Confessions of an Habitual Administrator: An Academic Survival Manual.

By Paul Bryant

Anker Publishing, 2005

 194 pp., $35.959plus $6.00s/h)

  Confessions of an Habitual Administrator presents a down-to-earth description of the duties and responsibilities of a university administrator. Paul Bryant has truly captured the essence and heart of a day in the life of a university administrator. He tells it like it is when it comes to describing the important duties and responsibilities while lacing the facts with his delightful humor.  As with most things in life, there is a light and dark side. University administration carries both characteristics as well.  Bryant’s, 21 Laws to administrate by,  are a mixture of good advice and a sophisticated depiction of important points along the journey. “The best administrator will keep his or her eyes open to the sometimes disappointing realities inherent in any human endeavor, but will remain firmly grounded in an ideal vision of what a university can and ought to be.” p. 169

 Leadership is often discussed and debated but not so often does an administrator read a book that provides one person’s frank view of so many of the responsibilities involved.   Bryant’s book covers topics as lofty as why one becomes an administrator to dealing with practical daily duties that comprise one’s time.  Things like interviewing possible faculty candidates, creating and administrating budgets, fostering positive faculty morale while providing strong leadership through evaluation and supervision.

  Accountability is another word that floats to the surface when discussing leadership, especially today. Bryant provides a realistic and accurate picture of not only the tasks of the daily walk, but of how to do your best with the people you ‘serve’; students, faculty,   administration, community.  “The task of the administrator is to hold all of these parts together in a way that allows all of them to make their proper contribution to the whole.  The administrators are the glue that holds all of those departments, and their parking lots, together in a functioning whole.  They are the stay against confusion.”  p. 168

 Bryant suggests that administration has three distinct roles as the situation arises, sometimes a “leader out in front”, at other times a persuader, “who will provide the goals and the plans for achieving them” (p. 28). Yet, sometimes the need  is for a “facilitator, [who] in contrast to the leader, will be primarily reactive, waiting for ideas to emerge from the faculty and simply  working to help faculty ideas come to fruition” (p. 29).  All three types of leadership in one person will serve the system well.  However, this type of person is rare. 

 Regardless of style, a key quality of a good administrator is to be an active listener, to listen first and second and then respond. Stephen Covey talks about responding to stimuli and how there needs to be a space of time in between the two. Wise administrators do their best to remain in control of their responses to stimuli.  Bryant provides insight and practical snapshots of specific ways to avoid some response pitfalls. “Administration depends heavily on successful communication.  When we are trying to communicate effectively, we should consider not only what we are saying, but also what the other person is hearing”. (p. 37)

 Sometimes, administrators become discouraged with the work load and the variety of personnel and personality issues one may face. The skill to strike an emotional balance within yourself while tending to the daily problems, the darker side of the job, without loosing your way, or focus is an important skill or technique to develop. Without that balance, many fine administrators step away from the post and their expertise in leadership is lost. 

 Anyone who aspires to become an administrator or who is currently in that role will thoroughly enjoy and appreciate this brief text.  Bryant has a gift for detail and practical advice. Sometimes it is important to hear from others in the field that their reality is the same as yours. While the role is not an easy one, there are many rewards when it is done well. Winston Churchill put it this way, “Sometimes, it is not good enough to do your best, you have to do what is required.”  Confessions of an Habitual Administrator provides support and inspiration for those of us engaged in this journey.

Reviewed by Dr. Joe Ann Hinrichs

Professor of Educational Leadership

Walden University, email: jhinrich@waldenu.edu