Kudos to Chancellor Carlyle Sitterson

Here’s a   great story for National Boss Day Week ….

In a Business Class interview,  Joy Hakan  shared memories about the years she worked with Chancellor Carlyle Sitterson (Chancellor at UNC-Chapel Hill from 1966-1972). 

It was during a tumultuous time – Kennedy assassinations, desegregation, Vietnam, Kent State.  She described the Carolina campus with tents and bonfires from South Building to Wilson library.  There were sit ins and lay ins – people actually lying down in front of the desks in South Building and on the stairs, an important passageway to the only copy machine, heavily used to communicate messages from Washington about how to handle the situation. 

I asked her what kind of leadership Chancellor Sitterson provided during those tough times. 

She said he was calm yet firm. 

He reminded those inside the building about the importance of keeping cool heads.  He modeled that calmness inside as well as outside the building.  In so doing, he had a calming effect on everyone. 

When students asked him to come out to talk, he did so.  He listened very patiently to them – not just giving them lip service, but working hard to understand their point of view. 

She remembered a specific time, listening to him speak from the portico of South Building to a crowd that stretched halfway down the lawn to Wilson Library.  

By the time he had finished speaking, the restless crowd had calmed down. 

Powerful lessons in leadership from Joy Hakan and Chancellor Sitterson.

Listening – really listening to those in your lead. 

Being calm yet firm in times of turmoil and peace.

Questions for thought or discussion:

  1. Do you feel like your boss listens to you?  Really listens?
  2. What difference would it make to you if he/she did really listen?
  3. Do you really listen to those you lead?  Really listen?
  4. What difference would it make to them if you did?
  5. What difference would it make to you?

 

Jan Bolick 

Jan is a coach, teacher, speaker and author who is passionate about performance management and corporate culture.

Her coaching specialty is working with women in leadership to take charge more effectively, make things happen and inspire others to do the same.

Find out how to get a free consult here
Subscribe to Business Class E-Zine
More about Jan

copyright 2010 – Business Class Inc

Exploration Tools for Discovering a Different Boss:

Related Posts

Is it safe to make mistakes where you work?

Many people SAY they want to learn from mistakes.   But few people do more than surface learning.  And many quickly learn that the best thing to do with mistakes is…

Read more

Here’s a great one. Spoken like a genius.

A nice reminder for leaders everywhere Are there any fish on your team who are expected to climb trees? What to do about it? Read: 10 Ways to Manage Fish…

Read more

Feel Like You’re Herding Cats?

Ever find yourself wishing your team would do something different?  Act different?  Be different? I sure have.  And this quote has helped me through many of those times.  It popped…

Read more

The Main Thing

Thanksgiving is done, and we are only days away from Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and a new year. it can be a wacky time. Running in a million directions. Too many…

Read more

Results of Holiday Gift Survey

Thanks to all who have responded to our Holiday Gift Survey over the years.  We took your responses, did some additional brainstorming and voila!  You’ll see the results below – separated into three…

Read more
capture

10 Things to Capture Before Year End

Ever feel like you deal with the same mistakes and problems over and over again? Ever feel like you wrestle with the same decisions over and over again? Maybe even…

Read more

This Post Has 2 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *