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Maintaining Motivation through the Muck and Mire of the Small College Ecosystem

July 19, 2016 Patrick Tanner Greenfield Community College

A significant competitive advantage that small colleges and universities have over our bigger siblings is that faculty and staff members are closer in proximity to one another, and therefore often have closer working relationships as well. This, however, can be a double-edged sword and present significant challenges.

What is one to do when a department is very small and you don’t have many choices in terms of who you can work with? Where do we turn when we find that the contents of a conversation we thought was in confidence are shared openly in a meeting? What options exist when power players are politicking and positioning for a very small piece of turf? What can be done when a parochial perspective dominates and discourages? And what do we do when students are caught in the crossfire?

As an undergraduate student, I attended a small, faith-based liberal arts college, and I’ve worked at small public and private campuses (as well as a few larger ones). In my travels, I have found that the answers to the aforementioned questions are as unique as the institutions we serve.

While navigating a professional life on just a few acres can feel overwhelming at times, I find that taking a step back to assess the landscape often proves to be fruitful. Take for example, the times when colleagues go over our heads. Most of the time, someone is passionate about a project or a student, and doesn’t realize that they’ve violated professional protocol. This isn’t always the case, but if we take a moment to consider the idiosyncrasies of the dilemma, we can often see the good (intentions) in humanity. From there, a simple conversation and an offer of support will go a long way to preserving bridges instead of burning them.

Similarly, when students are exposed to the inner workings behind the curtain, we need to be intentional about how we respond. Are we going to encourage them to see the silver lining and have an educational moment about perspectives they’d not yet considered, or are we going to agree with them and speak negatively about our colleagues and campus processes? Indeed, our choice of response in these instances reflect not only our mindset, but they could be a harbinger of our career prospects as well.

You see, we are all exposed to this maneuvering and, let’s be honest, drama, that can sometimes occur on small campuses. Surely it happens at larger campuses, but depending on one’s role, there is a level of insulation at those institutions that protects us from seeing the majority of it. On a small campus, there is nowhere to hide. Everyone knows everyone. Most of the time this is a benefit for us as professionals and for our students as well.

But when these close quarters start to confine and restrict us, sometimes a call to a colleague across the country is the key we need to open the door to a fresh viewpoint. I find that on my commute home I’m often calling friends in the field to ask for their take on the drama du jour. Not only does this help me clarify my perspective out loud (often for the first time) and get some distance from the issue, the conversation usually leads to the two of us talking about passions outside of student affairs that fuel us to continue to run the race.

Surely we need to plan for these moments and prepare our approach for times when we are surprised by a coworker playing the role of ‘Destructive Drew’ or ‘Negative Nancy’, but we’re best served by avoiding these conflicts in the first place. Building professional relationships founded on mutual trust is the obvious starting line. When we successfully develop these partnerships, we’ll find ourselves involved in fewer of these stressful situations, but in case they do arise, having a positive history makes the conversation easier. No one wants to speak with a colleague about the fact that one’s toes have been stepped on, but if we encourage each other to speak freely and collaborate to put out the daily brush fires, we’ll be well-positioned to fight the flames that seem to engulf us.

And for as much as we all preach the gospel of self-awareness, self-care, and living the reflective life, we don’t always listen to our own sermons. It is in times like these, when we feel we are under attack, that we fly off the handle and forget to center ourselves. A few strategies one might employ are: bringing to mind friends, family, or moments of brilliance while on a recent vacation; taking a walk and breathing fresh air (or just transporting ourselves back to more innocent times by breathing in the childhood scents of markers and snacks that often waft through the activities office); googling videos of cute puppies; or working on one of the million stress balls you can find in your desk. Some of us also have a faithful colleague who we can ask to give us a hug as well. Research has shown that oxytocin and serotonin levels are increased by hugs.

The power of physical contact is not to be forgotten. Neither is the reality that our campuses are increasingly staffed with folks from different generations. This has always occurred, but in small spaces, these truths can have a much more significant impact than we first realize. An abundance of articles have been written regarding working styles, and a quick glance at one of them might provide a refreshing angle from which to view these circumstances.

So, when we next find ourselves faced with a choice about how to respond to water cooler gossip, colleagues who aren’t willing to play by the rules, or students who are sharing some concerns, we’ll do well to take a moment, smile, and seek some perspective. Firing off that email and copying our supervisor may feel good in the moment, but the vast majority of the time there is a better way to address issues. Closing the door and speaking with a partner or mentor may provide a unique vantage point from which to strategize.

Truly, our students and our institutions are depending on us to make the right choice, the first time. Every time.