Developing Bench Strength - An Underdog Story

Developing Bench Strength – An Underdog Story

The last time I wrote a blog entry for this group, I had only been an AVP for 5 months and I wrote about supervising a team that were experts in areas in which I had little experience.  Approximately 2 ½ years later, my portfolio has continued to evolve through a couple of re-orgs, adding two new departments, assuming the Dean of Students title/role, and a short stint as the Interim Vice President for Student Affairs while our VP was out on maternity leave. These were amazing opportunities that stretched me both personally and professionally.

So I was feeling pretty great! I was comfortable with my portfolio, positive about our strategic direction, and confident about the rock-star staff and structure we implemented. There was a sense that the dust had settled, and that we could stop re-structuring and focus on knocking it out of the park.  

Then the athletic director left. As many other D3 institutions, our athletic department resides in student affairs. I was asked to consider taking on the role temporarily as we searched for a replacement. I have to be honest here. Everyone who knows me personally thought this was hilarious - including my husband, my mother, and my best friend. Perhaps because my athletic experience up to this point was contained to being a cheerleader in high school and being a college basketball enthusiast. My VP and I had a lot of chats about whether this time the plan was just too weird to work.

Maybe it was because it was weird, because my VP is incredibly supportive, or just because my dad said he thought I’d be good at it (thanks Dad)– but I decided I wanted to take it on. I’ve always been a sucker for a good underdog story.

I needed a game plan. I needed some bench strength.

It looked a little like the following:

Step 1: Determine what I would be willing to give up. What areas in my portfolio could I transfer to existing staff based on skill, risk appetite, and resources?

Step 2: Make the ask. Who could I ask to take on additional responsibilities? How could I plug any holes in service that would result? How could we make this a developmental opportunity for the staff involved?

Step 3: Set clear expectations. What would determine whether I was successful in the interim role as I balanced the position with a portion of my existing portfolio? How would I set similar expectations for my staff taking on additional temporary roles?

Step 4: Stay engaged, and out of the way. What would the plan be to keep me involved to the degree needed - without being mired down in the details or annoying my staff while they were taking advantage of this developmental opportunity? What were the decisions that required my involvement - such as budget, personnel, or facility projects? How would I balance my high need for information with trusting my staff?

Step 5: Plan my homecoming. What would the return to my position look like? How would that feel to my staff? For those who had interim leadership roles, how would I ease back in to my role? How would I continue their development? What surprises would I have? What concerns?

Well, fast forward 8 months and I can tell you this: Steps 1-3 are easy when you have an incredible staff and the support of your VP. I can only imagine that this could be the most difficult piece for anyone who did not have a rock star Associate Dean of Students ready to be put in the game.

For me, step 4 was by far the most difficult piece of this plan. As difficult as it was for me to let my staff take over leadership of my portfolio, I know it had to be a challenge for my staff to assume leadership while I remained a presence in our department. I also did not fully understand how “all in” I would need to be in order to be effective as an interim athletic director and how difficult it would be to switch gears (and offices) throughout the day.  As my time as an interim comes to a close, I have a new and deep appreciation for my staff – in both portfolios.

As for step 5, I will let you know when I go back to my position in about a week. Wish me luck!