Leadership in Focus
Academic Leadership Academy
Leadership in Focus Series
Our "Leadership in Focus" series provides regular opportunities to connect with fellow academic leaders while exploring key topics in academic leadership. We offer engaging sessions each term, designed to foster meaningful dialogue and shared learning. Each session centers on a specific focus area that frames the content and activities, ensuring relevant and actionable insights you can apply in your leadership role.
Upcoming Programming
January 30, 2026
Strong academic cultures are built through what we amplify and what we address. This workshop helps academic leaders identify their role in shaping unit culture and develop confidence in identifying and addressing challenging behaviours early and effectively. Through case study analysis and peer discussion, participants will explore how to approach challenging conversations and how to leverage their leadership team as partners. Participants will leave with a clear action commitment they can implement, and practical tools for addressing behaviors compassionately and proactively.
March 20, 2026
Strong academic cultures require clear performance expectations and consistent support for meeting them. This workshop focuses on setting, communicating, and upholding performance expectations in academic work. Participants will explore the role of ongoing l feedback that leads to improvement, and how to address performance concerns. Through realistic scenarios, we'll discuss how to create systems for regular feedback, and practice having performance conversations that balance support with accountability. We’ll explore how to build a culture where expectations are transparent, feedback is normalized, and excellence is supported. Participants will leave with tools for clarifying expectations in their units, confidence in proactively using performance management processes, and strategies for creating feedback cultures that develop people's capacity.
April 24, 2026
Each academic leadership role involves navigating unique challenges where the path forward isn't always straightforward. This peer feedback workshop creates space for participants to bring a real leadership challenge they're currently facing and receive diverse perspectives, insights, and strategic advice. Using a structured peer feedback protocol, small groups will work through actual situations participants are navigating - whether related to behavior, performance, culture-building, or the messy intersections of all three. Participants will both present a challenge and serve as consultants for others, practicing asking powerful questions, offering multiple perspectives, and thinking strategically about change. You'll leave with fresh insights on your own challenge, expanded capacity to think systemically about leadership issues, and a strengthened network of colleagues who understand the complexity of academic leadership.