That monumental change at your school, leaving you unsettled, ill-equipped, and bracing for what comes next, is inevitable. While it’s a common experience, it’s never a welcome one. It can feel like everyone has questions, and no one has answers. These moments come in varied forms and will be specific to your community, but employee turnover, organizational restructuring, leadership transitions, and public relations emergencies are relatable examples.
Have faith that you’re not alone and that there is hope, even opportunity, in these uncertain spaces.
“Admissions is not for the faint-hearted.” This quote from Janice Crampton, CEO/Executive Director for AISAP, has germinated in my mind since hearing it in a webinar I attended earlier this year. Enrollment management is challenging—even during periods of relative workplace stability when funnel data is trending positively and there is high communal buy-in to our admissions efforts. After all, directing a school’s enrollment health and ensuring its financial sustainability is a tremendous responsibility. However, what happens when everything changes…when the comfort of stability gives way to the apprehension of uncertainty?
You may be better equipped to handle tremendous change than you realize. Plus, the more experience you gain with navigating uncertainty, the better you become at it. Consider the following recommendations should you feel that circumstances beyond your control may hinder your best admissions work.
Lean in for New Opportunities
- Re-evaluate good proposals you shelved because they didn’t get traction when you first introduced them. It’s an excellent time to dust off great ideas that may have been marginalized in the past due to reasons that may not be as consequential anymore.
- An over-reliance on the familiar can hinder better ways of doing things. Periods of substantial change are a good time to audit your workflows and consider innovations. For example, review your software and information system to see if there are helpful features you may be missing or have yet to incorporate.
- Keep data that reflects how substantial changes in your school community may relate to recruitment and retention. Note any significant deviations from past years. It’s a great time to survey stakeholders; it gives you critical data to share with school leaders and allows respondents to express how they process the change.
- Make a special effort to let the representative teams you rely on—faculty, students, parents, alums, and community partners—know how much they’re appreciated. Listen to their concerns and provide them with a vision for ongoing admissions efforts.
Inspire and Be Inspired
- To effectively impress upon students the importance of grit and perseverance, we must model it. As adults, we don’t want to be in a hypocritical “do what I say, not what I do” space. Don’t wither under the weight of doubt and concern; people will look to you for cues regarding navigating the unknown. As a confident school leader who remains mission-focused, your community will be reassured by your example.
- Think about quotations that inspire you and incorporate them often. One of my favorites relating to how challenges shape us is Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” My school community has undergone many consequential changes in a few short years, including the recovery from massive flooding caused by a Category 4 hurricane. For those who have persevered through these hardships, it’s important to remember that you aren’t just surviving uncertainty; you’re enhancing your adaptability, preparedness, and leadership skills.
- Remind others of the values inherent in your school mission, which will emphasize the development of noble and worthy ideals. As my school is a Christian one, faith is a virtue that is often discussed. Not having the answers is okay when you have faith because you trust a divine plan. The Bible is packed with stories of uncertainty. For example, my namesake was thrown in a den of hungry lions and escaped without a scratch due to God’s providence. It’s a good reminder of the illusory nature of control.
Embrace Self-care
- Since uncertainty can be scary and stress-inducing, remember to take care of your mental health. Take a day to rest, schedule the massage you’ve been putting off, uncork the $80 cabernet you were gifted but have been too hesitant to open, or book a staycation at a local hotel with fluffy robes. Allow yourself a reset and some time to process; no one benefits from your insomnia.
- If self-pampering isn’t your style and you’re more of a grinder who uses work to reduce stress, you also have options. Reach out on the AISAP community forum to find others who have experienced similar circumstances. Consider your upcoming admissions projects, and strategize alternate approaches based on how you anticipate changing circumstances might influence efficacy.
- Increase your knowledge regarding the nature of uncertainty in organizations. Check out Bill Treasurer’s book Courage Goes to Work. Or, if you are part of a Christian-centered community, reading Tod Bolsinger’s Canoeing the Mountains may provide insights into adjusting to unexpected challenges.
Being an admissions professional is a privilege as we are tasked with directing the enrollment health of a community. The task requires a significant personal investment as we promote the positive impact of independent schools. We need to be believers in our schools, not only in the best of times but when the challenges of uncertainty shake our foundations. Using courage and faith as allies, know that navigating hardship will ultimately educate and sharpen you. You’ve got this!
Danny Kahalley
Director of Admissions
Saint Thomas' Episcopal Church and School