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Phillips also relies on that organic approach to change when it comes to leading faculty, which can be one of the greatest challenges facing a new dean. That's because business school faculty tend to be fiercely intelligent, highly in- dependent, and frequently tenured. "The idea of calling someone into your office and saying, 'You no longer fit within our business model' doesn't exist in aca- demia," Phillips points out. Macklem meets this leadership chal- lenge by drawing on his 25 years in public policy, particularly his time as Canada's finance deputy at the G7 and G20. "Be- cause Canada is not a terribly powerful global country, it succeeds by bringing good ideas to the table, building partner- ships with others, and being very persua- sive," says Macklem. "Leading a group of gifted faculty is somewhat like chairing a G20 deputies' meeting. You need to offer good ideas, engage with others, and lead constructive debate that takes the best ideas and makes them better. Finally, you need to make a decision, execute it, and communicate it." At the root of this approach is the be- lief that some things can be achieved only by the group, Macklem adds. "Some things faculty can do independently, but creating a great program has to be done together." LOOKING AHEAD While deans might see their first few months go by in a blur, their work is real- ly just beginning. To be successful, new deans will have to look ahead to prepare for all the changes coming in higher education. For instance, Phillips notes that the industry is coping with challenges at all levels. At the undergraduate level, business schools are facing increased competition from liberal arts schools that are adding business courses to their curricula, which means "we can't be smug and we can't be complacent." At the graduate level, there's a sharp disparity "between what business schools think we're providing to students and what employers say they want," she says. "It's going to be incumbent on us to recognize that an MBA is, in essence, job preparation. We need theoretical and discipline-based education, but we have to make sure our students are well- served for job placement." Macklem agrees that disruptive change is coming to higher education, as global competition increases, tech- nological innovation accelerates, and traditional disciplines converge. But he's convinced these disruptions will lead to exciting new programs and greatly enhanced student experiences. As busi- ness schools are pushed to adopt a wider range of interdisciplinary, international, and online strategies, they'll be forced to delve more thoughtfully into what makes their programs distinctive and ask how they can produce graduates prepared to make an impact. Says Macklem, "The next ten years will be a watershed in higher education." " Get to know your faculty and your staff. They can help you define a strategy that leverages the strengths of the school in a magical way that can create a greater impact on the world." —TIFF MACKLEM, DEAN OF THE ROTMAN SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO