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Tara Singer
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Tara Singer2024-04-01 12:33:482026-10-01 15:42:34Leaving the Presidency with GracePodcast: Leaders on Leadership with Jay Lemons
Today’s higher education leaders share their stories and insights about leadership in the academy. Join host Dr. L. Jay Lemons and his guests for thoughtful conversations and interesting perspectives on leadership.
In our latest episode, Dr. Brian Hemphill, President of Old Dominion University, reflects on a leadership journey shaped by growing up the youngest of thirteen children in a farming community in eastern North Carolina, and by an early lesson from a mentor that has stayed with him since: “This is not about me, this is about what’s in the best interest of our students.” Dr. Hemphill discusses his belief that good leaders must be mission-focused and selfless, his practice of taking the blame when things go wrong and giving away the credit when they go well, and how he builds his teams around “truth tellers” who tell him what he needs to hear. He also shares his vision of Old Dominion as a gritty, entrepreneurial institution reshaping itself around today’s students.

Leaders on Leadership is brought to you by Academic Search and the American Academic Leadership Institute, who together support colleges and universities during times of transition and through leadership development activities that serve current and future generations of institutional leaders.

Dr. Brian Hemphill
President, Old Dominion University
Insights and Updates
Guides, perspectives, and news from Academic Search search consultants and executive coaches, drawn from 50 years of work alongside college and university leaders.
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When Should Your Institution Engage an Executive Search Firm?
Deciding whether to conduct a leadership search internally or engage an executive search partner depends on more than the position itself. Explore the key factors institutions should consider and download a practical search planning assessment.
Higher Education’s Leadership Pipeline is Stronger Than the Headlines Suggest
The headlines suggest fewer people want to lead colleges and universities. Our experience tells a different story. After conducting more than 100 presidential searches in the past five years, we continue to see strong, talented, and deeply committed leaders stepping forward to serve higher education. Academic Search President Jay Lemons reflects on what we are seeing across the leadership landscape: strong candidate pools, growing investment in leadership development, increased support through executive coaching, and encouraging signs that higher education leadership is becoming more representative of the communities institutions serve.
Leadership Renewal Starts with Intention
Leaders across higher education are being asked to do more with less, often while setting aside their own professional and personal growth. When we neglect well-being and renewal, we risk burnout, disconnection, and mission drift. This resource offers a range of practical ways to support leadership renewal for yourself, your team, and emerging leaders at your institution.
A Guide to Effective & Strategic Cabinet Retreats
Effective leadership teams leverage annual cabinet retreats to enhance capacity building and ongoing learning. These retreats are an opportunity for a president to invest in their team, clarify expectations, deepen relationships and collaboration, align and commit to institutional priorities, and build a plan and momentum for the year ahead. Presidents who approach cabinet retreats intentionally and strategically can expect heightened team dynamics that lead to a more sustained and focused impact.
Competencies for the College Presidency
The college presidency has always been demanding, and the post-pandemic era presents intensified challenges such as political polarization, campus unrest, demographic shifts, and financial constraints. Effective presidential competencies evolve with these contexts, requiring a constellation of adaptable skills, highlighted in this research.
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Academic Search Welcomes Mike Maxey and Timothy Mottet as Senior Consultants
We are thrilled to announce the expansion of our team with two experienced higher education professionals, Mr. Michael C. Maxey and Dr. Timothy Mottet, joining as Senior Consultants. Their extensive experience and profound insights promise to bolster our capability to support academic institutions in achieving strategic success.
Strengthening Our Executive Coaching Practice with New Director
We are pleased to welcome Meg Richtman as the new Director of our Executive Coaching Practice. Ms. Richtman’s extensive experience and visionary leadership will help expand our capabilities and impact. In this new role, she will lead our coaching practice operations and enhance the resources to support our Senior Executive Coaches, ultimately building on the momentum and impact of the Executive Coaching Practice and advancing our unique commitment to leader effectiveness and well-being.