Good Leaders Care for Themselves and Their Teams

We are a busy group. Most data professionals in higher education would describe themselves as constantly working, often beyond capacity. According to the 2024 AIR National Survey, 56% of those in small IR offices, 44% of those in medium-sized offices, and 29% of those in larger offices report that they cannot complete their work without staff working overtime. Our typical approach is to push harder—working longer hours at the expense of our physical and mental health. When we lead teams, we may even unintentionally encourage these same unsustainable behaviors in others.  This means we can find ourselves:

• In constant triage mode, which is reactive, not strategic
• Making mistakes and taking shortcuts, such as skipping steps and losing detail and context
• Disengaged to the point of being present in body, yet absent in mind
• Stalled innovatively as we’re too tired to think creatively
• At risk of toxic behaviors, such as peer conflict, resistance to change, and burnout

Caring for ourselves and our time shouldn’t be a luxury—it’s a core responsibility of leadership. Quick fixes like impulse purchases or annual pizza parties don’t solve systemic burnout. This means we need to learn to:

• Manage capacity by identifying and breaking negative patterns
• Set and protect boundaries by renegotiating priorities and timelines
• Replenish energy by discovering and practicing what restores us
• Lean on peers for support and connection
• Focus on good work, rather than perfection, which is often the enemy of progress
• Advocate effectively for resources and sustainable change

These shifts aren’t easy, but they’re essential. Each of us can learn to demonstrate and model these behaviors within our communities, regardless of our roles. For example:

• Stop doing tasks simply because “we’ve always done them”—evaluate whether they truly add value.
• Identify and collaborate with allies across the institution to reduce redundancy, gain support, and uncover creative solutions.
• No emails when taking paid time off—only calls/texts for an emergency. 
• Prioritize rest—don’t sacrifice sleep for work. 

Based on what the AIR LEADs development team saw in our own leadership experiences and in our own organizations, we designed this topic—care of self and care of team—to be a central component of the course. Attendees consistently include this module among the most impactful course content, which speaks to its relevance within our community. If you are in a leadership position or hope to assume one in the future, join us for the 2025 LEADs cohort to learn how to operationalize these ideas.

Jeremy Goodman is Founder and Principal of Jeremy Goodman Consulting. His practice focuses on leadership development and data strategy. He has worked in higher education for over two decades in the operations and institutional research spaces, including roles as a director, associate dean, assistant provost, and vice president.