Authentic Leadership and Well-Being

Hello all,

In case you missed it...the EDUCAUSE WIT community group held our monthly webinar last week on Authentic Leadership: Cultivating Humans in a Tech-Driven World, offered by Teresa Hudson, Director, Tech Support Services for Westchester University.

Teresa said "Listen. Today I'm here to tell you that it is not weak to prioritize your well-being. It is the secret weapon of authentic, impactful leadership and mental health awareness month should be a daily awareness." And then went on to offer her experience and wonderful resources and tips for achieving better holistic wellness.

Watch the session now, Passcode: 3@^$ahcM

And then jump into your own self-assessment with this Wellness Wheel Assessment.

Explore your satisfaction with the following wellness aspects of your life right now: Social, Emotional, Spiritual, Environmental, Financial, Financial, Intellectual, Physical, Occupational.

When you know where you are feeling less than satisfied- you'll know where to put your energy.

It's fast, it's free, it's fabulous!

All the best,

Holly

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The Power of "What Makes You Say That?"

Hello all,

This week I'm reposting a wonderful short top on communications- focused on learning and understanding. It's so easy and simple that it might actually make its way into my routine approaches, and that's something to celebrate.

It came as part of a newsletter my regional library network offers to their members- called Tech-Talk. (If you are interested in the newsletter, talk with your college librarians or your regional library network.)

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"Communications: Power Talking

"What makes you say that?"

Here is a powerful phrase you will find beneficial in a variety of ways.

When someone says something to you, very often replying with, “What makes you say that?” … before you start to give an answer or make a comment … can result in a whole new understanding of what your colleague had in mind.

If it’s a contentious situation, asking, “What makes you say that?” can add some clarity or it can bring to the surface the underlying issue.

If it’s a suggestion made in a project discussion, asking, “What makes you say that?” may reveal a concern or an alternative perspective.

If it’s a situation where you’ve just received a compliment, asking, “What makes you say that?” will result in your hearing something you did not expect … and which will make the nice comment even more meaningful

The Secret to Getting a Great Response

OK, just rebounding with, “What makes you say that?” has a certain art to it so that you don’t come across as challenging or difficult.

The secret is to acknowledge the person’s statement first in a non-committal way. That way they know you heard them and are ready to listen.

For example, when someone says something, you reply with…

“OK … what makes you say that?”

“Yes … what makes you say that?”

“Interesting … what makes you say that?”

“Hmm … what makes you say that?”

And second, say in a light-hearted, oh-by-the-way-manner, “What makes you say that?”

Try using this technique just for fun to see what happens. Maybe challenge yourself to use it three times in one day. That ought to plant the idea firmly in your communications resource bucket!"

All the best,

Holly

EDUCAUSE WIT Community Group - May 2025 Meeting

Hello all,

It's a busy time here at SUNY Plattsburgh — finals week, with our spring commencement this Saturday. Some of you are already post-commencement, some of you are in the same space that I'm in. For everyone, this is a good time to remind ourselves to breathe, and rest, and sleep, and eat well — just as we are busy reminding our stressed-out students to do the same.

This coming Monday, the EDUCAUSE WIT Community Group is offering our online monthly meeting and I invite you all to participate. You don't have to be an official member of anything to join the monthly meetings!

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Mental Health Month – May 19th, 2025
Authentic Leadership: Cultivating Humans in a Tech-Driven World

🕒 Time: 2 PM Eastern | 1 PM Central | 12 PM Mountain | 11 AM Pacific

In the fast-paced world of IT, self-care and well-being often take a backseat until a wake-up call forces us to rethink our approach. Join us for a powerful discussion on the importance of self-awareness, self-care, and health & wellness in today's IT environment.

💡 Featured Speaker

Teresa Hudson, Director of Technical Support Services at West Chester University,
A seasoned technology leader with over 20 years in the field, Teresa will share personal insights and strategies for:

• ✔️ Prioritizing well-being in high-stress IT roles
• ✔️ Integrating self-care into authentic leadership
• ✔️ Building a sustainable, growth-oriented career

This session is a must-attend for anyone looking to balance success with well-being and create a healthier, high-performing workplace.

Teresa is currently responsible for the strategic planning, budgeting, and project management of campus technology solutions. She leads a team of 20 IT staff in the deployment, support, and maintenance of end-user technologies. Teresa recently completed the Brené Brown "Dare to Lead" workshop and advocates for authentic leadership and growth-minded well-being practices.

🔗 Join the Zoom Meeting

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All the best,
Holly

Shifting Workplace Norms: Small Changes, Big Impact

Hello all,

This week's post is about organizational culture and noticing when our everyday cultures could use some shifts.

SUNY Plattsburgh received several grants from our Clinton County Health Department and just hosted a celebration of our expanded efforts to be more lactation friendly with open-house-style tours of the lactation spaces.

We don't have them in every building, but we do have them now in many buildings. These spaces can be used by students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors as needed. I'm happy to report that we have one in the Library building where my office is.

Now—to be clear, no one needs to go into these spaces to feed a baby or express milk, but if they want a calm space with a fridge and privacy—it’s now available.

One "norm" used to be that lactating folks had to make do, or stay home, or find an empty bathroom stall. Not very welcoming, comfortable, or hygienic.

That got me thinking about other "norms" that have already shifted, and ones that we might want to shift now. You know the saying attributed to Peter Drucker:

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”

So what are the cultural norms that are holding back your success—or the success of others?

This recent Harvard Business Review article offers some great suggestions about how to approach the possibilities of shifting our organizational cultures to improve the workplace for everyone and help achieve our SUNY Mission. And that’s what SUNY WIT is all about!

