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KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond

leadership

Madame Vice President. Finally.

For the first time in United States history, a woman occupies the second highest position in government. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.

Texas Standard: October 13, 2020

Texans get in line to cast their ballots in one of the most consequential election years in modern memory. Polling the polling places as our reporting partners statewide check in on day one of early in-person voting in Texas’ election 2020. Also, Texas restaurants brace for a new post COVID-19 normal. What’s on the menu won’t be the same as it was before the pandemic. And the debut of a new book and documentary: Driving While Black. And under the dome in Austin, a call for more women in leadership posts. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:

Leadership and Being Liked (Rebroadcast)

If you’re in a leadership position you know you have to make some difficult decisions. Some of those decisions might put you in the doghouse for a while, but if you are motivated by the good of the group as opposed to the need to be liked, things tend to work out better.

In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of leadership and being liked.

Texas Standard: December 2, 2019

21 dead in a shootout south of the border involving Mexican forces and drug cartels. Drug related violence or terrorism at the Texas border? What’s in a name? Although president Trump has threatened to designate Mexico’s drug cartels terrorist organizations, people in Mexico view the violence through a more complicated lens, according to a new survey…We’ll have the latest. Also, the outline of the AR-15: a form factor in the debate over gun control, now facing another test before the supreme court. And the Texas ranch sisterhood. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:

Higher Ed: Enjoying And Embracing Conflict (And Other Leadership Lessons Learned)

A “Higher Ed” podcast listener recently wrote in with an intriguing question for Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger: as a university president, does Ed “see himself as more of a leader or manager? How does he differentiate the two concepts and does he place more emphasis on one area or another?” In this episode, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talks with Ed about what it means to lead and manage on and off campus.

Ed has clear points of differentiation between how he sees the duties of a leader and those of a manager.

A leader: “It’s about thinking about the mission, thinking about what the direction of the instution or the project – whatever it is – is, and making sure that within a univese of distraction that we do our best not to be distracted by the noise and the bells and the ringing and the lights trying to take away that which we’re supposed to be doing. In this proposition [education], it’s about changing people’s lives and making them better versions of themselves.”

A manager: “Being a manager is the art … of making sure an organization is running smoothly, fairly, safely, efficiently and within all the budgetary constraints that come along with any organization.”

Given those definitions, Ed believes the role of a university president encompasses both leader and manager.

As per the listener’s question, which one does Ed tend toward?

Ed says he does the work he does “for the innovation and education that we can accomplish.”

So, more on the “leader” side, for sure, though Ed does concede a lot of “imagination and idea energy” is required to manage successfully.

Ed says he often turned to the late political scientist and leadership studies innovator James MacGregor Burns for insight about leading successfully. Burns’ primary pieces of advice:

1). Focus on mission and goals

2). Choose good colleagues and associates

3). Expect, enjoy and embrace conflict

Ed says he understands the first two but still struggles with confronting confict rather than avoiding it. Listen to the full episode for more on leading and managing in and out of the classroom. The solution to last week’s “guest puzzler” submission about digits will also be revealed.

This episode was recorded on April 2, 2019.

Leadership and Being Liked

If you’re in a leadership position you know you have to make some difficult decisions. Some of those decisions might put you in the doghouse for a while, but if you are motivated by the good of the group as opposed to the need to be liked, things tend to work out better.

In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the psychology of leadership and being liked.

Texas Standard: November 18, 2016

According to some in Sacramento, the election outcome is an existential threat. Has California become the new Texas? Plus Texas has legalized the medical use of cannabis oil, but the fees for doing business may make it impossible. A co author of the bill wonders if that wasn’t part of the plan, we’ll hear from her. Also, a prominent public figure delivers a concession speech: only this one’s not politics, it’s football. We’ll hear what the fuss is about, and why it matters in a larger sense. Plus a Texas history textbook from the 1950’s rediscovered, and reviewed. And the week in politics and much more coming up today on the Texas Standard:

Texas Standard: November 15, 2016

Money, religion and wait, there’s something else that’s not part of polite conversation, right? Talking politics at work: a how to guide. We’ll explore. Also in the ongoing stare down between Texas and the EPA, did someone just blink? We’ll explore why Washington regulators are taking Texas off a clean air blacklist. The iconic retailer Neiman Marcus build its brand selling luxury goods to the wealthy, now it soon may be looking for a shopper of another sort, we’ll explain. And how much would you pay for the handcuffs used on Lee Harvey Oswald …do I hear 50 thousand dollars? Also remembering Gwen Ifill and much more today on the Texas Standard:

Higher Ed: Leadership – Can It Be Taught and Learned?

This 2016 election season has a lot of people talking about leadership: what qualities do we want in a leader, and what kind of experiences can prepare someone to lead? In this episode of KUT’s podcast Higher Ed, KUT’s Jennifer Stayton and Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger talk about whether leadership can be taught and learned, or if someone people are just “born leaders.” Listen on for Ed and Jen’s discussion about the role education can play in preparing someone to be a leader. You’ll also get the newest puzzler. Bonus this week: it’s in 3D (but no glasses needed!).

This episode was recorded on August 10, 2016.

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