Strategies for Managing These Multiple Demands

Strategies for managing these multiple demands

Delegate. Departmental cultures vary on how much is done by the chair and how much is delegated to others. We recommend that departments make a conscious effort to divide up tasks. Even though this will mean more work for some faculty in departments where the chair currently does it all, the pay-off will come later, when that person in turn can rely on the help of others. See the section of this guide on "Delegating" for suggestions about which tasks are most appropriate for delegating.

Seek Counsel. When faced with a difficult issue, don't hesitate to seek counsel. You have three natural resources:

• another person in your department who has previously been chair
• other chairs
• the Dean (who may be able to draw on past experience as a chair as well as current experience as Dean)

Advice is also available in print and on the web. Even though mostly oriented toward large university settings, it can still be helpful. See the Resources page for more information.