How Leaders Can Bust Silos with Carrie Phillips

About the Episode:

In this episode of Breaking Silos, host Shane Baglini dives deep into higher education leadership with Carrie Phillips, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. They explore effective leadership strategies for breaking down silos within higher education institutions, fostering meaningful collaboration, and developing the next generation of leaders. Phillips brings practical advice on cultivating team engagement, setting priorities, and strengthening inter-departmental relationships to drive institutional success.

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Key Takeaways

• Leverage MARCOM as a Change Agent: MARCOM teams naturally bridge campus departments, making them effective agents for breaking silos.
• Implement Small, Strategic Changes: Adopting the "two degrees" philosophy helps in creating incremental change, reducing resistance.
• Enhance Collaboration by Building Rapport: Fostering personal connections with campus partners can strengthen collaboration.
• Define Priorities Clearly: Using "bucket A and bucket B" tactics helps focus on high-impact tasks while setting realistic expectations with campus partners.
• Advocate for MARCOM on the Cabinet: Having marketing represented in strategic leadership allows for comprehensive input on initiatives beyond just promotion.

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Episode Summary

How Can Leaders Break Silos on Campus?

Phillips begins by explaining how MARCOM teams are inherently positioned to connect different areas of a university due to their widespread collaborations—from history departments to enrollment offices. With insight into various campus activities, MARCOM can spot and address inefficiencies that others may overlook. One example Phillips gives is mapping the enrollment funnel at a previous institution, a project that revealed fragmented communication across 17 offices in five divisions. By bringing everyone together, MARCOM was able to streamline processes and reduce student confusion.

Phillips emphasizes a “two degrees” approach—making small but meaningful adjustments with each project. This gradual, intentional change helps teams avoid resistance while fostering an environment that encourages progress.

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Strategies for Enhancing Collaboration for New Leaders

New leaders often struggle with collaboration, especially in complex higher ed environments. Phillips encourages leaders to actively engage with other departments by going to them instead of requiring formal office visits. Establishing rapport is crucial; arriving early to meetings to share personal updates builds camaraderie, transforming colleagues into genuine collaborators. Phillips also advises shared agendas and collaborative notes, creating transparency and mutual understanding during meetings.

Building strong relationships, she notes, is about establishing human connections and understanding each partner’s context, which ultimately supports more harmonious and efficient teamwork.

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Why Are Silos Prevalent in Higher Education, and How Can MARCOM Help?

Phillips explains that silos stem from organizational structures where each unit operates according to its own strategic goals, often at the expense of cross-departmental collaboration. This fragmentation can create a resource tug-of-war, particularly when budgets are tight. MARCOM leaders, however, can work to align goals by identifying areas where different departments might be working on similar initiatives. By uniting teams around shared objectives, MARCOM can foster a more holistic approach to university goals, benefiting enrollment, student experience, and fundraising efforts.

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How to Stay Focused on High-Impact Projects

When overwhelmed with high-priority projects, Phillips shares her method of identifying “bucket A” versus “bucket B” priorities. Bucket A tasks are essential, long-lasting initiatives, while bucket B tasks are shorter-term or less impactful. Teaching her team to prioritize helps them manage workload and deliver maximum institutional impact. She also encourages aligning MARCOM goals with other departments' top priorities, ensuring that the highest-impact projects are consistently prioritized.

For instance, instead of dedicating resources to small events like a math department gathering, her team might focus on a campus-wide initiative with long-term benefits.

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The Importance of a Seat at the Table for MARCOM Leaders

Phillips argues that marketing’s role in leadership goes beyond promotion. As part of a university’s cabinet, MARCOM can influence broader strategies concerning product, price, and place. Historically, marketing has been restricted to promotion, but Phillips believes that MARCOM teams possess valuable insights that can contribute to product development, pricing, and service delivery. She stresses that MARCOM's presence on the cabinet allows for comprehensive planning, providing essential input early in decision-making processes.

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Developing Confidence as a New Leader

For emerging leaders, building confidence is key. Phillips recalls how early mentorship from industry veteran Terry Flannery helped her recognize her own value. She suggests that new leaders prepare rigorously for leadership discussions by learning essential skills like budgeting, strategic planning, and people management. Confidence grows, Phillips notes, when leaders are well-prepared to contribute insights in budgetary or strategic discussions—skills that aren’t always taught but are crucial for effective leadership.

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Building the Next Generation of Higher Ed Leaders

Higher ed has room to improve when it comes to training future leaders, according to Phillips. At her institution, a Faculty Leadership Academy has been established to guide faculty members transitioning into leadership roles. Beyond formal programs, she emphasizes the importance of understanding budget processes, HR dynamics, and campus procedures—fundamental areas where new leaders often lack training. By fostering partnerships with HR and finance, Phillips is working to empower her team and colleagues across campus.

Phillips is committed to growing the next generation of leaders through Enrollify’s Lessons in Leadership course and video series. With a focus on situational leadership, conflict management, and essential communication skills, the course provides young leaders with practical tools. Enrollify’s Lessons in Leadership playlist delivers quick insights on crucial topics like failure and managing criticism, offering actionable advice in digestible formats.

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Connect With Our Host:
Shane Baglini

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About The Enrollify Podcast Network: Breaking Silos 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 Visionary Voices: The College President’s Playbook and The Application with Allison Turcio.

Enrollify is produced by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

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