Blog Posts

September 06, 2018 - A growing number of college and university presidents are coming from outside academia. In a recent Trusteeship article, author Terrence MacTaggart explored how leaders can embrace institutional culture and lead change. Below is an excerpt. Read the full article here. Successful enterprise leadership demands …

April 12, 2018 - Every college and university president needs to be assessed by themselves, by their board, and by an objective outsider. Assessing a president’s performance in order to build stronger performance is a process with three stages: ongoing feedback, annual reviews, and …

August 29, 2017 - This blog post is part of the New President Toolkit, a resource to help you hit the ground running and chart a course for your institution that ensures well-being and sustainability. Its is also part of the Board Chair Toolkit, …

January 26, 2017 - Earlier this month, eight new governors were sworn in as the chief executives of their states. In addition to implementing state laws and overseeing the operation of their state’s executive branch, all these leaders also play pivotal roles in higher …

October 18, 2016 - This blog post is part of the Board Chair Toolkit, which includes a host of resources that enable board chairs to understand essential responsibilities for board leadership and establish an inclusive board culture. You’re the new chair of your board: congratulations!  Below …

October 04, 2016 - It would seem logical that an institutionally related foundation should develop a strategic plan to meet the needs of its affiliated institution.  Yet, there are many opportunities for missteps in the process which could easily create a divide between the …

September 20, 2016 - TAKEAWAYS Assessment of the president is one of the board’s most important responsibilities. Presidential assessment provides the occasion for a board to deepen its understanding of the president, of his or her leadership, and of the organization. Leadership development is …

March 03, 2016 - Bryant Cureton is the president emeritus of Elmhurst College and a senior consultant with AGB Consulting. Several years into my presidency, the college’s board of trustees initiated a full-bore presidential performance assessment including interviews with representatives of various constituencies.  When the …

March 01, 2016 - Performance evaluations in all kinds of industries make most people anxious, and presidential assessments in colleges and universities are no exception; they make boards as well as presidents uncomfortable. The complexities of reporting to a whole board and leading an …

January 22, 2015 - TAKEAWAYS A comprehensive presidential assessment is a regular event, conducted every 3 – 5 years, that provides both president and board with feedback on ways to continue to strengthen leadership and the president-board relationship. The emerging concept of comprehensive presidential …