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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.

The Dark Triad

In psychology, the “Dark Triad” refers to narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. How do we identify those who are “high in the Dark Triad” and in what ways can these people be detrimental to our professional or personal life?

In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss the Dark Triad.

This Song: Cautious Clay On “B.O.B” by Outkast

When Cautious Clay saw the video for Outkast’s “B.O.B” for the first time, the combination of the duo’s rapid fire rap style, techno influenced production and hyper-saturated psychedelic visuals blew his 7-year-old mind. On this episode, he tells us how that experience continues to have a profound impact on his own work, especially on his new project “Table of Context.” Plus, he explores how Outkast, along with his beat-boxing flute teacher,  taught him to approach creativity without boundaries.

 Cautious Clay just released a new EP called Table of Context

Listen to this episode of This Song

Listen to Cautious Clay’s new EP Table of Context

Check out Cautious Clay’s Tour Dates

Listen to Songs from this episode of This Song

Higher Ed: Ethics, Authenticity and Education – Takeaways From The College Admissions Scandal

Allegations of cheating and bribery in connection with college admissions have brought renewed scrutiny to just how that process works. In this episode of the KUT podcast “Higher Ed,” KUT’s Jennifer Stayton talks with Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger to get his response to the story and his take on maintaining integrity in the process.

Ed says the accusations made in connection with alleged cheating at some universities in the United States raise several concerns for him.

“First, there’s just an ethical question,” says Ed, “about boy, what are we teaching young people today about doing the right thing and living good lives?”

Ed says secondly, the situation sends a disturbing message about using shortcuts to get ahead.

“There’s an issue about the value of hard work,” Ed adds, “and setting goals and realizing those goals when that’s possible. And when it’s not possible, to learn from that and realize other goals.”

Ed also has a very visceral response to the allegations from the point of view of an educator.

“My emotional reaction is one of offense,” says Ed. “It’s because, how do these families who are accused of these things, of this behavior – how do they define what formal education means? By their alleged actions, they’re defining formal education as a piece of paper.”

Ed strongly believes what formal education delivers to students does not depend on the “name” of the school.

“Education should be an individualized experience,” Ed says. “Even when you look at some of these generic rankings, they have certain metrics but they’re not measuring for an individual human being. And that’s why there are so many schools out there and that’s why there are so many people at those variety of schools. It’s important to pick the best fit.”

Listen to the full episode for more on how students can discern that best fit. Also, the puzzler is back after an extended Spring Break. Who is our guest puzzle provider for the next few episodes? Listen on to find out!

This episode was recorded on April 2, 2019.

Higher Ed: Learning To Discern Your True Calling

Many people may regard “vocation” as a job, employment, or occupation. But the word’s Latin root (vocare meaning “to call”) speaks to a deeper definition related to a passion or true calling. In this episode of the KUT podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton explore the concept of a “calling” in life, and how we can learn to be attuned to that message within us.

When Jennifer was an undergraduate student in college, she was certain she was going to become a psychologist. When Ed was an undergraduate student, he was certain he was going to become a lawyer.

Well, neither one of them followed the path they thought they were going to pursue. What happened along the way? Did something go wrong for both of them?

Quite the contrary, Ed would argue. He says one of the ways to discern a true “calling” in life is to remain open to opportunities when they present themselves.

“We can’t be so intellectually stubborn as to think that the thought we had when we were eight years old is also going to be the exact same thought we’re going to have when we’re forty-five. That’s just not right,” says Ed. “The point of a high-impact educational experience that’s all about intellectual and personal growth is about challenging those basic assumptions.”

If this exercise of discernment feels like a struggle, Ed is quick to point out there is not necessarily only one path for each of us waiting to be discovered.

“You might pick the right one that generates enormous happiness. You might pick another one that generates a lot of happiness, and maybe there’s another thing you could have done that would have made you more happy or more satisfied,” Ed says. “You have to come to peace with all of that and realize there are there multiple pathways.”

At the heart of determining one’s true calling?

“Optimize your own personal satisfaction,” Ed believes.

That may sounds good in theory, but what about the reality of earning a living and paying bills? Listen to the full episode for further discussion on the tension between pursuing a passion and the realities of life.

No puzzler this week! It is still on an extended Spring Break but will return next week.

This episode was recorded on Feb. 23, 2019.

