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Articles by Cheryl Hyatt
What skills are university leaders prioritizing in new hires?
Key points: A skilled leader can be a make-or-break asset for an institution Cultivating positive relationships with your board of trustees How senior leaders navigate multiple offers with integrity For more on university leadership, visit eCN’s Campus Leadership hub Leaders are decisive for the success of institutions and proper fit is decisive for the success of leaders. Your college doesn’t only need a good leader; you need the right leader for your organization in 2026 and beyond.
When opportunities knock: How senior leaders navigate multiple offers with integrity
Key points: Having multiple offers must be handled with nuance Identifying and overcoming your career-inhibiting fears Higher ed faces mounting challenges amid evolving expectations For more news on leadership in higher education, visit eCN’s Campus Leadership hub The path to a senior leadership appointment in higher education or the nonprofit sector is rarely linear. It demands months of reflection, rigorous preparation, and a willingness to be scrutinized at the highest levels.
Spring forward: How one hour reinvigorates your career
Key points: Focused monthly resets can make your higher education career more fulfilling Cultivating positive relationships with your board of trustees Identifying and overcoming your career-inhibiting fears For more news on higher ed leadership, visit eCN’s Campus Leadership hub This weekend marked the beginning of Daylight Saving Time. The extension of sunlight into the evening shows what a significant difference a single hour can make.
Identifying and overcoming your career-inhibiting fears
Key points: Banishing professional fears can fundamentally shift your career’s horizon 5 ways to maintain healthy relationships with your higher-ed coworkers 3 ways to show appreciation for your higher-ed employees For more news on higher-ed leadership, visit eCN’s Campus Leadership hub George Addair noted that “Everything you’ve ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear.” In higher education leadership, the importance of being attuned to vision, strategy, and institutional growth...
How to keep your career ghosts from haunting you
Key points: Often, professional mistakes loom larger than they are 5 ways to maintain healthy relationships with your higher-ed coworkers 3 ways to show appreciation for your higher-ed employees For more on navigating higher-ed careers, visit eCN’s Campus Leadership hub During this spooky time of year, vampires, zombies, and ghosts lurk around every corner, from the decorations at the grocery store to the movies on television. People love to be spooked.
Using AI in a job search
Key points: Leveraging a smart tool can showcase your value as a proven professional 4 ways AI is empowering the next generation of great teachers Finishing well: Leaving an academic role gracefully and professionally For more news on AI, visit eCN’s AI in Education hub Artificial intelligence is reshaping the workforce. How can you leverage AI in your job search–and when should you be cautious? Using AI for interview prep isn’t about replacing your own effort, but about augmenting it.
5 ways to maintain healthy relationships with your higher-ed coworkers
Key points: Improving relationships with challenging coworkers is essential 3 ways to show appreciation for your higher-ed employees 3 essentials for successful supervisory relationships For more news on faculty, visit eCN’s Campus Leadership hub We all have that coworker. You cringe when they walk past your desk for a chat. You inwardly groan when you’re put in a project together.
3 ways to show appreciation for your higher-ed employees
Key points: Intentionality and authenticity are essential in working with higher-ed employees What your institution gets when you give The horror: Top traits of a horrible leader For more news on faculty and staff, visit eCN’s Campus Leadership hub Employee retention strategies are complex, interlacing multiple layers of programming and recognition.
The horror: Top traits of a horrible leader
Key points: Keep an open mind about new leaders and novel styles of management Cultivating civility on campus in a bombastic election cycle How to identify the leaders you might be missing For more news about higher-ed leaders, see eCN’s Campus Leadership hub Spooky season is upon us. Amid the pumpkin carving and candy collection lurk specters embodying our worst fears. Halloween is an annual exploration of all that troubles us.
Cultivating civility on campus in a bombastic election cycle
Key points: It’s key to support positive dialogue and fair-minded discussions on campus Using real-world tools to prepare students for the workforce How to identify the leaders you might be missing For more news on campus discourse, visit eSN’s Teaching & Learning hub Hyatt-Fennell Executive Search is headquartered in Pennsylvania, a key swing state in the presidential election. Every day our mail is inundated with campaign ads.
True humility in the workplace is bold
Key points: Practicing humility can help you land the job–or job candidate–you want 4 things higher-ed job candidates should see on your social media Key strategies to attract and retain top higher-ed talent For more news on employees, visit eCN’s Campus Leadership hub Looking for a job requires a complex interplay of confidence and humility. You must clearly outline your strengths without seeming smug. You have to market yourself without alienating others.
Why blending business with leisure is gaining much attention
As the business world transforms with technology and advancement for travel, business x leisure is gaining much higher attention. From short trips across the Caribbean to multi-city trips with a goal of business and a hint of leisure, travel has never been more flexible. The combination of business and leisure has given rise to a new term known as “Bleisure” which involves a hybrid goal for both business and tourism experience.
