Lessons in Leadership, Part II
Last week I shared the rising from the ashes phoenix story of Sweet Briar College. This week we review the Lessons in Leadership from that unexpected resurrection.
At the core, it is all about Perspective, Perseverance, Asset Managing, and Vision-Casting. At the core is the difference between giving up and working with what you’ve got.
PERSPECTIVE - I don’t know the details, and I don’t know what happened. The Board of Trustees of Sweet Briar College decided in the winter of 2015 that their institution was no longer viable. And, at some level they were right. The ones entrusted with moving this institution forward successfully, could not. They were clearly unable to see a path. After a legal fight and an interim President, a new Board was selected. They in turn chose Meredith Woo as their new President, and she saw things differently. She saw a school perfectly positioned to attract talented women, train them in liberal arts studies, and highlight their small women-focused education for the 21st century. She saw connections to the past, present & future.
PERSEVERANCE- Clearly, the old Board of Trustees had no idea about the nearly maniacal loyalty to SBC held by its alumnae. Do you need money? Bam! 12 million raised in 3 weeks; another 16 million was raised in less than 4 months. Do you speak closure? Bam! We’ll sue to keep the place going, and they did. There’s no money to welcome the fledgling -start-over class? Bam! Alumnae came from all over at their own expense, spruced up the place, and handled the welcoming ceremonies themselves. What a powerful message the class experienced upon their arrival. Those first-year students saw alumnae there to welcome them to a NEW Sweet Briar experience, and it was uniquely theirs!
ASSET MANAGING- President Woo had plenty to do when she arrived in 2017. She kept their pre-engineering program, pre-vet, and pre-law, but slashed 50% of the majors offered. She partnered with the USDA about land use, added a huge Greenhouse, and encouraged a farm-to-table option for the students. Sweet Briar needed a tuition re-set, so she lowered their price to compete with in-state university levels. When Covid hit, serendipitously, they were not at full capacity. They were able to offer each student a private room at no extra charge. The students returned, and the parents were reassured. Applications are up for the fall of 2021.
VISION-CASTING- I submit for your consideration this idea. The old Board of Trustees had lost its vision for the school. This happens more often than you think. It happens in colleges, churches, businesses, and even families. Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision the people perish.” Vision, as defined here, is not some fluffy idealistic mess. Instead, it is a concrete plan with a clear direction. Sadly, the lack of vision or the unwillingness to dig and do the hard work almost cost this school its very existence. Friends, alumnae, and a vision-casting new President have united to challenge this private school forward.
This story is still evolving. Sweet Briar has a ways to go. They are on a creative path that honors their traditions and allows for needed changes in their programs. I am truly delighted they beat all the odds stacked against them so far. It is rare. So is REAL Leadership. From my perspective, President Woo has demonstrated that in spades.
This is a genuine resurrection story, fueled by alumnae who would not give up. Maybe, the ultimate lesson here is just that. If you can’t go over, go under. if you can’t go around, go through. Keep looking for the path and the direction.
That’s a leadership lesson for all of us.
Next week, let’s take a trip down a different kind of Yellow Brick Road. Perhaps, it is a road we should follow in many arenas. It usually leads to some difficult truths.
Until Next Time,
All My Best,
Bonnie Burkett
