Leadership Philosophy
Leading an academic unit is like playing quarterback on a football team: a quarterback may not be the strongest or most experienced player on the team, but he can orchestrate a coordinated effort and help the team succeed by using its collective strengths. Throughout my leadership career, I have capably worked with various coworkers who range from uninspired to more knowledgeable and higher in rank than myself. As a leader, I believe in the following.
A true leader is much more than a supervisor or a manager; a true leader inspires and makes a team much more than the sum of the parts. I strive to be such a leader.
Leading an academic unit is like playing quarterback on a football team: a quarterback may not be the strongest or most experienced player on the team, but he can orchestrate a coordinated effort and help the team succeed by using its collective strengths. Throughout my leadership career, I have capably worked with various coworkers who range from uninspired to more knowledgeable and higher in rank than myself. As a leader, I believe in the following.
- Inspiring with common goals. Although there are many goals to accomplish, I know that I cannot do it alone. Only common values and goals can truly empower a team, and I relate them to everything we do. I respect and trust the professional judgment of my coworkers, and with common goals we can make many collaborative decisions and execute them effectively.
- Being assertive, responsible and honest. A leader often has to make independent decisions. I do not shy away from making important decisions, and I always take responsibility for my decisions. However, I would also evaluate and reflect on those decisions: if I did something wrong or not good enough, I would admit it and amend it.
- Keeping an open mind. I am always open to suggestions and criticism. A team’s long-term growth depends on innovative ideas and continued improvement, and a good leader should encourage such conversations.
- Building interpersonal relations. I am friendly and personable to colleagues. I don't just email coworkers: I call them on the phone or visit them in person to talk about family, work, and how I can better assist them. I also believe in maintaining high morale in the workplace: I always remember to cheer for my colleagues on their success, thank them for their hard work, and each semester I organize a get-together picnic for department members and their family.
- Progressive planning and managing change. I believe in forward thinking and progressive planning. As department chair, I have initiated or supported projects to bring fundamental changes to my unit, from creating statistics and graduate programs to reforming general education math. Incorporating change is not always easy for a unit that is already thriving on what it does well, but I make efforts to communicate to and work with all stakeholders.
- Supporting the team. There is much service to do when leading an academic unit. I make it my priority to support my colleagues, whose personal success contributes to the department's. I also advocate for my department's need and promote its success and prospects.
- Focusing on the problem, not personal feelings. As a mathematician, I am disciplined in solving challenging problems through frustration (and in spite of it) without taking things personal. This allows me to better evaluate the situation, examine my assumptions and adjust my approach.
A true leader is much more than a supervisor or a manager; a true leader inspires and makes a team much more than the sum of the parts. I strive to be such a leader.