Talking Stick - March/April 2017 - 33

take your career? I try to reflect their
answers to these questions back to
them in one-on-ones and in coaching
sessions because I want them to
know that I have been listening
and that I care." James Bridgeforth,
director of housing at the University
of South Alabama in Mobile, agrees
that regularly scheduled one-on-one
meetings may be the perfect place
for candid feedback and support.
"I focus the first half of one-onone meetings asking the question
of 'What do you need from me to
be successful?' The second half is
me asking, 'Which projects can we
connect you to that will allow you to
gain the skills or knowledge to prepare
you for what you see as the next step?'

be easy to take in, while the rest of it
may be hard to swallow. I make time to
process this feedback so I can develop
them on the day-to-day activities and
the preparation required for the next
journey. Lastly, I work to create a space
so that these managers have a voice
at the table, are supported in bringing
their whole selves to work, and by
recognizing and acknowledging their
work publicly."
Bridgeforth suggests that
additional support and guidance can
come from mentors and coaches.
"I think you want to have a mentor
whom you can hear [take suggestions
from], because every professional you
meet may not be the right mentor
or coach for you. For example, if you

board for your ideas and thoughts.
For mid-level managers the political
landscape is always changing, and
you may not realize the importance
of the relationships that you need
to maintain across the department,
the people involved in your success,
and the best way to learn the ropes.
Meeting regularly allowed me to guide
this professional so they could better
navigate the landscape and deal with
the pressure of leadership."
Mid-level managers working in
very specialized areas - occupancy,
assessment, facilities, programming,
or budget management, to name
a few - should try to expand their
experiences. Michael Stang, assistant
vice president for student affairs at

SOMETIMES THE UNAPPEALING ASSIGNMENT OR THE PROJECT IN AN
UNFAMILIAR AREA TURNS OUT TO BE THE BREAK OUT ROLE THAT ALLOWS
MID-LEVEL MANAGERS TO SHOWCASE THEIR WORK . . .
Keeping this tempo allows me to
invest in professionals and keep the
conversation intentional."
Lendof notes that regular
connection points allow her to coach
and supervise in three ways. "First, it
opens the conversation for us to create
a clear professional development plan.
To create the plan, I ask mid-level
managers to interview professionals
who do the work that interests
them and consider the professional
competencies associated with that
level of responsibility. Second, I ask
mid-level managers to be open for
feedback, not just from me but from
their peers, colleagues, supervisees,
and those people impacted by their
work. I ask them to put themselves
through the test and ask 'Am I ready
for the next level?' Some of this will

just need direction, then you need to
find a mentor who can offer direction
and guidance. At other times you
may need a mentor who knows you
well and can help you plot the steps
and manage through the personal,
professional, and political obstacles."
If you prefer a more hands-on
approach, you may consider asking a
professional to serve as a coach. Sean
Cook, a professional higher education
career coach, recognizes that mid-level
managers can capitalize on the fact
that they are already surrounded by
valuable resources: their colleagues,
those in other departments, faculty,
and administrators. Cook notes, "In
a former role I made time to meet
with a colleague who was in their first
mid-level position. Often as a mid-level
manager it helps to have a sounding

Northern Illinois University in DeKalb,
encourages mid-level professionals
to volunteer for special assignments,
join professional organizations, or
participate in divisional and committee
work. Sometimes the unappealing
assignment or the project in an
unfamiliar area turns out to be the
break out role that allows mid-level
managers to showcase their work
and come to the attention of senior
managers. Stang notes, "For example,
there are mid-level professionals who
don't yet have budget, accounting,
facilities, or financial experience. As
a senior manager, in order to develop
middle managers I may need to expose
them to new activities that allow
them to build their proficiency in the
interpretation of spreadsheets, policy
design, facility needs, staff changes,

MARCH + APRIL 2017

33
Talking Stick - March/April 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - March/April 2017