“Norms shape both individual and collective behaviors and serve as symbols of organizational culture or ‘how we do things here.’ Employees pick up on these norms over time by noticing what people around them do and inferring what would be acceptable (e.g., ‘Is it okay to disagree publicly with colleagues?’)...

Fostering a fundamental norm of fairness—where all employees play on a level field where they can succeed, support is offered equitably, and rewards are allocated justly—can create a virtuous cycle. As fairness breeds fairness, with employees reciprocating with higher productivity and a stronger commitment to their employers, fairness is a norm that builds on itself and grows stronger over time.

Of course, the reverse is also true, and unfairness can lead to a self-perpetuating cycle with bad outcomes, which is why it’s crucial for leaders to foster the norm of fairness.”

And they emphasize that it's not just possible for leaders to do this—we can all do this!

“While senior leaders may have more privileges, influence, and power to make change, employees don’t need to be in the C-suite to change norms in the workplace. Often, the people who shape our expectations the most are the ones closest to us, as equities sales trader Ronak Patel explained about his 16-week parental leave: ‘The more men that do it, the less of a big deal it becomes.’”

To change perceptions of prevailing norms, ask yourself:

• What data might you be able to collect or share that could challenge employees’ existing beliefs about an issue?
• What behaviors can you role model that will shift your organization’s culture in a positive direction?
• What is something you’re already doing that you wish more employees did as well—and how could you make those actions more visible in your workplace?

“You may think that one person cannot change the norms of a large organization. But these examples show that when people start with what they can control—their own daily work—and recruit a small circle of colleagues to join them, even a single individual can spark meaningful action.”

The article does more than give advice—it provides real life examples and action suggestions that I think are worth trying. I hope you read it!

Final Thoughts

So colleagues...what norms would you like to see shift in your workplace, and how might you go about leading that shift?

I’d love to know!

All the best,
Holly

Better Allies Snippet #4

This month we're summarizing Chapter 4 (social and professional networks) and Chapter 5 (organizing and attending events).

Chapter 4: Social and Professional Networks

In Chapter 4, we get tips for expanding our networks—which has significant value for our wellbeing and our careers.

Catlin writes (p.64) we need to assess our networks to make sure that they're not “largely homogeneous professional networks”.

She quotes a report from the Kapor Center of Social Impact:

“75% of white people don't have any people of color in their social network.”

And she quotes the Women in the Workplace study by Lean In and Mackenzie & Company:

“Women are more than five times more likely to rely on a network that is mostly female.”

We tend to meet people through our neighborhoods, workplaces, hobbies, and places of worship—usually those similar to us. Building a network “across lines of difference” can be difficult, especially when it requires stepping out of our comfort zones.

As Catlin writes (p.66): “It certainly doesn't open our minds to the struggles that people with different and more marginalized experiences than us face in their lives and careers.”

Networking in the #MeToo Era

Catlin gives advice for men concerned about networking with women:

• Don't stop networking or mentoring.
• Bring along a coworker or meet for breakfast instead of dinner.
• Offer choices and an opt-out to show respect and consideration.

Given that leadership is still largely male-dominated, excluding women from networks means everyone loses out.

Diversifying Networks

Catlin (p.71-73) suggests diversifying by attending events that highlight other perspectives:

• Men attending events for women
• White people attending events for Black communities
• Cisgender individuals attending transgender-focused events

She acknowledges possible downsides for the intended audience but suggests these tips:

1. Check if publicity welcomes your presence; contact organizers if unsure.
2. Clarify your intent—learning and allyship are positive motives.
3. Be prepared to listen and not dominate conversations.

She concludes the chapter by stressing the value of diverse networks in learning and opening doors for others.

Action Tips

• Reach out to people for deeper connections
• Volunteer
• Attend conferences outside your field
• Challenge yourself to talk to someone different from you

Chapter 5: Organizing and Attending Events

This chapter is timely with the upcoming SUNY STC Conference!

Catlin shares experiences of microaggressions at events, such as being mistaken for support staff or facing inappropriate comments.

“Oh, I hear you used to work at Adobe. So did you work in HR or marketing?”
“Actually, I was a vice president of engineering.”

She describes these experiences as examples of “unconscious demotion”, a term coined by Dr. Suzanne Wertheim. These microaggressions are more than just annoying—they are harmful.

Strategies to Avoid Microaggressions

1. Accept that microaggressions are real and harmful.
2. Create forums for discussion to address the issue.
3. Speak up when you witness them.

10 Tips for More Inclusive Events

1. Use a diverse planning committee.
2. Feature diverse voices.
3. Create an effective code of conduct.
4. Ensure full accessibility.
5. Show diverse individuals in images/media.
6. Provide financial support.
7. Include mocktail options.
8. Review speaker content for offensive material.
9. Take a holistic view of the event experience.
10. Collect feedback and improve.

Speaking Up

Catlin (p.87-92) provides useful scripts for real-life allyship:

• Responding to jokes: “Wow, that was awkward.” or “That’s a bad stereotype.”
• To microaggressions: “That made me feel uncomfortable.” or “What makes you say that?”
• To harassment: “Everything okay here?”, “We don't do that here.” or “Not cool!”

Codes of Conduct

Effective codes of conduct should include:

• A clear purpose
• Expected behaviors
• Reporting mechanisms

They should not include:

• Rules irrelevant to the community
• Mandated politeness
• Unenforceable guidelines

Catlin concludes by urging allies to help enforce codes of conduct and make events equitable and welcoming.

Until next month—be well and keep learning!