Summer resources to energize your higher-ed career
Key points: Summer is an opportune time to focus on higher-ed career goals How to identify the leaders you might be missing 4 things higher-ed job candidates should see on your social media For more news on higher-ed careers, visit eCN’s Campus Leadership hub Summer ushers in a relaxed pace on college campuses. Students have scattered, the quad is calm, and after the crush of finals, grading, and commencement, schedules finally have room to breathe. It is a strategic time to recharge and refocus.
4 things higher-ed job candidates should see on your social media
Key points: Communicating your culture is vital to a successful hiring process 4 pillars of a successful presidential transition 4 key strategies to attract and retain top higher-ed talent For more news on faculty and staff, visit eCN’s Campus Leadership hub Employees want to do work that matters. Today’s candidates are reporting higher emphasis on fulfilling, purpose-driven roles.
Modeling mental health for students
Key points: It’s important to help students establish a work-life balance Science-backed scalable tools improve student mental health Many students struggle, but few use mental health resources For more news on student mental health, visit eCN’s Student Well-Being hub Student mental health is suffering. Mental health is being recognized as a key area of concern for young people, including on college campuses.
4 pillars of a successful presidential transition
Key points: It’s important to make leadership changes strategically 3 steps to pursuing the presidency How to identify the leaders you might be missing For more news on the college presidency, visit eCN’s Campus Leadership hub A presidential transition is a valuable—and vulnerable—time for an institution. It is a moment of opportunity that can be effectively utilized or squandered.
The most important thing you’ll do for your career this holiday season
Key points: It’s important to reflect on your accomplishments and goals each year See article: 3 steps to pursuing the presidency See article: How to identify the leaders you might be missing For more news on careers, visit eCN’s Campus Leadership page The holiday season can leave us frazzled. It’s the most wonderful time of the year—and the most exhausting.
Cultivating a workplace culture of gratitude
Key points: You can invest in the culture of your workplace with positive practices Gratitude is an essential element in boosting morale and retention See related article: Important considerations for new faculty members For more news on campus management, see eCN’s Campus Leadership page This month we celebrated Thanksgiving, a day our culture sets aside to reflect on all that we’ve been given.
The Company You Keep: How to Evaluate References
As an interviewer, I consider the most telling part of any job application to be the references. Candidates will carefully curate their cover letter, résumé, and interview performance. They can present themselves in any way they wish, at times embellishing or outright deceiving a potential employer in an attempt to get a job. References ground their claims in reality.
Creating a positive campus for the new academic year
Key points: Campus leaders must articulate their vision for a welcoming campus and positive student experience Two principles are key to that successful experience See related article: Faculty elitism is hurting your institution A new school year is a fresh opportunity. Faculty, staff, and students arrive back on campus full of enthusiasm. You can harness or squander that energy. A new academic year is a key time to reimagine and re-explain your mission to your faculty, staff, and students.
Why Patience Is the Job Search Superpower You Need
An individual must draw on many characteristics to successfully navigate a job search. You will need to tap your reserves of organization, articulation, decisiveness and perseverance. Most of all, you will need patience. How Patience Helps a Job Search It gets you through the six months or more that a job search can take. It helps you prevent needless errors, such as typos in cover letters. It helps you focus your efforts on finding a good job, not just any job.
Relocation required
Your email dings. It’s a message from a colleague you haven’t heard from in years. You are pleasantly surprised—then intrigued. She writes, “This position is open at my college. I think you’d be a perfect fit. Take a look and let me know if you’re interested.” You click the link and begin to peruse the job description. The skills and experience reflect your career path. Even better, the scope of work aligns with the trajectory you’ve mapped for your career. The catch? The job is 2,000 miles away.
How to identify the leaders you might be missing
Organizations spend thousands of dollars identifying and acquiring talent for leadership positions. Those expenses balloon with senior leadership roles. What if there was a strategy that could not only cut costs, but increase the quality of hire—and the outcomes they achieve? Most institutions underestimate and under-utilize one of their core assets: their current staff. Outside hiring is one key strategy, but it is not the only avenue to executive excellence.
2 keys to budget success this season
Budget season is a fraught time for leaders in higher education. College leaders must balance a multitude of intense and competing pressures as they craft their budgets. They are given the unenviable task of perpetually doing more with fewer resources. Drive enrollment, yet cut costs. Expand offerings, while trimming overhead. The project can seem insurmountable.
Filling the Space of Filler Words
Most professionals put significant effort into presentation preparation. They research their subject, consider their audience, develop their content, and polish their PowerPoint. All this effort can be wasted if you overlook one aspect of the presentation: your delivery. Content matters, but so does form. When preparing for a presentation, you put much thought into what you will say. You must also consider how you will say it.
