(avoiding the trap of being pigeon-holed into a specific area).
For the sake of professional development, they did not
mind traveling to distant institutions to develop skills.
Every career opportunity was viewed through the lens of
professional development.
The panelists excelled in college and earned doctorates
by age 30. They were undergraduates in the 1980s and
graduated with doctorates in the 1990s when the economy
was prospering. Their rapid career progression was largely
due to their ability to think outside the box and work around
the clock. They were willing to move anywhere in the
country where there was an opportunity to advance, which
gave them access to experiences that prepared them for
the next job. At times they felt frustrated by the slow pace
of progress, the politics, and the resistance to change at
their institutions.
Mentors were a critical part of their success, and each panel
member credited career advancement to a former supervisor—
a Baby Boomer—who saw promise and gave them opportunities. In some cases they were promoted beyond years of
experience, but welcomed the challenge. In turn, they are
committed to returning the favor by supporting the professional development of others.
Challenges for Gen X SSAOs
While they rapidly rose to SSAO positions, panel members
attest their rise was filled with real challenges. Gen Xers who
are vice presidents face a number of difficult situations and
must employ strategies to stay focused and productive.
➤ Overcoming age stereotypes. Once Gen Xers tackle
the challenge of supervising employees who are older, the next
age-related challenge is dealing with the constant comment
that “You look too young to be a vice president.“
“If others are bothered by the fact that I look young, I
remind myself that my age is not my problem but theirs,”
says Kevin Rome, vice chancellor for student affairs at North
Carolina Central University. “I want to keep my youthful look
as long as I can, and I won’t apologize for it.”
Competency alleviates any concerns about youthful appear-
ances. At the same time, Gen X SSAOs should not be defen-
sive and overreact to comments about age. Luoluo Hong, vice
chancellor for student affairs at the University of Hawai’i at
Hilo, cautions, “If you over-react to these comments, you are
actually playing right into suspicions about age.”
➤ Fighting marginalization. Because Gen X SSAOs may
be the youngest vice presidents in their presidents’ cabinets—
by 20, 30, or 40 years—they may sometimes feel that they are
being marginalized. For example, they bring issues to
the table that are initially ignored, but when someone else
makes the same points they are received differently. This treatment may not be entirely due to an age difference; it might
be based on how ideas flow in groups. Some ideas simply take
time for group members to grasp. Gen X SSAOs might be
ahead of the curve, and others are catching up. Gen Xers
must spend more time listening in meetings and paying
attention to the flow of the conversation before jumping in
prematurely. A comment is not required on everything that is
discussed in a meeting.
➤ Navigating the politics. Many decisions by SSAOs
have political ramifications, especially those with significant
financial implications in such areas as student fees, athletics, construction, and salaries. Navigating the politics can be
daunting because much of the road is uncharted and relationship based. Gen Xers should take note of three important
guideposts: pay attention to the key players at your institution, such as the chief financial officer; get involved in any
early meetings before a final meeting is held to discuss and
decide on major issues; and build relationships with all vice
presidents. In many cases, Gen X SSAOs may not have the ear
of the president. Therefore, it is important to solidify relationships with other influential vice presidents through whom
messages can be conveyed to the president.
➤ Changing the work culture. Gen X SSAOs have a
relentless focus on efficiency: They dislike inefficient and
outdated models of operation. They are business minded, yet
they understand the pitfalls of blindly applying a business
model in an educational environment. Their biggest challenge
is changing the work culture to ensure maximum staff performance without alienating the entire workforce. Sometimes
changing the work culture means reframing issues in ways
that make them institutional priorities. A constant struggle
exists between “getting things done” and allowing the political
and relationship processes to evolve. Patrick Day, vice chancellor for student affairs at the University of Massachusetts
Boston, provides an example on how he handled such a
struggle. “I needed a way to get people moving on student
retention. I asked my institution to begin looking at retention
as an ethical issue.” He adds, “While we are sitting in here
debating about how to retain students, there are students at
our campus today who are dropping out. We have a duty to
act now!’”
➤ Balancing work and life. As much as SSAOs preach to
students about balance, they rarely model a good approach to
achieving balance. Gen X SSAOs reached leadership positions
by embracing lifestyles that were largely out of balance—late
nights, early mornings, weekend work, and limited vacations.
Gen X SSAOs must realize that as vice presidents some things
will always be out of balance. They must identify and never
compromise on those parts of life that are important enough
to be non-negotiable, such as family, health, and safety.
Advice from Generation X SSAOs
Panel members offered advice targeted to Gen X SSAOs and
those working toward the position. They suggest: Read these
points, step away, reflect, return to them again, and apply the
advice that makes the most sense.
➤ Hang in there. Gen Xers grew up watching their parents
face continuous job insecurity. As a result, they learned to
avoid dependence on employers. At the same time, they
developed a low tolerance for micromanagement, and their
first response is to escape from environments where they feel
insecure or poorly managed. Resist the initial temptation
to escape. There are lessons to be learned in the struggle to
understand the dynamics of an organization. Running away
from a situation too soon truncates the learning opportunity.
Hang in there as long as possible, and step back to absorb
