Description
Redefining Leadership—From the Inside Out
Leadership in higher education is rarely simple—but for those leading from the margins, it can be uniquely complex. The Glass Cliff explores what it means to lead with integrity in institutions built on tradition, hierarchy, and too often, exclusion. Drawing from his lived experience as an openly transgender department chair and his expertise as an experimental psychologist, Professor Mel Rutherford offers a compelling roadmap for building trust, community, and resilience amid crisis and systemic bias.
Through a rare combination of research, reflection, and real-world leadership practice, Rutherford weaves together values-based governance, shared leadership, and compassionate accountability into a model of inclusive transformation. His story illuminates the intersection of personal calling and professional responsibility—offering both guidance and solidarity for those working to reshape organizational culture by including:
- Evidence-based research with narrative storytelling to make leadership theory accessible and practical
- Values-based decision-making grounded in psychology and Unitarian Universalist principles
- How shared leadership and consensus-building strengthen community during times of institutional crisis
- The author’s Leadership Essentials program and Leadership Odyssey online course, offering an integrated path for deeper leadership development
Ideal for graduate and professional courses in Leadership, Gender Studies, Psychology, and Organizational Behavior, The Glass Cliff: One Transman’s Leadership Odyssey supports both emerging and experienced leaders in higher education, business, and nonprofit sectors. It is an essential resource for DEI practitioners, faculty developers, HR professionals, and anyone seeking to foster inclusive and values-driven leadership.
Table of Contents
Preface ix
Author’s Notex
1 The Crisis and the Calling 1
Department Interrupted 2
A Dangerous Promotion 5
Could We Be Looking for Me? 7
Bringing My Values to Work 8
Answering the Call 12
A Perilous Path 15
References 16
2 Transitions: Oregon Farm Kid to Activist and Academic 17
Being Benched and Being Seen 19
Propriety and Performance 21
Getting Closer 22
Namewrecked 24
Love and Marriage 25
Fatherhood in Two Countries 26
Taking My Shot 27
Transitioning to Leadership 30
References 31
3 Communication and Chaos in the Information Desert 32
Information Desert 35
Deep Listening 37
The Inquiry and Remedy Committee 40
From Crisis to Clarity 41
When Leading Is Advocacy 44
The Flaherty Report 46
Back to Work 48
References 49
4 Values- Based Governance 50
Naming My Personal Values 50
Values Delayed 52
Identifying Our Core Values 54
Values in Action 56
Formal Consensus Decision-Making 59
The Original Blueprint 61
Consensus in Action 63
Building Culture with Values 64
References 65
5 The Glass Cliff 66
Clarity Was My Responsibility 67
Denunciation 71
Am I the Problem? 73
In the Halls of Power 74
Unanimous Support 78
Trans Tropes 80
References 82
6 A Workplace Investigation and a Secret Report 83
Scrutiny 85
A Workplace Investigation 86
A Secret Report 87
Remote and Recorded 90
Reprisal 93
Was This All About Transphobia? 95
The Impact of Being a Glass Cliff Leader 97
References 99
7 Shared Leadership: Just the Support I Needed 100
Why Shared Leadership? 101
The Wisdom of Previous Leaders 102
Built in Succession Planning 104
Creating Shared Information 105
Shared Leadership Leaves You Nimble 106
Strategic Planning 107
Name It Leadership 109
Developing Leaders at All Levels 111
Developing Leaders with an Eye to Inclusivity 112
Academia Is an Ideal Workplace for Shared Leadership 113
Moving Forward 114
References 114
8 Refusing Shame: How We Made Our Good Work Visible 115
Reclaiming Our Name 116
Listening Up: Leadership in the Hierarchy 117
Managing Up: Rebuilding Relationship Through Institutional Engagement 119
Strategic Presence: Cultivating Influence Through Shared Governance 120
Celebrating Our Excellence: Visibility, Identity, and Renewal 124
Building Trust by Being There 125
Awards and Celebrations 126
The Quiet Work of Showing Up 128
References 129
9 Please Don’t Destroy: Compassion in Accountability 130
Building a Culture of Calling In 131
Calling Out Hurts 133
Calling In: Small and Large 134
Listen Before Picking Sides 135
How to Call Someone In 136
Explicit Goals Constrain Biases 138
Performative Advocacy 140
The Ripple Effect of Trust and Curiosity 141
When Calling In Is Not the Right Tool 142
References 144
10 Lessons Learned: The Exit Interview I Gave Myself 145
Values Are Your Compass 145
Have a Development Mindset 146
Protect Glass Cliff Leaders 147
Protect Your People 148
Policy and Poise: Tools for Surviving Institutional Bias 149
Keep Showing Up 150
Create Relationships and Strategic Networks 151
Apologize Like a Boss 152
Be Approachable 153
Step Up, Step Back 154
Find What Sustains You 155
Return on Investment: The Value of Transgender Leadership 155
Respond Compassionately to Misgendering 157
Calibrate Your Vulnerability 158
The Fragility of Good Faith 159
Growing Edges 160
References 160
11 How I Survived the Glass Cliff 161
Family 162
My Unitarian Universalist Community 164
My Colleagues 165
Transgender Allies 167
Leaders in Inclusion 167
Counseling 169
My Own Resilience 170
Détente 171
References 173
Acknowledgments 174
Index 175
