Fareed Zakaria had a special on CNN on Sunday, November 30, 2014, about innovation, which caught my attention because I have written about and given speeches on the topic for many years.
More than anything, I want faculty and student affairs educators to be innovative in the manner in which they help learners achieve their educational and career goals. Another ongoing theme and wish that I’ve written and spoken about is the value of collaboration among all parts of the college and university, especially between academic and student affairs.
On this same Sunday morning special, Zakaria interviewed Walter Isaacson whose recent book is on innovators and innovation. I’m paraphrasing, but Isaacson said that in creating his new book he discovered that, more than a facile mind and a willingness to pursue the dreams of one’s imagination, an important element that promotes innovation is collaboration. He said that unlike our image of the lone genius creating something new, those who would be called innovators more often than not worked with others who brought the needed talent to realize a vision.
As I listened to Isaacson talk about his discovery, I was talking back to him and saying “Amen” to his realization. Hearing Isaacson gave me the confirmation I needed to continue my message to academic and student affairs to pull together to innovate in colleges and universities for the sake of learners who need new ways to access the bounty of higher education.
Another guest interviewed by Zakaria for this special was Linda Rottenberg who spoke from her experience of reading thousands of business plans and working with more than a thousand entrepreneurs. Her “aha moment” was that one need not be a creative genius to be an innovator. What one needed to be was a “Doer.”
I loved hearing this because student affairs people often say that they are “Doers.” When there is a problem to be solved or a wrench has been thrown into the best laid plans and everything looks hopeless, two or three student affairs people in the room will tell you, “No worries. We’re student affairs people and we fix problems. We’re doers.”
Hearing these interviews on a Sunday morning was my church that gave me the spirit to keep beating the drum for collaboration, ringing the bell for innovation, and appreciating the work of student affairs professionals.
Gwen Dungy 