3 ways to lead out-of-the-box ideas at your institution Original
Complex problems demand creative solutions. Dynamic leaders transform obstacles into opportunities. Far too many institutions in higher education are yawning on the brink of obsolescence because they persist in doing things the same way simply because “we’ve always done it this way.” Insightful leaders are able to marry the wisdom of experience with openness to fresh ideas. For some entrepreneurial thinkers, unconventional thinking comes naturally. Unfortunately, we are not all Steve Jobs.
Don't lead alone: A leadership coach is the secret ingredient
Becoming a college president is the culmination of years of training, experience, and focused work. Upon moving into the presidential suite, it becomes immediately clear that the work is just beginning. I have been involved in executive searches for decades. Fundamental to my approach is the belief that installing a president is one small moment in a greater drama.
Don't lead alone: A leadership coach is the secret ingredient
So, how can you make sure your career isn’t a flop? The difference between a successful production and a woeful failure is a good producer. One of the most under-utilized resources for C-suite leaders in all industries is leadership coaches. If any sector should understand the importance of mentoring and training, it should be higher education. Our firm has offered leadership coaching for years and we have found that it is not only beneficial for the mentee, but meaningful for the mentor.
Faculty elitism is hurting your institution
The COVID19 pandemic upended professional life and caused us to evaluate all aspects of the workplace. There are some superficial changes, such as routine health screenings. Others are more comprehensive, such as the prevalence of flexible workplace arrangements. It will take years for the full impacts to be felt, but I suggest that two enduring differences that will remain are the importance of purpose and the value of relationships.
3 steps to pursuing the presidency
The challenges and opportunities facing higher education are only growing. Ambitious leaders are needed to pave the way to a new era of higher education. If you’ve been considering leadership in higher education, this is a decisive moment. What steps can you take if you’re ready to rise to the role of a college president? The initial stage of preparation involves personal introspection. Our previous article listed three questions to ask yourself if you’re considering a higher education presidency.
4 signs you’re ready for higher-ed career advancement
Career growth often happens organically, but it does not occur automatically. Natural junctures for change happen, but it is up to you to recognize and capitalize on them. If you have leadership ambitions, you must pair thoughtful reflection with strategic action. I’ve seen individuals stagnate by staying put in a role too long. Others pivot at the wrong time, moving capriciously from one position to the next. How can you tell when it’s time to pursue additional opportunities?
4 questions to frame your job search
There is an urgency to most job searches. Perhaps you are between positions and feel the lack of schedule—as well as the financial strain. Or, you may be stuck in a job that makes you miserable. Regardless of the circumstances, you are looking for another job because you are ready for a change. That energy can be harnessed for a productive search. Yet if you’re not careful, that restlessness can lead to hasty actions that land you in a job that’s a poor fit.
Why most mentoring programs fail
Mentoring programs are an integral part of succession planning for many institutions. The impulse is good. Seasoned leaders can impart their wisdom to a new generation of leaders. Leaders strengthen their legacy by investing in the long-term success of an organization. Unfortunately, mentoring programs are often better in theory than in practice. The best of intentions fizzle out in infrequent meetings, stilted interactions, and unauthentic feedback.
Does your campus need academic navigators?
For those of us in higher education, access to college feels second nature. We are intimately acquainted with the ins and outs of the system. It can be challenging for us to step outside of our context enough to realize how opaque the process of applying for, matriculating within, studying for, and graduating from college can be. Each step along the way is replete with protocols and decisions. These are stressful for any student and their family.
Diverse organizations begin with inclusive hiring
Diversity has become a buzzword. The ubiquity of discussion around the importance of inclusion runs the risk of undercutting its importance. If we all assume that we support diversity, we may not be doing the hard work of evaluating our preconceptions, making space for other perspectives, and advocating for others. Diversity is a long-term commitment; it requires ongoing work. Within an institution, diversity can begin with hiring.
Destroying the box: Thinking outside of the box is no longer enough
In March of 2020, life as we knew it came to an abrupt halt. At the time, we optimistically thought we’d have “two weeks to slow the spread” and then life would resume more or less as usual. Over a year later, life still hasn’t returned to normal. And yet, life has continued, in a modified form. We haven’t spent the last 12 months in full lockdown. Individuals and institutions have innovated to adapt ways to continue essential activities.
2020 made it clear: Succession planning isn’t optional
2020 brought an unprecedented wave of early retirements on campuses. This unanticipated contingency highlights the importance of succession planning for institutions. Succession planning is the essential practice of identifying and developing leaders within your organization for their advancement. Successful succession planning yields a stronger workforce and better long-term outcomes. Institutions must not bank exclusively on a few key leaders.
