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 […]
The life of a vice provost who also teaches half-time at a small Christian college is busy. There are emails to review, telephone calls to answer, strategies to plan, meetings to lead, administrators to appease, faculty to encourage, students to help, parents to placate, lectures to prepare, classes to teach, tests to give, chapels to […]
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 […]
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 […]
Several years ago, I was invited to join the board of directors of our regional food bank. At the first board meeting I attended, I didn’t have a clear understanding of the cause or my role. I didn’t fully understand the focus or the mission of the organization. I did not understand that my role […]
Sadly, on rare occasions I have served with people who were more interested in building their own kingdoms than the Kingdom of God. Still, they do some good. Even Judas only took some of the money from the bag with which he had been entrusted. Might there someday be a Judas who will compromise […]
What do Christian colleges have in common with corporate America? Mission drift. So pervasive is this problem that it got the attention of the witty writers at The Onion, a satirical “news” publication. In a 2012 article, a fictitious CEO explains that his “company was built on tradition—a set of values systematically phased out the […]
On October 17, 1777, English General, Gentlemen Johnny Burgoyne, surrendered an entire British Army to Horatio Gates, commander of the American forces at Saratoga, New York. If the battle of Lexington produced the “shot heard round the world” then Burgoyne’s surrender at Saratoga produced the “shock heard round the world.” At Saratoga the unthinkable happened. […]