This Song: Jenny Lewis on “Govinda Jai Jai” by Alice Coltrane

“Music is energy and music can be healing…music has so many different purposes, but at this stage in my life I’m looking for something that’s a little bit nourishing or just like a slight clue to the universe.” — Jenny Lewis

Jenny Lewis’ 4th record On the Line is a collection of songs that tackle love, lust, relationships and death. Lewis recorded the album in Capitol Records Studio B  with a band of legendary instrumentalists — Benmont Tench on keys,  Don Was on bass, and Jim Keltner on drums with contributions by Ringo Starr and Beck.

In this episode Jenny Lewis describes the effect that hearing  “Govinda Jai Jai” by Alice Coltrane while on a road trip across California with Jim James and Gary Burden had on her spirit  and on her approach to her new record.

Listen to this episode of This Song

Hear Jenny Lewis’ new record “On The Line”

Watch “On the Line Online”

Check out Jenny Lewis’ Tour Dates

Listen to Jim James’ episode of This Song

 

The Replication Crisis

A psychological study with null results is less likely to be published than one with surprising results, so it’s no wonder researchers tailor and conduct experiments with a preferred outcome in mind. So why is it so difficult to replicate a popular study around the time of its initial publication?

In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke  discuss the replication crisis.

Value in the Moment

As tax day nears, it’s not a bad idea to look at our spending habits. Typically when we experience a windfall, we tend to spend more. When we come up short, we spend less. So although objectively we should maintain an average amount of spending, our financial habits continue to be influenced by how much we have at the moment.

In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss value in the moment.

Asymmetry: Past & Future

Dating back to when we were kids, two weeks into the future seems a lot longer than two weeks in the past. Even as adults we know two weeks is the same length regardless of when it takes place and yet we still experience this asymmetrical mindset.

In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss asymmetry between the past and future.

Signal Detection (Part Two)

We’ve covered what signal detection theory is, so how does it come up when we assign labels to behaviors that could be considered “micro aggressions”? Are there significant benefits to these labels?

In the second episode of this two-part conversation on Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke continue their discussion on signal detection.

 

Texas Standard: March 7, 2019

Alarming figures from the border show an 11 year high in the number of migrant families apprehended. But do the numbers add up? Just a few weeks ago, we were hearing that the claim of a border emergency was overblown, but now mainstream news outlets report what sounds like, at the very least, a crisis overwhelming customs and border patrol. We’ll try to get a better sense of what’s happening. Also, a first of its kind effort in Texas to be prepared for wildfire season. And a top doctor warns of a looming crisis in Texas health care. All of those stories and a whole lot more today on the Texas Standard:

Sound Design

Join KUT’s Rebecca McInroy along with KUT’s senior producer Michael Lee, Composer Sam Lipman, and sound designer Carolina Perez, to talk about editing sound for picture or podcast, the ethics of production, and how to build on powerful stories using sound.

Pat Martino

Through his innovative post-bop, fusion and soul jazz, guitarist Pat Martino overcame a memory crisis and focused on the present to rediscover his technique. In this edition of Liner Notes, jazz historian and Rabbi Neil Blumofe recollects Pat Martino, his struggle with amnesia, and how he re-learned his iconic technique.

“Hot Lips” Page

Rhythm and blue architect and Birdland opening night band member Oran Thaddeus “Hot Lips” Page was never well known, but undeniably an influential journeyman. On the most recent edition of KUTX’s Liner Notes, Rabbi and jazz historian Neil Blumofe guides us through the career of trumpeter and vocalist “Hot Lips” Page.

Signal Detection (Part One)

When thinking about the concept of a “micro aggression”, what we’re really doing is subscribing to signal detection theory. What is the theory and how does it come into play when we’re dissecting the behaviors of others?

In the first episode of this two-part conversation on Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke discuss signal detection.

This Song: Jungle

On this episode, Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom  McFarland, of British electronic pop outfit Jungle, tell us about the Jai Paul’s “Jasmine” and how it helped their band get comfortable with sonic experimentation. “A lot of our music is just accepting bits and pieces that happen around the creation, and ultimately letting the sounds find you.”

Hear how this openness led the duo to include a creaky door solo on their first record and how they continue to try and walk the line between originality and relatability on their latest record “For Ever.”

Listen to this episode of This Song

Check out Jungle’s Tour Dates

Check out all the things KUTX is doing at SXSW this year

Listen to Songs from this episode of This Song

 

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