Humble Hiring: The Importance of Recruiting Candidates With Humility
If you ask supervisors what makes a good employee, a predictable list will emerge: reliability, teamwork, problem-solving, and the like. There’s one character trait that likely won’t make the list, but it should: humility. Despite being deeply undervalued in the workforce, humility is a trait shared by nearly all of the most valuable employees. Some conceive of humility as self-deprecation, but that’s an erroneous understanding. That is false humility. In truth, humility is freedom from arrogance.
How to develop your leadership identity
Leadership is not an innate quality–like having green eyes–that you’re either born with or you’re out of luck. While some individuals have a natural brilliance for leadership, even those people understand that their skills must be intentionally refined and thoughtfully used. Consider the 2020 Summer Olympics rescheduled to be held in Tokyo this summer. These world-class athletes have been training for years to develop their skills and hone their techniques.
Greater Phoenix In Business Magazine
A healthy network is a growing network. Successful professionals are constantly cultivating new connections and keeping in touch with individuals they’ve collaborated with. When an opportunity to connect with someone new presents itself, don’t hesitate to take it. When reaching out to someone new, your approach matters. The tone you strike and method you use can make the difference between an annoying cold-call that’s rebuffed and a valued new colleague.
HR Answers: Maintaining workplace civility in an election year
Follow these three essential habits to avoid office conflict. It’s an election year in the U.S. That means elevated levels of election coverage, civic engagement and—unfortunately—interpersonal conflict. Political rhetoric has reached a fever pitch and the campaign trails have blazed a path both divisive and intense. The 24-hour cable news networks have conditioned Americans to think that constantly talking politics is normal and that a combative tone is the standard tenor to adopt.
Resilience Prevails: How to Hire and Retain Employees Who Perform Under Pressure
The coronavirus pandemic has upended industries across the globe, and many employees have been asked to work from home. It seems like a small shift, but working from home requires employees to integrate new platforms and modes of communication, juggle work and home responsibilities (particularly if they have young children), strategically modify their goals, and understand and adapt to the challenges of the pandemic.
Is your career in need of spring cleaning?
Take a step back from all the uncertainty to assess your next professional goal. Even in these uncertain times, spring is a time of renewal and growth. Nature understands that seasons of rebirth are vital for continued development; however, many of us can either get stuck in a rut—or face so much change that we neglect to reflect on what we’re doing and how we’re doing it. Join in this season of renewal by doing some professional spring cleaning.
A Good Interview or a Good Candidate? How to Tell Who’s a Fit and Who’s Just Confident
Up until her retirement this past August, Diana Natalicio was the president of the University of Texas at El Paso. She held the post for more than 30 years. At the time she stepped down, Natalicio was the longest-serving president still sitting of a major public research university. Believe it or not, Natalicio was originally just supposed to be the interim president, a role to which she was appointed in 1988.
Kodak’s “dark times” foreshadow stagnation in the digital age
Innovation and growth are fundamental to any successful institution. Indeed, we’ve seen institutions stagnate without new ideas and revised practices. The digital age has only accelerated the rate at which businesses and organizations must iterate and innovate. Consider that we live in a time when people take more photos than ever before.
6 Questions to Ask Before Giving Feedback
Giving feedback is a regular part of any job. Some people are placaters, giving generic praise whether it’s warranted or not. They aim to please, but nobody likes a yes-man. Others have a habit of going on the warpath, listing anything and everything wrong in excruciating detail. Critics like that don’t make for harmonious working relationships or productive projects. It’s understandable why many choose to punt. Giving honest, helpful feedback is a lot of work.
How to move on gracefully in the workplace
Passionate individuals make good employees. The same drive that makes you good at your job may make it hard to leave it. Whether you’re retiring, moving to a new role within your organization, or going to a new company altogether, letting go of something you care about is difficult. It can easily feel that all the progress you’ve made will be undone or your accomplishments unraveled. That is rarely the case.
The Critical Importance of Properly Welcoming a New Employee
When beginning a new job, you approach it with a lot of intentionality. You check how long your commute will take. You select your outfit and make sure it’s freshly pressed. You understand that you are starting a new chapter and want to put your best foot forward. However, that level of purpose is often not matched by your new employer. Onboarding is a critical — and often overlooked — part of organizational success.
What’s in Your Tool Kit? How to Be a Conversational Class Act
Networking is an inevitable and integral part of professional success. Some of us are naturals. Many of us are not. The small talk at networking events or before meetings can be perfunctory at best and anxiety-producing at worst. Whether you attend every networking event you can or avoid them whenever humanly possible, there is room for each of us to grow. Here is some advice on on how to be a conversational class act: The average person has seven social media accounts.
3 things you should never do after leaving a job
When you are leaving a job, your responsibility as a reliable employee doesn’t completely end on your last day with that organization. What do we mean by that? Well, let’s consider the qualities of respect and reputation for a moment… and let’s think about them from the POV of your next employer. Have you ever overheard a coworker gossiping about all the terrible things their last boss did wrong?
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