The Department Chair’s Relationship Problem

October 12, 2025

(And Why It’s Killing Your Influence)

You became chair because you’re brilliant at your discipline. You’ve published, mentored, and earned respect.

Then, overnight, the job changed from doing great work to leading people, many of them, your peers.

And now? You’re isolated.

You’re buried in admin work no one trained you for. You hesitate to ask for help because you don’t want to look lost. You avoid cross-campus connections because it feels political, and you didn’t sign up for politics.

Meanwhile, your department stalls. Your initiatives die in committee. You’re working 60 hours a week and wondering what you’re doing wrong.

Here’s the truth no one told you:

Your success as chair has less to do with your scholarship and everything to do with your relationships.

Here’s the playbook: understand the isolation trap, redefine your team, build cross-campus relationships, make them reciprocal, and start small—but start now.

The Isolation Problem

Universities know this role is lonely. That’s why some have created “chair circles” to shrink the distance, boost confidence, and bring purpose back to the job.

If you’re honest, when was the last time you:

Had coffee with another chair to talk shop?
Called a peer at another school for advice?
Met with IT or facilities just to learn how they work?
Asked someone in the dean’s office what keeps them up at night?

If your answer is rarely, you’re not alone. Most new chairs avoid relationship-building because it feels like networking, and networking feels gross.

Let’s fix that thinking.

Why Academics Resist Relationship-Building

Academia prizes independence. We value being right more than being connected.

But here’s the problem: you can’t lead in isolation.

This isn’t about schmoozing. It’s about understanding how your institution runs and who actually makes it run.

Relationships get your department funded, staffed, and supported.
They help you navigate conflict, influence decisions, and advocate effectively.

Everyone around you is smart and hardworking. What separates successful chairs is their ability to build trust across the institution.

“Dialogue leads to connection, which leads to trust, which leads to engagement.” — Seth Godin

Redefining “Team”

Your team isn’t just your faculty.

Your team is everyone who helps move your initiatives from idea to done.

That includes:

Faculty and staff
Peer chairs
Associate deans and operations staff
Admissions, facilities, IT, HR, development

Big initiatives (new programs, accreditation, enrollment, budgets) cross boundaries. The corporate world figured this out decades ago. Higher ed is still catching up.

Why Relationships Matter

Let’s get practical.

1. They change how you see others

When admissions misses targets or IT delays your request, it’s easy to assume incompetence. Strong relationships replace frustration with understanding and open doors to collaboration.

2. They make your department more effective

Know how and when decisions happen. Align your requests with the dean’s priorities. Translate institutional processes for your faculty.

Example:
If you understand the budget cycle, you’ll know when to request that new faculty line and how to frame it so it lands.

3. They give you a voice

Most decisions happen when you’re not in the room. If you haven’t built relationships with people who are, your department doesn’t have representation.

4. They grow your perspective

The best chairs are “T-shaped”: deep in one area, broad across many.
You build that breadth by being curious about others’ worlds, budget, enrollment, IT, and development.

5. They create opportunity

Opportunities rarely come from open calls. They come from trust.
When a dean needs someone reliable, they think of the chairs they know.

Make It Reciprocal

Relationships fail when they’re one-way.

Be helpful. Offer what you know. Lend perspective. Listen more than you talk.

Maybe another chair needs to vent. Maybe the dean’s office needs feedback from the field. Maybe someone in admissions needs your insight.

Avoid saying: “That’s not my job.”

That phrase kills influence faster than budget cuts.

Where to Start

You’re thinking, I don’t have time for this.
You don’t have time not to.

Every hour spent building relationships saves dozens later.

Start small. Start now.

1. Your department staff

They know everything. Treat them like partners, not assistants.

2. One peer chair

Ask what they wish they’d known in year one. Schedule a monthly coffee.

3. Someone in the dean’s office

They control access to information and often know more than the dean.

Then expand to:

Chairs of potential partner departments
Associate deans and assistant provosts
Student services, admissions, and IT
Development officers

How to Reach Out

Put it on your calendar. Then do it.

Sample outreach:

“Hi [Name], I’m chair of [Department]. I’d love to learn how [their area] works so I can collaborate better. Would you have 30 minutes for coffee next week?”

When you meet, ask:

What’s most challenging about your role?
What do you wish chairs understood?
How can I make your job easier?

And always end with: How can I help you?

The Long Game

Build relationships before you need them.

When budget cuts hit or you’re trying to retain key faculty, those connections pay off.

This isn’t politics. It’s leadership.
Nothing meaningful in higher ed gets done alone.

The chairs who invest in relationships are the ones whose departments thrive even in hard times.

Final Thought

You didn’t become chair to “network.” You did it to make an impact.

So apply your scholarly curiosity to people, not just ideas.
Be genuine. Be curious. Be helpful. Be human.

In academic leadership, as in research, collaboration always beats isolation.

Related Resources

Want to build relationships that move your department forward?
Let’stalk.

You’re great at the work. Let’s make it visible.

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