President Brodhead Kicks Off Duke Leadership Academy
As part of an effort to identify and cultivate leadership capacity, Duke Human Resources has partnered with the Fuqua/Coach K Center On Leadership and Ethics to design and deliver the Duke Leadership Academy.
On Wednesday, Jan. 13, President Richard Brodhead and other university leaders kicked off the opening session for the 12-month program designed to prepare the next generation of leaders at Duke.
The 28 participants were handpicked by the dean or vice president for their area and represent a broad spectrum of Duke's academic and administrative areas.
"During one of the most challenging times in Duke's history, it is important that we take time to mine the talent in the organization and help prepare those individuals to lead," said Kyle Cavanaugh, vice president for Human Resources. "Too often, people are put into positions of leadership and basically fly by the seat of their pants. This program is designed to identify the best and the brightest and expose them to information and experiences that will prepare them to be successful."
Donna Lisker, associate dean for Undergraduate Education, was one of the 28 participates nominated to participate in the program.
"Obviously, I was very flattered when I was asked to be part of the program," she said. "I think it is great that Duke is investing in its own people through a program like this, especially during these challenging economic times."
Lisker said that during the opening session, she looked around and realized that there were many people she did not know.
"It reminded me that Duke is a large organization, and sometimes it can be hard to see a clear path through it. Through this program, I hope to meet a lot of people and learn from them so that I can develop my individual skills as a leader."
The curriculum for the program is based upon best practices from Fuqua/Coach K Center On Leadership and Ethics (COLE) model. During the program, participants will hear directly from leaders at Duke, Durham and members of the University's board of trustees about their perspectives and practical experiences. Participants will also be asked to work on projects to address current challenges at Duke.
Brodhead addressed the group during the opening session and described the process of leadership by one of Duke's most renowned leaders.
"There is a certain person here who is recognized for his leadership," he said. "This person recruits basketball players from around the country. Those players, who are all exceptionally skilled, need to be coached to learn how to fulfill their potential and take advantage of the potential of those around them. One of the things I've learned from Coach K is that two are greater than one only if two can play as one."
Brodhead also described his transition from a faculty member in the English department at Yale to becoming the chair for the department and the lessons he learned along the way.
"One of the things I learned is that when you are in a position of leadership you need to give people a sense of what you are trying to accomplish and why that thing is worth accomplishing so that they can feel the satisfaction of fulfilling a purpose larger than themselves."
The Duke Leadership Academy was developed by Human Resources, and participants must be nominated by a dean or vice president. For more information about the Duke Leadership Academy website.