Some words of wisdom for STEM leaders

There is a great body of literature addressing the theory and practice of leadership, and we offer Some Words of Wisdom for STEM Leaders as a catalyst for personal reflection at the beginning of an academic year. This is a mixed bag of wise words, and we invite your further examination of the cited references.

In the PKAL leadership “tool box” there are a variety of approaches to self-reflection designed for use by STEM faculty in charting a meaningful career. Some of these tools have emerged from experiences within the network of PKAL Faculty for the 21st Century, as F21 colleagues have shaped and shared individual three-year agendas for action. These and similar tools will be used as resources for the2007 PKAL F21 National Assembly.

Following standard PKAL protocol that asking the right questions is the essential first step in the process of planning, here are three sets of questions from the PKAL leadership tool box:

1. The SWOT analysis "tool" can be a first step in cultivating a deep understanding of yourself (Peter Drucker) that enables one to move from knee-jerk career planning to developing a multi-year career plan that reflects a deep commitment to make a difference—to students, to science, and to the communities of which one is a part.

2. The network of leaders developing leaders within PKAL is a unique opportunity for sharing insights across generations, spheres of responsibility, disciplines, and/or institutional types. In Creativity, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, presents a series of questions that can structure personal reflections, as well as conversations with colleagues.

3. The seminal 1997 publication from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Scholarship Assessed, outlined questions to use in faculty evaluation. As valuable as these questions are for institutional use, they also serve as a mirror for personal reflections (are my goals realistic and achievable? am I able to critically evaluate my own work?, etc.)