About the Episode
About the Episode: This episode is a candid and much needed conversation about mental health with Ross Szabo, an award-winning speaker and the Wellness Director for students in grades 6-12 at Geffen Academy at UCLA. In addition to hearing about Ross’ own mental health disorder and trauma, you’ll also hear about:
Key Takeaways
- Communication and Clarity Are Key to Leadership: Effective leaders emphasize clear, accessible, and consistent messaging to build trust, align teams, and inspire action.
- Collaboration Requires Humility: Building partnerships—both on and off-campus—means approaching others with curiosity, listening to their needs, and offering support.
- Retention and Development Need Proactive Strategies: Leadership is about more than managing tasks; it’s about cultivating talent, connecting staff to mentors, and creating growth opportunities.
- Agility is Crucial in Higher Ed: Overcoming entrenched bureaucracy and embracing proactive change is essential to tackling the challenges of talent shortages and access inequities.
- Celebrate Wins and Practice Gratitude: Recognizing achievements and practicing gratitude fosters a culture of positivity, resilience, and team cohesion.
Episode Summary: Key Questions and Answers
What prompted Rick Clark's transition to his new role at Georgia Tech?
Rick stepped into the role of Executive Director for Strategic Student Access to address Georgia Tech’s commitment to expanding pathways for low-income students. This position focuses on improving affordability and success for underserved students by building cross-campus collaborations and engaging external partners.
What is the most important quality in a leader?
Rick highlights communication and clarity as foundational qualities for leadership. Leaders must provide clear and consistent direction while being accessible and open to feedback. This approach fosters alignment and inspires confidence among team members.
Why do so many leaders struggle to pivot?
Pride, lack of self-awareness, and resistance to change often prevent leaders from adapting. Rick advises leaders to embrace humility, actively listen to their teams, and act on feedback to address missteps or changing circumstances.
How can higher ed address its talent crisis?
Higher ed institutions must proactively support staff by connecting them with mentors, providing professional development, and offering clear growth pathways. Initiatives like NACAC’s NextGen program are instrumental in fostering talent pipelines for the future of enrollment management.
What strategies can leaders use to empower their teams?
Rick emphasizes the importance of affirming individuals' strengths and connecting them to resources and networks. Simple, specific recognition of achievements builds confidence and fosters professional growth.
How can higher ed combat bureaucracy and improve agility?
To overcome institutional red tape, Rick recommends streamlining decision-making processes, creating roles focused on strategic goals, and leveraging AI tools to free staff from repetitive tasks. These changes enable leaders to focus on high-impact initiatives.
About the Show: Jeremy Tiers, a well-known speaker in college admission, enrollment marketing, and leadership circles is your host for Mission Admissions. Join him every other week as he sits down with industry leaders and difference makers from both inside and outside of Higher Ed. You'll walk away with advice, tips and strategies you can apply in your day-to-day life.
Connect With Our Host:
Jeremy Tiers
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremytiers/
https://twitter.com/CoachTiers
About The Enrollify Podcast Network: Mission Admissions is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Some of our favorites include Generation AI and The Application with Allison Turcio.
Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
Connect with Us at the Engage Summit: Exciting news — many of your favorite Enrollify creators will be at the 2024 Engage Summit in Raleigh, NC, on June 25 and 26, and we’d love to meet you there! Sessions will focus on cutting-edge AI applications that are reshaping student outreach, enhancing staff productivity, and offering deep insights into ROI.
Use the discount code Enrollify50 at checkout, and you can register for just $99! This early bird pricing lasts until March 31.
Learn more and register at engage.element451.com — we can’t wait to see you there!
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