By Gary Weedman
(From our series “The Best or Worst Advice I”ve Ever Received.”ย)
I have received three pieces of advice that have been of equal value to me in the latter part of my professional career.รย
When I went to Milligan College, Dave Rose, a retired insurance executive and alumnus of Milligan, said to me in his cantankerous way, “Weedman, if you”re going to be a successful administrator, you need to learn what I had to learn”โ”หhire slowly and fire fast.””ย Take your time, attend to due diligence with the first; when you”ve made a mistake, don”t let it linger, hurting the institution and the individual.รย
Don Jeanes, president of Milligan, had similar advice”โ”Don”t cut your finger off one inch at a time.”ย Get the unpleasantness out of the way and move on to the positive.รย
After I became president of Johnson University, I asked veteran President Jim Taylor of the University of the Cumberlands what was the best, one-sentence advice he could give a novice president. He said, “Learn to say to your critics, “หYou may be right! And then let silence reign.””ยรย
Some of the time I have followed all three of these wise men.
Gary Weedman serves as president of รย Johnson University.
Author: Christian Standard
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