Leading with Love

February reminds us of the importance of connection. In higher education, deep connections with colleagues across the institution result in real relationships that can stand the test of disagreements and conflict. This month, I’m sharing practical ways to improve relationships, strengthen trust, and expand your leadership presence, whether you’re an individual contributor or you oversee an entire division.

Strengthen Your Powerbase
One of the most effective ways to level up your leadership is to be intentional about how you cultivate relationships. In a sense, your relationships can be thought of as your powerbase. Whom do you rely on?  Who relies on you?  Who advocates for your ideas? Who doesn’t understand your priorities and is a speed bump? By mapping your network and understanding that influence flows through relationships, you can prioritize the connections that matter most.

Actionable Tip:
Start by identifying one key relationship you want to nurture this month. Reach out to offer support, share an insight, or simply check in. Influence grows when relationships are reciprocal, trusting, and authentic. What’s one small action you can commit to taking that could help improve that relationship?

Free Resource for You:
To help you get started, I’ve created a Powerbase Exercise, a valuable tool to begin to map your influence network across campus and spot opportunities to strengthen your connections. You can download this tool by clicking the link below.