Interim Means Caretaking

The local newspaper (The Fargo Forum) had an editorial today that called for an 18 month to two year interim chancellor of the North Dakota University System (See "Sabotage the Leader").

My suggestions based on 30 years of leadership and organizational experience:

1. Interim leaders are caretakers. People do not follow caretakers, no matter how qualified. Meaningful change cannot happen during the interim period. The passive-resistors who sabotaged Robert Potts will hold the real power during an interim period. Perhaps this is what the local newspaper wants, as it has a hidden agenda to support the local university president--right or wrong.

2. The North Dakota Board of Higher Education should make the interim period as short as possible; North Dakota higher education cannot afford to stand still for two years. Get busy and go out and find a strong leader to come to North Dakota and lead this dysfunctional system. I generally support promoting from within; however, in this case the new leader should come from the outside as a change-agent is needed.

3. Before hiring a leader, the Board must clarify roles and responsibilities, as Potts called for. Nothing is more important. I believe a chancellor with the power to hire and fire college and university presidents is required. Absent clear roles and responsibilities, no competent leader will come to North Dakota in light of the recent fiasco.

4. If the Board cannot show more leadership than it has so far, it should be replaced.

5. The local newspaper should limit itself to straight reporting of the facts on this story as its editorials show a lack in organizational and leadership insight.


Tom Heuerman, Ph.D., a former U.S. Secret Service agent and senior executive at the Star Tribune Newspaper, is a writer and consultant. He holds a doctorate in leadership and organizational change from Union Institute and University in Cincinnati.