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With the various factors (the pandemic, the recent election, social unrest, etc.) roiling the nation, reputation management and crisis management have never been more important in higher education. \xa0
Over the past six months, most institutions have managed to pivot their operations to deal with the pandemic. However, there probably will be more mergers in the future due to enrollment declines this year along with the upcoming enrollment cliff. Additionally, the speed of change that has been accelerated by the pandemic and social unrest also means that universities and colleges have to remain aware of their image to survive.
This podcast features Bill Coletti, the CEO of Kith. His company has worked with a number of institutions, including large universities who faced outcries due to sexual harassment challenges as well as institutions that are undertaking mergers.
Four A\u2019s of Reputation Management
There are four A\u2019s of reputation management, which describe a process that institutional leaders can use:
The goal in these situations is to move fast, but don\u2019t break things. Higher education institutions are large complex organizations, and must be mindfully changed. This approach is aligned with Warren Buffett\u2019s philosophy instead of Mark Zuckerberg\u2019s model at Facebook. However, this approach doesn\u2019t mean paralysis by analysis; instead, it encourages leaders to take a thoughtful perspective.
Types of Risks
Higher education institutions face a number of different risks that could be previously categorized as:
However, there also is a whole new construct emerging, i.e., social risk, which are risks that directly impact populations and groups. While higher education is acutely aware of strategic, preventable and external risks, social risks are a new frontier that may cause colleges and universities to stumble. Therefore, presidents and boards need to think about this next frontier of risks instead of the \u201c3 F\u2019s\u201d: facility, football and faculty.
Through awareness and assessment, institutions can determine where they stand on issues such as \u201cBlack Lives Matter,\u201d whether that\u2019s the formal group or the concept. LBGT issues also may reemerge soon given the recent election.
Preparing for a Crisis
To successfully navigate these social risks, higher education institutions will need to make thoughtful decisions based on values. These conversations should happen sooner while things are calm rather than later when the institution is in the middle of a crisis.
Leadership is critical \u2013 there is no on-the-job training for large crisis events. Instead, these situations often become soul-baring moments when the core nature of institutional leaders is revealed. The remedy is to be very clear about what the leader and the institution stand for, and maintain a high level of EQ.
The key differentiator in these moments is speed \u2013 how fast are you able to respond to fill the vacuum. The challenge is that, thanks to smartphones, everyone has a camera and audio recorder readily available so everyone becomes a reporter. The equation to get fast is: Clear Mission and Values + Clear Chain of Command = Speed.
Leaders should regularly practice scenarios and conduct crisis simulations to exercise the team in preparing to meet reputational challenges. Leaders need to accept that faculty are going to weigh in during a crisis. Simulations allow the leadership team to model what a situation will look like, predict what faculty and others may say, and then determine potential next moves and responses. If leaders have done the work to identify who matters most and are always communicating and engaging with these individuals, they shouldn\u2019t face surprises.
While it is a good strategy to have a policy of only one institutional spokesperson in a time of crisis, people\u2019s definition of \u201ccrisis\u201d will differ. Most people can embrace the policy when there are external events, such as an active shooter, weather event, natural disaster, etc. However, crises of our own making make, e.g., a vote of no confidence in the president / board, etc., this policy hard to enforce. Everyone will have an opinion and can\u2019t wait to express it to the media.
Who serves as the spokesperson should depend on the situation. At the end of the day, the president is responsible for the functioing of the institution and represents the institution as the CEO. While this person is the first line of defense, an institution can use others, such as a provost or dean or the board chair. Using a lesser level in the chair of command rings fence the crisis but keep the president, who is the institution\u2019s most important spokesperson, on the sideline.
Four Recommendations for Higher Education Leaders
Coletti suggested four takeaways for higher education leaders:
Bullet Points
Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview:
Guests Social Media Links:
The Change Leader\u2019s Social Media Links: