I think I have the best job in America. I have the responsibility of leading the research enterprise of one of the largest universities in the U.S. – The Ohio State University. I oversee an organization that employs about 450 people who work in a variety of occupations, from climate modeler to computer scientist to fish hatchery education specialist.
International Women’s Day represents an occasion to celebrate the many contributions of women. This year’s theme is Inspiring Change, and research is all about change. To be a researcher, you must embrace change, since nothing stays the same in research. There is constant improvement and innovation, which drives any field forward. On this International Women’s Day, I thought it might be useful to talk about women in senior leadership roles.
What leadership lessons have I learned as a senior woman leader at a large university? More importantly, what advice can be given to young aspiring leaders?
- First, be a good listener. Much of my days are spent in meetings, with people asking for things – usually money, but not always. Sometimes it is time, a letter, or gaining influence for a particular decision. Don’t forget that it takes a lot of courage for that person to make their request. Putting them at ease and taking their request seriously (even if the answer is no) goes a long way.
- Be aware of the example you set. This is an extremely valuable leadership lesson. Rules that you ask your employees to follow, you must follow too! This seems quite obvious, but I see this rule broken all the time.
- Be a clear communicator not only in speaking but also in writing. In most cases, shorter is better. How many times have you seen a press release or an important communication that is way too long, to the point that you stop reading before getting to the end? In this case, the message has had the opposite effect, because it is too long and arduous, people actually don’t read it. A surprise for me is that important messages must be communicated multiple times and in several different ways.
- Try to learn something new each day. Maybe this comes from my background in a university, but I find that if I actually learn something new, my day seems much more fulfilled.
- Build consensus. Women often bring a different perspective to leadership groups. I heard a fellow woman leader describe her role on a scientific panel of experts who all happened to be men. At the conclusion of their project, one of her male colleagues thanked her for her work on the task force saying that she brought consensus building and a sense of collegiality to the group that had not been there. Knowing this woman, I think this just came naturally.
This is a day to celebrate and stand back to gaze at the path women have taken and to look forward to a very bright future.
