“The roof is ready to blow off this place!” That’s what a colleague said at a recent campus event, buzzing with the energy of transformation. After years of navigating rough waters—transitioning to all-gender admissions, tightening our financial belts, cycling through staff changes, and coming out on the other side of a pandemic—our college is on the cusp of a renaissance. Now, the real work begins: addressing the aftermath and charting a course through one of the most dynamic times in higher education.

The toll of constant survival mode is tangible: deferred maintenance, stretched resources, and the palpable fatigue of our community. The storm may have cleared, but its impact lingers.

In this environment, leadership is about balance—tackling immediate fires without losing sight of future forests. Do we settle for quick fixes, or do we invest time in sustainable solutions? The temptation to default to the known and immediate is ever-present. Yet, each day, my team and I weigh our choices, considering the ripple effects on our institution’s future.

Here’s how we’re striving to strike a balance between short-term relief and long-term strategy:

Setting a Clear Destination: Defining our long-term goals gives us a target to aim for. It’s about knowing where we want to be in ten years and letting that vision guide our daily decisions. It’s the difference between short-term fixes and strategic moves.

Aligning Immediate Steps: Our short-term objectives need to stack up, brick by brick, to build our long-term vision. Making these connections visible by using tools like infographics helps show how today’s actions fit into the bigger picture and makes it easier for everyone to find a way to connect with the vision.

Planning and Thinking Strategically: Despite the pressing nature of daily tasks, we’re carving out time for strategic planning, involving all stakeholders. Given that there are never enough resources to go around, our plan must be a living document, flexible enough to adapt to new challenges.

Tracking Progress with KPIs: We’ve rallied to keep our college running, and now we’re setting milestones to keep our momentum. Celebrating small wins keeps us energized and focused on our long-term goals. What we learn from these KPIs provides insights for informed decision-making and agile pivots when appropriate.

Investing in Our Leaders: Regular one-on-one meetings are a priority. I mentor our team to see beyond the immediate and to question the status quo, fostering a mindset of strategic, long-term planning. I regularly ask a Dean who might not be considering many options, “Are you hitting the easy button? Is there another way to achieve that goal?” Working one-on-one, we can change the culture so that all are reaching for the same big goals.

Staying Open to Reevaluation: When the ground shifts beneath us, we must be ready to pivot, always in service of our long-term vision. Change is part of growth, and we’re learning to embrace it. Be willing to pivot when necessary while keeping the long-term vision intact. And when you do pivot, explain the reasons. Normalizing changes in direction may foster an environment where folks feel comfortable taking risks.

Encouraging Innovation: As we stabilize, we’re reigniting the spark of creativity. It’s about making space for new ideas and encouraging everyone to think outside the box in alignment with our long-term objectives. My team has often heard me say, “Let’s get creative!” Deliberately making spaces for creativity, in regular group and individual meetings and retreats helps flex those dormant creative muscles.

By embedding these practices into our leadership approach, we’re building resilience and setting the stage for a future that’s not just survived but thrived.

As we take these steps towards a sustainable future for our institution, we encourage you, our colleagues across the landscape of higher education, to consider the balance of short-term responses and long-term strategy within your campuses. Engage with us in this vital conversation. Share your experiences and strategies. What works? What challenges do you face? Let’s collaborate and learn from each other to not only adapt to the changing educational environment but to thrive within it. Together, we can foster a culture of enduring success in higher education that will resonate with future generations.

Kristine Barnett is the lead blogger for the ‘Through the Provost’s Window’ column.  She is a career-long educator and academic administrator who often has a unique perspective on all aspects of academic leadership. Dr. Barnett is currently the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina. Specializing in strategic, direction and process improvement at small institutions, she is a frequent presenter, consultant, and coach on academic leadership and accreditation review. She is the author of various articles and publications. Barnett is a Professor of Higher Education at Columbia College, and an adjunct instructor in the Bay Path University EdD in Educational Leadership program.