“While you are here…”

Dr. Really-good-at-her-job told me about the toxicity, the workload imbalance compared to her colleagues. She told me about her awesome teaching and service, and her worries about research funding. She told me about her leader not listening and when she thought she was finally heard, there was no action. For others who have had the same conversation, the subsequent action taken was worse. It came with a label: “difficult”, “not a team player”, “who is she to make demands”, “what contract?”.

What does Dr. Ally-in-name-only do? Well, if true allies shrink at these times, then Drs. Ally-in-name-only become ant-size. Dr. Really-good-at-her-job looks around and realizes who Dr. Takes-credit is. Dr. Wants-to-hoard-power, Dr. Doesn’t-know-what-your-job-is-about-so-they-can-judge-you, and Dr. Colleague-that-started-with-me-but-now-he-is-a-full prof-and-I’m-still-assistant are looking at her. (Pardon me, for those are the longest roles of this sad comedy). 

When Dr. Really-good-at-her-job says, I need to leave this place to save my sanity and humanity, she also sees herself surrounded by really good people, good mentors, coaches, cheerleaders, and supporters. Us. Perhaps you reading this.

And we feel her unhappiness, and we say with all the care, compassion, and empathy in the world: 

· While you are here, let’s get you ready for the next job. If we are feeling a bit extra on a Friday, we may use the word: Adventure!

· While you are here, let’s make the most of it.

· While you are here, let’s focus on your promotion so that, when you go elsewhere, you have the higher rank and can negotiate tenure.

· While you are here, let’s find some things for you to get involved in that will help you network for other jobs.

· While you are here… [insert your favorite line here.]

Well, the truth is that I think there is nothing technically wrong with these statements. It is the truth, the whole academic truth of how WoC faculty survive and are still wait to thrive. No matter the experience level or hierarchy. 

The point, again, is that "While you are here..." does nothing to take care of things, or fix the root of the problems. It is not a call to arms for advocates, and certainly not enough for a campus protest. Dr. Likes-to-think-they-are-a-sponsor does the opposite of sponsorship. Dr. Stays-in-their-lane does what they do best. And Dr. I-have-a-big-title realizes it doesn’t come with the power of major change.

So…here is my advice:

For true leaders.

Why does Dr. Really-good-at-her-job want to leave your institution? You must find out. This is your status-quo. You have to help, assist, move the needle, and eliminate toxicity, isolation, discrimination, and also please take care of ineptitude. I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, many times the problem is the people you are listening to. The advice of your closest circle of colleagues may not be the best and in fact, it may be manipulative. How many folks do you have around you or in your cabinet that tell you what the faculty on the ground floor feel, mean, see, and experience? Go talk to them. The colleague that respectfully disagrees with you is more honest than the one that is…well, lying to you, making bad decisions on your behalf, or telling you everything is going well. As a leader, you have the responsibility to honor your word and held accountable for your actions. 

Here is my faculty leader assessment. (Credit to Dr. Sylk Sotto-brings-up-the-obvious).

· Do you remember what it was like to be a faculty member, especially early or mid-career faculty? 

· Now that you remember, what were the qualities of the best leaders and the atrocious behavior of the bad ones? Who have you become in a binary world? Good or bad.

· Look at the people around you, your cabinet -or for some of us, drawers. Who are the people you trust?

· Great, you have names now. Are those the same names your faculty or leaders below you trust? If you do not ask a few or many rungs below your ladder you should stop here. No next steps needed because you are not interested in stepping away from your own bubble or special flavor of, I’m doing great.

· Now, I assume if you are in this step, you've learned the truth. And the truth might include the fact that you have sent great people out the door and even destroyed great relationships and friendships for listening to the wrong folks. The best outcome? You've learned about the incompetence and bad actors. The truth is you made mistakes. We all do. On the positive side, you may have learned that you are doing great. Congrats!

· Last step: own your mistakes. Owning them comes with the responsibility of doing it right. There is always time to do it right.

To the nice people like me that say “while you are here”. Own the fact that we might be in the same boat as the person we are advising. Own the fact that we feel powerless in a system we want to change and that changing it requires more than just us. Own the joy of speaking truth and not shrinking to ant level. Keep a notebook with names. You know the notebook with the front cover: Karma never acts fast enough.

To my dearest faculty. I am sorry that this is your experience in academia. Saying "we have all been there" is no excuse. In fact, it is an easy way to be complicit in a system that does not change and is regressing at Indy 500 speed.

But while you are here:

1) Let’s work on your CV. 

a. Are there any professional development programs that would benefit your career?

b. I see you have data, let’s get going on those manuscripts and conferences.

c. Use your network and your mentor’s network to get invited to grand rounds, keynotes, plenaries, etc.

d. Write the grant. I know this is a sensitive topic right now, but don’t stop fighting for your research.

e. Expand your networks, cold calling included.

2) Use the time to learn leadership skills, values based and transformational. Remind yourself what matters to you.

3) Learn and do something fun, something different. The kind that reminds you that you are not just this profession.

4) Take care of your wellbeing and take care of your family. Remember the institution itself will not love you back. Everyone is replaceable, but your legacy? We all want the good legacy. Protect it. Protect your integrity.

Dr. Really-good-at-her-job knows what she needs to do, so this list might be pointless, but it’s a simple reminder that you got this. And again, if you are Dr. Ally-in-name-only, maybe you choose to course-correct.

My heart is kind. And I’m kind-a here for the petty these days, so I will end these thoughts the same way as before.

And I hope you think about it twice before you say this to a woman of color in academia, instead call it for what it is…MESSY.

+ And SHADY as heck.

With love,

Sylk