What if spending years on strategic planning is holding your college back?

Sarah Holtan, PhD and Mark Blegen, PhD, President of Linfield University, get candid about why nimble, corporate-inspired strategic plans may be the lifeline small colleges need right now. Forget hundred-page binders. Dr. Blegen shares how focusing on a sharp budget, culture check, and clear priorities powers real change.

Most schools compete with lookalike programs and struggle to differentiate. Dr. Blegen's “quick win” plan insists on honest data discussions and measurable results. No more chasing every trend or funding aimless pet projects. Think your institution could handle tough conversations about cutting old programs to focus on what matters most?

What’s the secret to building real momentum without watering everything down? Listen in as Dr. Blegen explains his approach to strategic planning that keeps culture and results front and center.

Episode Highlights:

02:46 - I think a lot of strategic plans fail because the leaders don't understand the culture and what they're stepping into, and they try to do too much too quickly, or we're just not paying attention to where the institution is in terms of culture.

07:07 - I don't want this laundry list of priorities that we will gather and we will listen and we will talk and we will hear and we discuss. But at the end of the day, I'm going to take all that information and sit down and name the priorities.

12:48 - I was very clear with our community that over the holiday break, I was going to sit down and write the framework to write to sit down and say, here's what I heard, here's what I believe our opportunities are, and here's what I think our priority should be.

25:34 - Just listen because you learn so much when you do that and it's really going to inform your process.

Sarah Holtan, PhD

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Mark Blegen, PhD

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