Leadership Lessons

As president of the University of Virginia since 2010, Teresa Sullivan has encountered challenges both big and small. She knows, though, an organization of this size and scope cannot be run by one person alone. Open communication in the University of Virginia community — including seeking opinions of others, whether favorable or not — is at the root of Sullivan's success as a leader.

"Sometimes it's the people who don't lift their voices who have the real wisdom to share with you," she says. "I also have tried to pull together deliberately people of opposing views to talk with me, so that I don't get into an expectation bias where everybdy around me is saying the same things, but [instead] I know I'll be challenged. ... I think it's a good policy for any leader."

In this edition of the Harvard EdCast, Sullivan — at the Ed School last spring as part of an Askwith Forum — reflects on leadership, her role models, and tips for developing a strong culture in higher education.

About the Harvard EdCast

The Harvard EdCast is a weekly series of podcasts, available on the Harvard University iTunes U page, that features a 15-20 minute conversation with thought leaders in the field of education from across the country and around the world. Hosted by Matt Weber, the Harvard EdCast is a space for educational discourse and openness, focusing on the myriad issues and current events related to the field.