Hear, Prepare, Don't React:
The Power of Proactive Leadership

00:38Thank you for joining me today for another episode of Data Stakes, where I have conversations with professionals who work directly in the institutional research or effectiveness field, or are data adjacent in their role in higher education. Today's conversation will focus on strategies that contribute to leadership development and help those leaders become proactive and not reactive. My guest today is Talitha Valensky. Dr. Valensky is a campus director at San Juan College, a two-year higher education institution that offers academic and career and technical education. Most recently, she was named the Kirtland Educator of the Year, an honor that recognizes her personal commitment to provide students with guidance, compassion, and belief through her work every day. Prior to her career in higher education, Tee spent 23 years at the Northern Navajo Medical Center. And during this time period, she also earned her doctorate in leadership and bilingual studies, deepening her understanding of how language, culture, and opportunity intersect to shape student success. I met Tee at the recent fall meeting of the Council to Advance Two-Year Colleges, and she reached out to me when I liked a recent post on her LinkedIn feed. So welcome, Tee.

01:57Thank you, Debbie, for that warm introduction. So just to share about the role that I play at San Juan College West is I serve as the campus director and my role is about building pathways. I support students, family, staff, and community members by being innovative in how we connect people to opportunity. That includes like workforce, career, technical education, STEM opportunities, broadband certification training, literacy events through our campus library. What's important to me is that these programs are community driven. The community has voiced a need for these opportunities and our campus is intentionally meeting that need. For the past three years through partnerships at West Campus, we've also provided opportunities for San Juan College students to participate in a summer internship at Harvard University. That experience is especially meaningful to me because my educational journey began at Harvard, where I started my doctorate many years ago. Although I didn't complete it at that time, I went on to finish my doctorate degree 26 years later and seeing our students experience that level of academic rigor is deeply fulfilling. At the heart of my work is creating environments where students can see what is possible because someone once did that for me. My role lives within systems, meet people. My work is about turning institutional resources into stability and opportunity, as my mentor once did for me at Harvard. creating a place where opportunity meet resources.

03:38I'm so impressed. You know, T, I recently left a community college. So we have a lot alike in the passions that we both share. I always intended to forever stay at community colleges because I believe so much in the mission and the outreach to the many different types of students that come to us from our communities, from the adults. who have put off their education like you did with your doctorate and like I did with my master's degree, which I didn't begin until I was in my late 40s. And so the work that you're doing, it's incredible and thank you. Thank you for it. So let's talk a little bit about money and finances though.

04:17Newk. Yes.

04:23So I'm sure that you're aware and all of our audience is aware of the financial stress that many colleges are under and the concerns about costs and aid availability for students. But when you reached out to me about that post with the poster, the event that you were sponsoring, I realized I hadn't read any articles about the stress our colleagues are facing across the nation due to job losses.

04:37Mm-hmm.

04:49And with that addition, I feel like we have all three pain points. Institutions, students, and the colleagues that we value their work. You recently hosted an event called Hear, Prepare, Don't React, which you described as a focused conversation on how confident leaders make sound financial decisions before the pressure hits. So can you tell our listeners about this event and also about your belief that preparation is a leadership advantage?

05:18Yes. So the, had that event this past weekend and it was as a team, shared three financial literacy principles. And I will share one with you in particular is understanding tax advantage opportunities. So it's now that we're in tax season, the goal wasn't to, to overwhelm people with information, but to create a space for leaders to, think clearly before. crisis hits. We wanted participants to step back from reacting mode into preparation mode, gaining clarity, improving decision-making, and knowing when it's important to speak with a licensed professional. I'm no longer surprised about how many people are financially unprepared because I was once myself in that same position. So in 2020, I was hospitalized with COVID-19 and intubated at the University Hospital. I quite literally fought for my life. A month later, I realized that medical costs alone could have pushed me into bankruptcy. What protected me at the time was the COVID relief funds available through the employer. And I remember thinking, what if that support hadn't existed? That experience changed how I thought about leadership. money and preparation. So preparation as a leader advantages because it protects your ability to make calm values aligned decisions when life applies pressure. Leaders who prepare don't panic, they pivot. So most people don't fail because they can't plan. They fail because they don't plan at all.

06:54That is so true. And you know, you've pointed out something that we hear people say every day, that you can be only one medical crisis or one housing crisis away to something that is completely devastating to your life. And I think that some of our colleagues, whether they're seasoned professionals like you and I, or whether they're young higher ed colleagues who have just finished that graduate degree and now they're struggling to find role at a school or an organization. So what advice do you have for younger higher ed colleagues who are beginning their careers and have realized that job security isn't as secure as it once was?

07:34Debbie, I just recently had this question that was asked regarding we had... focus groups within our state regarding like what's the latest trends for the community. And the gentleman says, what if you were to go back? What would be one thing that you would really focus on? And my one focus would be about your purpose. What is your purpose? I think that the more focused that you are, because titles are temporary, right? But your skills are transferable. Skills can continue to grow while titles often remain stagnant. That's why it's so important to stay coachable and see yourself as a lifelong learner. Success rarely happens all at once. It happens in steps. So plan for the long haul and don't forget to enjoy the process along the way. Financial literacy is also professional literacy. Understanding how money works gives you more confidence, control, and options in your career. I encourage people to think about diversifying their income rather than putting their eggs in one basket. Above all, stay proactive and coachable because if you don't take responsibility for your growth, no one will do it for you. So preparation, is it pessimism? It's self-respect.

