Catching up with Cody: Passionate Work

A topic I frequently receive questions about is staff and faculty morale. 

Morale is often a challenge in most organizations at varying points of their existence. Here at Regis, I know it is a key concern and has been for a while. The last few years have been tough, from a cyberattack and the COVID-19 pandemic to budget cuts and enrollment challenges. I truly appreciate the resilience, as these threats have taken a toll. 

Morale requires strong doses of confidence and enthusiasm. The fierce desire to do one’s passionate work and serve the needs of our students can keep one feeling motivated. Self-care also can help support morale. But a key ingredient to organizational morale is leadership that is authentic, transparent, and hopeful about the future.

“There are far better things ahead than we ever leave behind.” – C.S. Lewis 

A common critique that when it comes to poor morale is that people do not feel their struggles are being acknowledged. While leaders cannot solve all problems to everyone’s satisfaction – such as compensation or immediate career paths – they can listen to their team and find solutions or alternatives to help their teams grow stronger.

Change is also in the air here and will continue for months to come. This means we need to acknowledge that there are equal parts hope and anxiety. As a community, it is particularly important that we address these stressors as best we can.

So, I pledge, and I encourage all unit leaders at Regis to do so as well, to make morale a priority as we begin this fall. It matters to the overall health of our institution. And it matters to our students, as it will directly affect their student experience at Regis.

As we kick off this academic year and work to serve our students and community even better, let us all be intentional about how we treat one another, listen to each other, respect each other, acknowledge our successes and struggles, and demonstrate for all how a community pulls together and gets through tough times with dignity and spirit intact.

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience but where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.” – Martin Luther King Jr.