Why Academic Leadership is a Skillful Art

By Jennifer McCrickerd, LifeBound Director of Academic Leader Development, Oct 30, 2025

The Expertise Trap:

When Your Desire to Help Shuts People Down

Academic leaders are driven by a genuine desire to help. We want to help new faculty navigate promotion and help colleagues avoid "rookie mistakes." This impulse to serve and share expertise is core to our professional identities.

So, when a problem lands on our desk, we jump in to solve it. When we review faculty proposals, we are quick to identify problems and offer our "fixes." We are helping.

But by jumping in with our solution, the message we send—regardless of our intentions—is that we value our "fix" more than their perspective. This can have a devastating impact on morale, leaving faculty feeling micromanaged, untrusted, and disempowered.

This is The Expertise Trap. We are so effective at having answers that we forget our new job isn't to provide them, but to build the capacity for others to find their own.

Developing a Leadership Toolkit

The solution isn't to stop helping; it's to change how we help by shifting from a "Fixer" to a "Coach." The "Fixer" tells and directs; the "Coach" asks and partners.

A coaching-based leadership model provides the practical toolkit for this shift. Two of the most effective tools are:

The Permission Question: Instead of imposing your solution, make your expertise an offer.
Instead of: "Here are the problems with your proposal, and here's how you need to fix them."
Try: "I have some experience with this. Would you be open to hearing a few of my thoughts?"

The Curiosity Question: When a colleague seems stuck, the "Fixer" instinct is to give the answer. The "Coach" instinct is to ask a question that proves you are interested in their answer.
Instead of: "You should really talk to the Registrar about that."
Try: "What resources have you considered so far?"

A Coach's Perspective

The most profound shift in leadership is realizing that helping is not the same as fixing. A leader with a coaching mindset recognizes their expertise becomes a liability when it robs their team of agency. They channel their desire to help by pausing and reflecting.

Here are a few questions a coaching-minded leader asks before stepping in:

Is my goal to fix this problem for them, or to help them develop the skills to fix it themselves?
How can I prove I'm interested in their opinion before I offer my own?
What question can I ask that will help them see the problem in a new light?

Call to Action

Bring Coaching to Your Campus to Drive Real-World Results

LifeBound is the only coaching training company that combines higher education coaching expertise with business leadership, helping faculty, staff, and administrators build the self-management and professional skills they need.

We offer flexible and affordable coaching training for faculty, academic coaches, and staff, including:

3-Day Virtual Coaching Course - NEXT CLASS: NOV 7, 14, 21
Self-Paced Coaching Course
LifeBound Coaching Certification Program

To learn more or explore which option is right for your team, visit us at www.lifebound.com.

Visit Our Website

Make 2025/2026 the Year Coaching Solves Higher Ed’s Toughest Challenges

Higher education is grappling with unprecedented challenges—rising mental health crises, the need for greater career readiness, and the unfortunate reality that many students struggle to secure meaningful employment or are let go shortly after starting. These issues affect not only individual students but also university outcomes like enrollment, retention, and long-term institutional success.

By equipping your staff with coaching training, you can help students build resilience, achieve meaningful employment, and address many challenges that universities face today. Allocate your budget toward LifeBound’s training options this year and plan ahead to ensure your institution is prepared to address these critical needs effectively. Let’s create a campus-wide culture of coaching and make an impact!

LifeBound offers multiple ways to train academic coaches, faculty, or staff:

3-Day Virtual Coaching Course

A dynamic, interactive course focused on practical coaching techniques.

NEXT CLASS: November 7, 14, 21

December 11, 12, 15

Time: 3 days, 6 hours each

Format: Online

Cost: $1,500 per person. Contact us about group rates.

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Self-Paced Coaching Course for Academic, Personal, and Professional Success

A flexible, 15-hour program designed for those who want to deepen their skills at their own pace. The course dives deep into foundational and advanced coaching techniques as well as motivation, resilience, career readiness, cultural competence and coaching diverse student populations, and includes private sessions with a LifeBound Coach. Institutional packages are available for group training.

Choose Your Own Dates!

Time: 15 hours (self-paced), plus 3 hours with LifeBound Coach

Format: Online

Cost: $1,500 per person. If you’ve already completed the 1-Day or 3-Day program, email contact@lifebound.com to receive a discount code for $500 off the new Self-Paced Course. Contact us about group rates.

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LifeBound Certification Program

For coaches ready to take their skills to the next level, the LifeBound Certification Program offers an in-depth dive into advanced coaching practices and strategies, culminating in certification as a LifeBound Coach.

Spring, Summer, and Fall Cohorts

Format: Online or in-person as available

Cost: $5,000 per person

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Let’s make this a year of transformation for your institution and the students you serve!

Learn More at lifebound.com