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becoming business majors, even though I worry about the unpredictability of my schedule and how often I might be forced to miss a class. For those deans who plan to hold the position for a fixed period of time and then go back to the ranks of the profes- soriate, it's terribly important not to lose momentum. Those deans must try to stay intellectually active and involved in professional societies, though it is a challenge to keep up with major developments in their fields. If at all possible, they must continue to write and publish. Those who see the appointment to dean as a career shift might not work as hard to keep up with their fields, but most of them find it difficult to give up their professional identities entirely. They often try to find ways to stay tied to their disciplines even as they move into new careers in academic leadership. Anyone who chooses to become a dean has to decide how much effort to put into nurturing con- nections with the past. Deans also find it harder to keep a direct connection with students. Anyone who has been a successful faculty member for a long time must care about students. Deans care about students, too, but in a much more abstract way. Deans who want to maintain the personal connection might consider mentoring doctoral students or teaching an honors course. I have a colleague who is a dean in the arts and sciences school, and he tutors high-risk students in mathematics. He has found an important way to maintain his connection. I have continued to be active in research, although I am doing fewer laboratory bench studies and more review papers and book chapters. I serve on several editorial boards, and I'm an associate editor for the Academy of Management Learning & Education journal. I'm on the foundation for one of my professional societies, and I continue to present at national scientific societies. It's clearly important to me to stay connected to my discipline. I've done less on the student side, although when I became dean, I did retain a doctoral student whom I saw through graduation. But I miss the interaction with stu- dents. I'm thinking about teaching a new undergraduate introduction course aimed at freshmen who are considering Creating a Legacy Those who are thinking about becoming deans might also consider what kind of legacy they want to leave behind when their careers are done. A professor's legacy is sometimes manifested in the protégés who have gone on to be suc- cessful in life, and sometimes in the books published or the scientific contributions made to a particular field. I feel that a dean has the potential for leaving behind something bigger and longer-lived than a publication. Deans might spearhead major curriculum changes that have the potential to affect thousands of lives. They might com- mission and oversee the building of new facilities so that their legacies become part of the environment. Or they might secure major revenue-producing endowments that will increase the potential success of their schools and their graduates well into the future. The chance to leave such a legacy might be the greatest difference between being a fac- ulty member and being a dean, and in my position I give a great deal of thought to that opportunity. Of course, a legacy also can take the form of a strong and enduring school culture. With this in mind, I constantly reflect on the principles and processes that I hope will be seen as valuable enough to continue once I'm gone. I rou- tinely try to depersonalize many of the things I do. I think about what's good—not just for me and not just for right now. In part, the propagation of culture means having a wonderful team of faculty and administrators in place so that if I disappeared, the school would continue to prosper. It also means thinking about what I can do to leave my mark over and above a legacy of a strong and functional business school culture. A Fascinating Mix I love being an academic dean, and I hope to continue to have responsible senior academic leadership positions well into the future. I like the tempo and excitement involved. I like the mixture of responsibilities and duties and, yes, even the challenges that I must face on a regular basis. I like to effect change. But most important, I like the idea of leaving behind something that endures long after I have moved on. ■ z Richard Klimoski is dean of the School of Management at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. He also holds a dual appointment as professor of psychology and professor of management at the university. BizEd JULY/AUGUST 2007 43