Leadership and Mentorship Philosophy

My leadership and mentorship philosophy can be characterized as a mixture of Learning, Participative, and Transformational. Generally, I make learning and teaching a top priority and promote a culture of continuous learning that encourages growth, with data-driven evidence-based decision-making, democratic inclusivity, and autonomy.

Theory

Learning Leadership emphasizes the importance of lifelong learning and knowledge-sharing, a fundamental element of academia.
Participative Leadership values all contributions from the team in a democratic manner. All members are encouraged to speak their minds, engage in decision-making, and have the autonomy to take on responsibility. This enables team members to grow rapidly and become our next generation of leaders with a sense of ownership in institutional progress.
Transformational Leadership fosters innovation and motivation, helping individuals reach their highest potential. By integrating these theories, I aim to foster an inclusive academic environment where faculty, staff, and students can thrive.

Attitude

As a leader, I try to be open-minded, empathetic, and adaptable. I view leadership as both a chance to develop and learn, and as a chance to serve others, with a primary role of supporting and uplifting those with whom I am fortunate to work. I try to view challenges as an opportunity for growth and development. By working to be approachable and receptive to new ideas, I hope to ensure that all voices are heard and valued, and that my team understands that we must have bad ideas to have good ones, even the team leader! I try to maintain a positive and forward-looking/anticipatory attitude, which I hope will inspire confidence and encourage others to go beyond what I have achieved and continually pursue excellence.

Guiding Principles

Several core principles guide my leadership approach:

Lifelong Learning – I seek out professional and personal development for myself and encourage it in my mentees. I emphasize that my mentees will often be teaching me about their chosen field within a short period of time. We’re all here to learn.
Collaboration and Inclusion – I try to create an environment where diverse perspectives are respected and valued. Science is forged by combining ideas and perspectives from different disciplines and backgrounds.
Integrity and Transparency – Open and ethical leadership are fundamental to building trust and credibility. I begin with written core principles and guidance and share my evidence and reasoning for all decisions.
Empowerment and Autonomy – I encourage team members to volunteer, take on responsibility, pursue leadership opportunities, and learn to grow into independent thinkers.
Evidence-Based Decision-Making – As much as possible, I use hard data, high-quality evidence and research, and best practices from other influential leaders to inform my approach to leadership and institutional initiatives.

Behavior

As a leader, it is important that my team understands these five guiding principles and that my actions reflect my commitment to them. I ask any new member of my team to read my handbook, together with my leadership philosophy, and ask them to sign on to the principles. I then actively engage in mentorship, guiding students and colleagues in their academic and professional journeys. I also ask each team member to design their own individual development plan, and together, we identify targets for growth and, of course, for the next position in their career. I attempt to create opportunities for my team for collaboration, mentorship, and networking. I also encourage open discussions to foster intellectual growth, asking my team to be honest about where they want to be and not to be frightened to express frustration. I lead by example, demonstrating dedication, honesty, ethical behavior, and a commitment to academic excellence. Moreover, I advocate for policies that promote student success, faculty development, institutional advancement, and external recognition.

Gari Clifford
2/2/2025