I recently facilitated a panel at the NCMPR District 6 conference on working with new college presidents. Shout out to the panelists who generously shared their experiences and advice.
(Pictured left to right: Dr. Andrea Pasolini, Director Public Information Marketing & Strategic Communications, Mt. San Jacinto College; Cris Monahan Bremer, Director Marketing and Communications, Fresno City College; Sharrina Cook-General, Media & Communications Manager/ PIO, Cochise College; Sarah Hernandez Herman, Director of Content Strategy and Development, Arizona Western College)
The conversation we had was full of examples of the sometimes-daunting challenges and also exciting opportunities that come with a new college president.
But since the conference concluded, I’ve been thinking about our conversation, and there’s something I wish we’d gotten into more.
The hard stuff.
I wish we’d spent more time talking about how to embrace a new president’s vision without losing our minds… because the momentum you’ve worked so hard to build is important.
So I gathered a few of my thoughts after the NCMPR conversation:
1. You’re going to work harder. But you can also work smarter.
Andi shared a story involving Ernie the Eagle, the college mascot. Her team was working on a video featuring the new president, but the president had reservations about the project that complicated the filming timeline.
It was funny in hindsight, but imagine trying to keep a production on schedule while reassuring someone who isn’t sure about the activity. That takes patience, flexibility, and a fair amount of hand-holding. It’s the kind of emotional labor nobody puts on a project plan.
I also know of a president who liked to make ALL the decisions, right down to where a photo should hang on the wall. Over time, his team learned they could spend hours trying to pick the perfect spot, only to have the president walk in and tell them exactly where he wanted it. Eventually, they stopped guessing and let him decide.
The lesson: Save your energy for the things that actually matter.
You’ll eventually learn how your president communicates and makes decisions so that you don’t have to anticipate every preference, and you certainly don’t have to fight every battle.
2. Protect your team’s time and momentum.
I shared a story about Cheryl Broom’s experience with her president’s lawnmower moments. Some presidents arrive on Monday morning full of ideas they’ve been thinking about all weekend. You can listen, explore the possibilities, and pay attention to what keeps coming up without immediately turning every thought into a project for your team.
The lesson: Not every idea is an assignment.
A new president is going to want to make changes. Some will be good changes.
Some things will be worth defending: the brand, the student experience, media investments, and enrollment campaigns that need consistency to succeed, but for others you’ll have to decide what’s important.
I appreciated Andi’s idea of a “trust account.” And the panel’s recommendations for standing meetings, early introductions, and other small efforts to build a relationship are deposits. Eventually, you’ll need that trust when you have to push back on a timeline or explain why a new idea might not be the best use of resources.
3. Remember that the team is going through this, too.
Marketing directors absorb the pressure from above while trying to keep their teams focused. That’s a tough place to be, particularly when you’re not feeling very reassured yourself.
However, a leadership change can also create opportunities for a team to grow.
The lesson: Let other team members step up, build relationships, and take on new responsibilities. The marketing director doesn’t need to carry everything by themselves.
It’s OK to acknowledge that things are hard. The team probably already knows.
4. Give yourself some grace.
You’re going to have bad days. You’ll have conversations you wish you’d handled differently, say yes to something you should have pushed back on, or get worked up over something that turns out not to be a big deal.
You might even need to walk away from your computer before answering an email that makes your blood pressure rise.
The lesson: Trust takes time, and every leadership transition is different. You’re allowed to miss the way things used to work, even while supporting what’s coming next.
And sometimes it’s just hard.
Final thought.
With GradComm, I’ve jokingly called myself a marketing therapist. You might just need someone outside your institution who understands higher ed marketing, knows how complicated campus politics can be, and will let you vent without judgment.
We can listen, help problem-solve, and take some work off your plate. While you figure out how to work with a new president, build trust, and navigate new relationships, the marketing work doesn’t stop. Campaigns still need to run, deadlines still need to be met, and your team is already stretched thin.
The GradComm team can relieve some of that pressure and keep things moving while you focus on building those important internal relationships.
We’re your people. No sunshine and rainbows required. If you need some advice, reach out to our team or connect with me on LinkedIn.
