the one hand and a creative approach […]
