A free how-to-succeed playbook for new law school deans and prospective deans, complete with lessons from beyond legal education. Scalia Law and Cardozo Law are co-sponsoring the virtual conference.
The Deans Leadership Academy was created to give new and prospective law school deans a jump-start in acquiring the skills necessary to lead successfully. The early months are the time to set your leadership agenda and assess your team. There are critical decisions to make, and retaining consultants for expert guidance may not always be economically feasible. The interview process for new deans rarely provides real insight into an institution as complex as a law school.
In this program, which is free, you will learn from consultants who will provide expert guidance. We focus on essential lessons that current deans say they wish they had learned from the get-go. It is designed to remove some of the mystery of the "do-it-yourself" approach while highlighting some of the obstacles that come with the territory. The Academy is online and free, but advanced registration is required.
Ernest L. Arbuckle Professor of Business, Harvard Business School
How Leaders Build A Culture Of Confidence
This session will offer lessons, examples, and dialogue about how leaders who transition to new positions can effectively mobilize others for high performance, individually and collectively. What are the essential skills to undertake “advanced” leadership – the leadership required for complex situations in a world full of disruptive problems, including technology, competition, racial disparities, gender gaps, and big external issues such as climate change and pandemics)? How do leaders inspire, motivate, and unite people with creativity and resilience to help them find confidence in themselves and others? How do new leaders use influence or persuasion to engage relatively independent people in common goals that strengthen the institution as a whole? Overall, the session will offer insight into the skills involved in solving current problems while building readiness for a future of change. It will show why it is important to “think outside the building” and open new opportunities for a meaningful future.
Rosabeth Kanter holds the Ernest L. Arbuckle Professorship at Harvard Business School, specializing in strategy, innovation, and leadership for change. Her strategic and practical insights guide leaders of major corporations, governments, and start-up ventures worldwide through teaching, writing, and direct consultation. Read more
Bronté Burleigh-Jones
Chief Financial Officer, American University
Financial Management For Law Deans: Essential Knowledge and Strategies
In this session, key financial terms, strategies, and performance indicators will be unpacked and demystified. There will also be an opportunity for participants to examine the impact that external factors such as economic, demographic, and political trends may have on their enrollments and corresponding financial position. This session will prepare participants to engage in thoughtful conversations with business officers and other members of the institutional leadership team.
Bronté Burleigh-Jones is the Chief Financial Officer, Vice President, and Treasurer of American University. Previously, she served as the Vice President of Finance and Administration at Dickinson College, where she led a college-wide financial task force to create a plan for revenue enhancements and operational efficiencies. Read More.
Ephraim Schachter
President, Schachter Consulting LLC
Leading And Managing Your Direct Reports
As a law school’s chief academic, advancement, and administrative officer, the dean typically owns overall responsibility for its academic programs, operating budget, personnel management, strategic planning, public relations, and fundraising. It’s a tall order made all the more challenging by the fact that the dean doesn’t have the practical authority to force an agenda. Success rests on the ability to influence multiple constituencies, each with its own interests. In this module, participants will learn the five key behaviors to garner support with or without authority and tools and techniques to implement them. Highlights include methods to frame thinking, build trust-based rapport, and formulate and present win-win solutions.
Ephraim Schachter is President of Schachter Consulting LLC and CEO and founder of CSuite Accelerator, Inc. He is an award-winning executive coach and consultant who has been working with senior business leaders from Fortune 500 companies for over two decades. Read More.
Stephanie Cox
Executive Director for Advancement, Florida International University College of Arts, Sciences & Education
Integrated Advancement: A Forward Lean Into Your Law School's Fundraising Future
We will discuss how to bring together development, alumni relations, marketing and communications, recruitment, and admissions to add value to institutional relationships and reach new heights of performance and impact.
Stephanie Cox is the Executive Director for Advancement at Florida International University’s College of Arts, Sciences & Education. She oversees the college’s development and alumni initiatives. For nearly 20 years, Cox has overseen large-scale comprehensive capital campaigns in higher education and managed all aspects of an integrated advancement structure. Read More.
Lisa Parker
President and Founder, Heads Up Coaching and Consulting
Projecting a Professional Presence
As a law professor, you are an acknowledged leader in your areas of expertise. You have deep knowledge of your specialty, you are a skilled classroom teacher, and the self-confidence you feel when entering the classroom or presenting a paper shows. How do you continue to project confidence when you transition from law professor to dean? It’s a complex job with a steep learning curve, and you are learning as you go. As you encounter new situations and manage setbacks, what are you projecting, and why? At its simplest, professional presence is what shows up when you show up. In this session, you will learn the basics of professional presence, identify your own confidence builders and busters, and apply tools and techniques to ensure you look and feel more confident every day.
Lisa Parker is the President and Founder of the executive coaching firm Heads Up Coaching and Consulting that specializes in executive presence, presentation skills, communication skills and leadership effectiveness. Read More.
