Department chairs often lead with minimal formal leadership experience, facing the complexities of departmental politics and long-standing histories without structured support. Academic Impressions has empowered hundreds of department chairs globally to develop a clear leadership philosophy and essential interpersonal skills for navigating conflict and managing relationships at all levels.
With the Department Chairs Success Program, your chairs will:
Strengthen Internal Networks and Build Relationship Capital to foster collaboration and support across the institution.
Gain Leadership Agency and Proactively Address Challenges with confidence and resilience.
Navigate Major Campus Changes—including leadership transitions at the dean level and above—with adaptability and insight.
Think Creatively and Innovatively About Resource Management to maximize impact within their departments.
Set your chairs up for success as influential department leaders with the Department Chairs Success Program.
What is Included in the Department Chairs Success Program?
01.
Custom design session:
You’ll start with a personalized design session where we work closely with you to tailor the program to the specific needs of your chairs. Together, we’ll determine how to meet the unique goals you have in mind. We’ll guide you through the available options and pinpoint the outcomes most important to your team.
02.
A conference registration for each chair:
Each chair in your cohort will receive a conference registration to help them strengthen their leadership skills. Whether they're new in their role or seasoned leaders, we’ll recommend national workshops that fit their needs:
Suggested Conferences for a New Chair:
- Essential Leadership Skills for Department Chairs – June and October 2025
- The Fundamentals of Leadership for New or Aspiring Leaders – coming soon, July 2025
- Next-Level Leadership: An Institute for Current or Aspiring Women Leaders – coming soon, March 2025
- Leading the Way for the Future of Higher Education through Ingenious Leadership – January 2025
Suggested conferences for an experienced chair:
- Managing Difficult Faculty and Staff – July 2025
- Leading from the Middle: Essential Skills to Drive Success – September 2025
- From Vision to Action: Strategic Planning for a Lasting Impact – March 2025
- Fundraising for Deans and Academic Leaders – March and October 2025
- Executive-Level Leadership: An Institute for Advanced Women Leaders in Higher Education – July 2025
We’ll work with you to select the best conference for each chair’s growth and goals.
03.
Group coaching for your cohort:
Your chairs will participate in six structured group coaching sessions tailored to their specific challenges and designed to foster a supportive network. These sessions help chairs address real-world departmental challenges while building lasting connections for ongoing peer support.
Depending on the group, coaching will cover things such as:
- Managing Change
- Getting Faculty Buy in
- Conflict Management
- Managing Up, Down, and Across
Who Are Our Attendees
What Our Attendees Are Saying
"I truly enjoyed working with my own team to strengthen our leadership awareness and skills, and it was so beneficial to connect with others from other institutions who have shared experiences."
"The program was an amazing experience for me, and helped me to reflect on a couple of key issues I am currently grappling with in my role. Also, the people were amazing and supportive - both the attendees and the instructors - and they are now all a part of my growing network."
"Fantastic experience! Every presenter was well-prepared, and the agenda was spot on, creating a friendly and open space that made sharing experiences easy. The balance of serious administrative pro tips, empathy-based strategies, and levity, combined with good food and community building, created a positive and enjoyable experience. I appreciated the time together with so many people with diverse experiences and perspectives. "
Flexible Pricing Options
Pricing is based on cohort size. The standard package is for a cohort of 4-6; please contact us to customize a package for your chairs with a different cohort size.
4-6 chairs: $25,000 total
Valued at $37,500 (savings of $12,500)
Give your chairs the tools to succeed—contact us for your custom program overview and take the first step in shaping effective department leaders.