Change Management and Academic Leadership

Philip Cotton discusses how to lead transformational change in higher education institutions, especially in the face of resistance. Drawing from his leadership in Rwanda, he shares a framework for change that balances vision with empathy: recognizing the pain of the present, creating feasible first steps, and keeping energy high. He emphasizes the need for deep listening, dignifying concerns, and leading with love — reminding leaders that meaningful reform is about human connection as much as strategy.