|
In higher education - and in life - it’s easy to become overwhelmed by the number of opportunities, challenges, priorities, and demands competing for our attention. The instinct is often to work harder, add more initiatives, or try to solve everything simultaneously.
But meaningful change rarely works that way.
Instead, some of the most successful organizations focus on finding what researchers call leverage points - the places where a small change can create a much larger impact.
One way to find those leverage points is to ask a simple question:
What’s the goal of the goal?
For example, the goal of hiring isn’t simply to fill a vacancy by following a process. The goal is to bring great people into our institution so we can better serve students and one another.
When we keep our eyes on the deeper purpose, it becomes easier to focus our energy where it matters most.
Another lesson that stayed with me was the importance of looking for what is already working.
Organizations often spend a great deal of time studying problems. That’s important. But we can learn just as much by studying success.
- Where are people thriving?
- Which teams operate exceptionally well?
- Which managers build trust and accountability?
- Which processes create great outcomes?
Sometimes the answers we’re looking for already exist somewhere within our own community.
The challenge is noticing them, learning from them, and sharing them.
Perhaps the most meaningful conversation happened during a debrief with Russell and fellow ACC leaders. We discussed a metaphor about leadership that resonated deeply.
Leadership is not about driving the car for everyone else.
Our responsibility is to help people understand the destination, provide support along the way, and then trust them with the keys.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be wrong turns, unexpected detours, or opportunities to adjust course.
It does mean we check in along the way to reset and provide constructive insight. People do their best work when they have both clarity and ownership.
As we look toward the future, that balance will become even more important.
We also spent time learning from organizations that are adapting to rapid advances in artificial intelligence. One message was clear: AI is changing the way we work, and that change is not slowing down.
But rather than diminishing the value of people, it may do the opposite.
The skills that will matter most are deeply human ones:
- Listening.
- Communication.
- Empathy.
- Critical thinking.
- The ability to build relationships and make meaning together.
These are skills that technology can support, but not replace.
As I reflected on the week, I kept coming back to a question that feels relevant to all of us:
Who are we missing?
Whether students or employees -
Who hasn’t yet found a sense of belonging? Who hasn’t yet discovered a pathway forward?Who hasn’t yet had someone believe in their potential?
Community colleges occupy a unique place in our society because we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to answer those questions.
Every day, through thousands of interactions large and small, we help expand opportunity for our students and for one another.
| 
