How university leaders can hold firm on the glass cliff

It was with great anticipation that I read the newly released Competencies for the College Presidency, which surveys American university leaders and the issues they’ve tackled over the past year. Entering my 11th year in the role of president, I was curious to see how the results of this survey aligned with my experience and, as someone who is committed to developing the next generation of higher education leaders, I was eager to understand how I could best continue to support their development.

The study provided great insights on both counts. I was especially drawn to findings that the skills in demand for higher education leaders wax and wane in intensity and in response to context over time, as I believe my college presidency has gone through four stages over 11 years.

The research results also resonate with much of the counsel I offer when addressing groups of current and aspiring leaders about what it is like to lead from the margins, including how leaders from under-represented populations are uniquely qualified, considering our capacities to centre open-mindedness, vulnerability and honouring everyone’s humanity.

• Finding – and raising – my voice as a Black female leader in higher education
• Backing Black scholars: here’s how universities can do better
• Taking on academic leadership even if you are not prepared for it

Indeed, what stood out most to me in this report was the fact that the responses of women and presidents of colour often differed from those of white men. While it is not surprising that there are significant differences in their experiences, the depth of difference and where those differences emerged was clear.

A precarious environment

For example, in the section of the survey exploring knowledge areas to be effective, nearly 20 per cent more women than men (76 per cent versus 59 per cent) expressed the need to be knowledgeable about demographic changes that impact enrolment and institutional mission. This signals that women are more likely to be leading institutions where enrolment is less stable, by a significant margin.

Similarly, in the same category of questions, when sorted by race, presidents of colour – by a firm 20 per cent margin – indicate that accreditation is a critically important knowledge area, signalling perhaps greater precarity for their institutions than those led by white leaders.

A parallel trend emerges in the institutional management skills category of the survey. Here, women were more likely than men to say that they must orchestrate effective change management via short- and long-term strategies planning (74 per cent versus 60 per cent). A similar difference (16 per cent) was found among presidents of colour and white presidents regarding the need to assess legal risk and assure compliance with local, state and federal laws. In this instance, it seems to indicate that women and people of colour are being tasked to make immediate changes to make their institutions sustainable, whereas white presidents may have a longer runway.

Of particular interest is that the more transactional elements of being a college president – issues around accreditation, institutional management, legal compliance and so on – rose higher on the list for women and people of colour than for white male respondents. While I believe this signals enhanced institutional precarity for these leaders, I think it also speaks to the additional demands that women and leaders of colour carry on their backs. As a Black woman, I daily feel the need to prove myself and my ability to lead. Clearly, I am not alone in this.

According to the survey: “There were multiple survey items where a larger share of presidents of colour rated as very important compared to white presidents. There were enough items with double-digit differences that it suggests presidents of colour perceive a greater need to be knowledgeable about a longer list of areas than white presidents.”

The most significant exception to this trend is that presidents of colour are 20 per cent more likely to integrate knowledge of effective policies and practices to support student success. In my mind, this reflects the need to put students first – a clarion call for leaders from the margins – as we attempt to give back to the next generation.

The glass cliff

Again, none of this was completely surprising. In my book, Leading from the Margins, I cite studies that show that people from the margins are often given uneven opportunities. Over the past several years, women and people of colour are finding themselves in leadership roles with a higher propensity for failure. Ryan and Haslam’s groundbreaking study finds: “[Some] women [leaders] can be seen to be placed on top of a ‘glass cliff’, in the sense that their leadership appointments are made in problematic organisational circumstances and hence are more precarious.”

And, as with most issues, we see this phenomenon playing out unequally with leaders of colour, too. According to Korn Ferry, “Even when Black leaders break through the glass ceiling, they often find themselves standing on a ‘glass cliff’ – facing a high-risk assignment where few can succeed. More than a third (36 per cent) of Black leaders we spoke with said they were given tough projects that no one else wanted to handle. And the unspoken assumption was that they were given these projects so they could prove their worth.”

The competencies report clearly supports the research. Women and people of colour are indeed having to deal with issues that suggest their institutions face a higher level of precarity than those led by white males. While I think we are all excited about the opportunity for people of colour and women to take on more college presidencies, this survey points to the fact that we still face unequal opportunity when we are called to lead an institution.

How do we excel in light of these realities? A few immediate steps come to mind:

Be especially discerning when you are in the search process for a leadership position. As a candidate, you must be diligent in asking questions and honest with yourself about whether those questions are being answered. The 2023 American Council on Education’s American College President Study found that women and people of colour report fewer disclosures about institutional challenges and expectations during the search process. The burden is, unfortunately, on the candidate to ensure transparency in the process.

Next, recognise that the challenges you are perceiving in your work are not “all in your head”. You are treading a different path from many of your colleagues. Just being affirmed about that reality can make a tremendous difference in your ability to persevere.

Find and rely on a group of supporters, peers and confidants to whom you can turn when the road gets hard. Having a trusted group of colleagues who offer unconditional support is invaluable.

Finally, remember what brought you into this work. It’s about the students. As a college or university leader, you have the opportunity to touch the future. Hold that joy and responsibility close to your heart.

Leaders from the margins certainly can offer unique leadership skills that enable them to lead more difficult institutions with excellence. As I look at the results of this survey, however, I am reminded that, once again, women and people of colour are being asked to do so during one of the most unsettled times in modern higher education history. Despite the unfairness, I know that we are up to the challenge.

Mary Dana Hinton is president of Hollins University. 

Leading from the Margins is published by Johns Hopkins University Press.

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