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JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2015 BizEd 29 PHOTOGRAPH: THE COMPANY MAGAZINE (THAILAND) He previously had served as dean at INSEAD and at Northwestern Universi- ty's Kellogg School of Management. He says his best preparation for becoming dean was working alongside and observ- ing Kellogg 's long-term dean Donald Jacobs. But Jain also made it a point to develop relationships with faculty across disciplines because "my primary insights come from talking to others to exchange knowledge and experiences." Similarly, before Geoffrey Garrett became dean of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, he had held deanships at the University of Sydney, at UCLA's In- ternational Institute, and most recently at the University of New South Wales in Australia. In addition to accumulating his own experience, he notes that he has spent years "watching and learn- ing " from leading academics in the U.S. and abroad. He adds, "I have discussed almost every important decision in my professional life with Peter Lange, who recently stepped down after 15 years as Duke University's provost." Both Garrett and Jain point out that every deanship is a new experience and brings its own challenges, because every school is different in size, mission, loca- tion, and student body. "All institutions have their own cultures," says Garrett, who is embracing both the commonali- ties and differences between the U.S. and Australia. "The fact that I have looked at the U.S. both from the inside and the outside gives me a useful perspective, as globalization pervades everything, including business schools," he says. IN THE BEGINNING During the first 90 days, new deans can be swept up in a flurry of meet-and- greets with faculty, alumni, business leaders, and other stakeholders. This can be both exhilarating and exhausting. Before becoming dean for the first time, Garrett says, "I realized neither how big the job is nor how enjoyable it is. It's big because of the many stakeholders who matter—faculty, students, alumni, the media, corporations, government. It's so enjoyable because of the incredible people you get to work with on a daily basis." But with so many people waiting for attention, and so many events lined up, time management becomes an essential skill. Garrett says, "'A wise person once told me, 'The pressing will always tend to drive out the important. Just realizing this is the first step to ensuring it doesn't happen.'" These deans set short-term and long- term priorities, determine when their presence is required at an event and when it isn't, and rely on strong support staff to manage their calendars or take over cer- tain responsibilities. "Delegating author- ity makes sense on multiple dimensions," Garrett says. "My bandwidth is limited, and the only way to develop future leaders is to give them the chance to lead." However, even the best future leaders have to learn the communication style of the new dean, Phillips points out. "They need to know that when I say, 'Don't think about this now,' I don't mean, 'Forget about it.' I mean, 'Think about it tomorrow.'" But while the staff needs to learn the dean's style, the dean needs to learn that " Go into the job with eyes open. You should move with full enthusiasm, but be prepared for the unexpected. Create confidence among your colleagues and work closely with them and other partners, including alumni and friends of the school." —DIPAK C. JAIN, DIRECTOR OF THE SASIN GRADUATE INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION CHULALONGKORN UNIVERSITY