08:51That is so true. You know, I mentioned that I didn't start my master's degree until my late 40s, and that was because that's when I re-entered the workforce, after spending 20 years at home. My daughters were getting ready to head off to college. The younger one was in high school, and I thought, I'm just gonna step right back into that path. that I started over 20 years ago. And much to my dismay, I discovered that the world had really changed. And we didn't have online learning at the time. I didn't have my teaching certificate anymore, so there was no just stepping back into a master's degree program. so my advice too is do what you can, even though... It doesn't seem to fit the level of your skills. You mentioned about titles, that titles changed. And so at that moment, I realized we needed money and I needed to find an opportunity in the very small Southeastern Kansas town I was in. And so I ended up at the local grocery store. But while I was there, I worked hard, I moved up, became an evening manager for the cashiers. And lo and behold, when a job opening at the local community college came up, guess who the potential new supervisor was? One of my favorite customers from the grocery store. That man in a suit. was the Dean of Students, you know? And after I got that job and began to teach first year experience students, I told them that wherever you are, no matter whether or not you feel a job or a role is below you, you bring your A-game because you really never know what might come out of that for you, what opportunities. So, Tell me, if one of our listeners today wanted to reach out to you and get some guidance, how do they do that? Where's the best place to find you?

10:47Well, the best place to that colleagues or individuals would like, they can call me or text me directly at my cell phone at 505-860-0743. Or they can email me at wfgtellletha.walensky.com. I always start with conversations and clarity, listening first to understand what kind of support they're looking for, whether it's retirement planning, estate planning, or financial education, or just individuals who are looking for a mentor. It's been that way recently. I was able to, I reached out to, well, I always believe in divine appointments or individuals who come my way, just like you had mentioned about the Dean that you met while you're at the grocery store. People come in your path. And so that part of it is just, you know, my approach is very intentional. I want people to feel informed and confident, not pressured. So no pressure. I'll just be asking questions because that's the way, you know, because I, one of my big thing in life is

11:34Yes.

11:51For people to critically think or deeply think about things. So that's partly why I'd be asking those questions, because the answers are there. It just needs someone to guide you.

12:02Right. So let's pivot to the importance of a proactive response as a key trait in leadership. Can you talk a little bit more about that?

12:10I really liked this question. So proactive leadership means acting before urgency forces you to, to act. Reactive is loud. Proactive leadership is calm and strategic. Let me say that again, because it matters. Proactive leadership is calm and strategic. Proactive leaders don't wait for permission for a crisis to happen. They anticipate, prepare, and position themselves and their organization to respond thoughtfully rather than intentionally. I believe in higher education, proactive leaders look like, looks like planning for enrollment shifts before they happen, supporting their staff before burnout hits, building financial resilience. Before job changes occur and reactive leadership is stressful and short-sighted, but proactive leadership creates stability. So most recently we had this something happen in our community when power plants left our region. And so jobs that many families depended on for their primary income, educators and business owners had to pivot. The question became what will bring long-term stability to the community? So today we're answering that by building programs that prepare students and families for opportunities in a rapidly growing technological economy. That shift didn't happen by accident. It happened because leaders chose foresight over fear and preparation over panic. Leaders who strive, who will strive in this next era, those who are listening in higher education are the ones who prepare early and lead calmly. So promote preparation creates options and options create peace.

13:53You know, one thing I think that we don't talk enough about is that being proactive means being willing to take some risks. You mentioned having foresight and having read about future thinking and applying it in a recent strategic plan. It does require you to step out into areas where you're not comfortable. But I feel that if you have the data, if you have the mindset, risk-taking can be a tool in your proactive toolkit. So we cross paths at breakfast in October, I believe, at the council to advance to your college's conference. So let's end by giving them a little more visibility because I, you know, I've been more than 10 years.

14:28Yes, we did.

14:45In Kansas and was not aware of this fabulous group that is trying to work together to help each campus address accreditation issues. So if you've never heard of the Council to Advance Two-Year Colleges, this is a 19-state organization focused on two-year education and accreditation standards, practices, and policies. And so when we met earlier, In January, you mentioned that you are now a new member of their executive committee. So what does that mean for you? What are you gonna be doing?

15:19Well, I do remember that day. I came down to get breakfast. one of the things I, cause that was my first time having gone to a conference of some sort. Cause most of them were just within my region, but this was actually across states. So I was like really intentional about meeting new people and just making those connections. Again, I'm still very new in the role of the executive committee and I'll be attending our first meeting later this week. I don't want to get ahead of the process, but what I do know is we're planning on the upcoming events and initiatives focused on strengthening two-year community colleges across the region. But what I am excited about most is the opportunity to have to take part in conversations that evaluate systems within community colleges. And how do we actually measure impact? How do we define access, success for students and educators in a meaningful ways? And I'm also looking forward to learning about my colleagues across institutions and understanding best practices. and contributing to a broader view of how educational systems function. While still staying grounded in the day-to-day details that affect students and staff, I see it as a great opportunity to see the big picture while working thoughtfully within the complexities of higher education. Because I didn't realize how detailed things were in terms of that broad aspect of how Data is collected the moment that their students are recruited to a community college. And then they're also evaluated when they get a job. And there's just the whole range. And I'm really excited about to really understand that more with others.

17:10Well, I'm sure you'll be a great choice for their committee. So congratulations. So it was great having you as a guest. I enjoyed learning more about how you can support our colleagues who may be facing struggles financially.

17:15Thank you.

17:25And to our listeners, thanks for joining us for another episode of Data Stakes. If you have any questions about today's conversation, please don't hesitate to reach out to me at dfelps at Datatelligent.ai. Have a great week.