The bros and dudes--you know, the archetype that academia was built for? Here are 5 things about academia they don’t want you to know.

When I talk about bros and dudes, I’m hoping you got a little giggle, but I also hope you understand who I mean. This is the stereotypical model professor that the academic system was built for and based on. This is the reason that academia needs to change. So I’m sharing 5 things they don’t want you to know, so you can shift your mindset, choose your own path, and design a career you love.

1. There is more than one way to be successful.

You don’t have to accept the ‘traditional’ path to success that the patriarchal, racist, ableist system has laid out. You get to define what success means to you, and then design your career to take your own path in getting there. The way we go about this in my programs is through putting your writing at the center.

 

“There are multiple paths to success, and you get to choose the one that you take.”

  2. You have more power to change your career than you think.

We are conditioned to believe that we should just shut up and be grateful for the job we have. But, you have power! Consider sharing your needs, your wants and your intentions. You might be surprised at how much you are able to influence your career just by stepping into your power and speaking up.

  3. They rely on community too.

The stereotypical image of the lone wolf professor is a fallacy, friends. Those bros and dudes have community...whether it’s someone at home feeding them, or child care supports, or like-minded colleagues and students, they rely on community too. Leaning into supports and learning from others isn’t weakness, it’s the best way to move forward in your career!

4. People will respect you when you make boss moves in your career.

When you are designing your career, aligning things to your own priorities, setting and keeping boundaries, people will respect you. You’ll be teaching people how to treat you and what your expectations are. And you will be influencing the next generation of academics by giving your students a model of what academia can and should look like.

 

There will be some people who won’t respect you for your boss moves...who might feel threatened or think you are “too ambitious” or not selfless enough. Those people are not a part of what you’re building and they’ll get left behind!

5. You don’t have to figure out everything on your own...there are programs and knowledge out there to help you.

You can learn and grow. You don’t have to have it all figured out, and you aren’t alone! Asking for help, sharing our knowledge, and looking for ways to develop as scholars are the things that will build a better career, and a better academic culture. There are programs (like my Amplify program!) and books that can help you with building a career you love. 

Amplify is coming soon! This is a 6 month training and coaching program for early career, tenure track people identifying as women who want to do academia differently and learn to design a career they love. Join me on June 23, 2021 at noon EST for an info session to learn all about the program, and the 3 main things to focus on to improve your tenure experience. Sign up for the info session here. 

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This episode was first published at cathymazak.com/episode82.