The Dean’s List

Leading A Modern Business School

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All proceeds go to the University of Arkansas.

The Dean’s List

The Why

The Dean’s List

Where It All Started…

I was appointed interim dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas in 2015 and then dean in 2016. I quickly began the process of learning from the crucible of experiences. I looked around for a book, guide, or some other resource that would equip me for the job.

I found a few books about leading as a dean, but none of them provided much value. Three years later, I concluded that the book I wanted and needed didn’t exist, so I decided to write it myself. Now you’re reading it. During those first few years, I saved almost every email I sent as dean, all the minutes from our executive committee meetings, and many other notes, articles, blogs, podcasts, and records that reflected some aspect of my leadership journey as dean. Reviewing them proved invaluable: I studied what was working and what wasn’t. It helped me avoid repeating mistakes, improve on the things I did well, and figure out new and better approaches to a variety of challenges. All those notes became great resources as I wrote this book.

I hope the lessons I’ve learned about leading a college of business will equip you in your role as a leader—especially if you lead, or aspire to lead, a business school. It won’t solve all your problems. I am still learning, so I don’t have all of the answers. Plus, all deans face their own unique, unpredictable challenges, which means you’ll still have to learn from your own crucible of experience. But I am confident this book will provide you with practical tools and insights that can help you lead more effectively and with greater confidence, regardless of your circumstances.

Interested in reading more…?

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The Dean’s List

The What

The role of a dean has changed dramatically in the last few decades. In addition to managing up, down, and sideways while dealing with students, staff, and faculty, there’s a growing demand for deans to work with parents, alumni, and donors as well as business and community leaders. The Dean’s List highlights examples from my career to illustrate practical advice for dealing with the specific challenges deans regularly face. The book is segmented into three parts:

The Winding Road—A little background about my journey will help you understand and make the most of the things you can learn from my approach to leading a business college.

The Solid Ground—These chapters cover my framework for leadership, not because my way is the only way to lead, but because it has served me well and because the principles are transferable to almost any leader in almost any setting. The framework is field tested and proven, but flexible enough that you can adapt it to your personal preferences and style of leadership.

The 12-Lane Highway—This is where the proverbial rubber meets the road. I’ll provide practical advice for dealing with the various specific challenges a dean regularly faces, all based on examples from my experiences and all in the context of my leadership framework. I’ll also explore a few backroads along the way because leading a business college often takes you down uncharted paths, even if you have a great GPS.