Nate Silver’s recently published book opens with this thought provoking quote:
“Data-driven predictions can succeed—and they can fail. It is when we deny our role in the process that the odds of failure rise. Before we demand more of our data, we need to demand more of ourselves.”
This insight, in tandem with the recent report concerning Board Responsibilities for Intercollegiate Athletics, and the six attributes people look for in deciding whether or not to fully accept someone as their leader—Far-sighted, Passionate, Courageous, Wise, Generous, Trustworthy (from Timeless Leadership by Erika Andersen)—got us thinking about what issues conference commissioners face currently.
Since senior athletic leaders across the country are using Win AD to their advantage, Winthrop Intelligence — (helping college athletic administrators increase revenue and make high-stakes decisions) invited conference commissioners Amy Huchthausen of the America East Conference, Rich Ensor of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, Jamie Zaninovich of the West Coast Conference, and Karl Benson of the Sun Belt Conference to share their thoughts on leadership and technology.
What is the most critical leadership quality required in your position?
Amy Huchthausen – America East Conference
Commissioner
I think managing relationships is critical. In a conference, we’re working with different institutions that sometimes have competing interests, yet those interests come together as one organization. Leading that type of structure requires a good understanding of people – their similarities and differences, their styles, their values, their priorities. Good, productive relationships are essential when you rely on consensus to advance the organization.
Rich Ensor – Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Commissioner
Vision. You need to be able to envision where the conference is placed in the DI landscape, how it can be positioned for success and be able to effectively communicate your goals to the league’s internal organization and the public. To be an effective leader, a commissioner must develop consensus about his goals, using the knowledge he has of the schools in the conference and their individual missions, knowledge of the NCAA and business environment that leagues exist in with their media partners, arena managers, etc., and lay out for the conference membership how his vision will lead to success for the conference and its member schools. Oftentimes the commissioner must drive the discussion, as consensus building can be a slow process in a league, and opportunities can be lost if a leader is risk averse.
Jamie Zaninovich – West Coast Conference
Commissioner
The ability to craft, articulate and stay committed to both a strategic vision and a thoughtful organizational culture. Listening is also essential.
Karl Benson – Sun Belt Conference
Commissioner
Having worked for nearly 50 different universities during my career as a commissioner – and hundreds of Presidents/Chancellors, Athletics Directors, Faculty Representatives, Senior Women Administrators – the single most important leadership quality in my opinion is : being a good listener and then having the diplomacy to bring a group to consensus on an issue – especially one where is differing opinion.
How has the relationship with your ADs / Presidents changed or evolved in the last ten years and what changes do you see occurring in the relationship in the next ten years?
Amy Huchthausen –America East Conference
Commissioner
I’ve only been on the job for just over a year so I can’t really address how it’s changed or evolved over time, but I can say our ADs and presidents are extremely engaged and committed to making decisions in the best interest of the league. We’ve focused on being more transparent in how we work together and share information, which has contributed to a culture and environment that has fostered good, productive dialogue and outcomes.
Rich Ensor – Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Commissioner
I think during the course of my 22 years as commissioner the conference is now viewed as a business, with the Commissioner as the CEO of an organization with an extensive business plan that has, at its core, the operation of championships, but includes elements related to marketing/branding, broadcasting, public relations, etc. That shift in focus has resulted in a changes to how I work with the MAAC Council of Presidents, which serves as the Board of Directors for the league and manages MAAC operations as a small business, with expectations that the league’s business plan objectives are being met, and the needs of the member schools being fulfilled, which is the basis for their individual affiliation with the MAAC.
The relationship with the ADs has also evolved, as their positions have grown to include more external relations and fund raising for the department and less day-to-day management. I would say we are much more connected than in my early years as commissioner, technology makes that easier, and as such can quickly interact on the management of the league, new initiatives, NCAA matters and such.
Jamie Zaninovich – West Coast Conference
Commissioner
I have only been a commissioner 5 years, but the relationship has been consistent. It is a compact based on shared values, commitment and trust. Despite the ever changing college athletics environment, I see these elements continuing to be critical to those relationships.
Karl Benson – Sun Belt Conference
Commissioner
Over the past 20 plus years as a commissioner I have always said: I work FOR the Presidents/Chancellors but WITH the Athletics Directors and the other administrative groups and coaches on campus. In the last 10 years as Presidents/Chancellors have taken a greater role in intercollegiate athletics, I am now working more with the Presidents/Chancellors on a day-to-day basis than before. As for the next 10 years, I see that more than likely increasing than decreasing.
What’s one recent challenge that you and your ADs / Presidents wish could be overcome? What would be the ideal outcome?
Amy Huchthausen – America East Conference
Commissioner
The fluidity of conference realignment is a challenge I think most people across the country wish would finally stabilize and be resolved. The ideal outcome is that institutions be realistic about expectations, resources and what’s in the best interest of their student-athletes. We’re in a business that’s about competition so some of the activity is reflective of our culture, but we shouldn’t forget the impact it has on student-athletes and how we best position them for success.
Rich Ensor – Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Commissioner
Seriously, this is a major issue in DI today and one that is redefining the division, the relationship of fans to leagues, trust levels between institutions and administrators, trust among conference commissioners, relationships with broadcast partner, and ultimately will lead to a revised NCAA governance structure.
Ideal Outcome: That institutions find a compatible groups of schools to compete against in intercollegiate athletics that meet their individual missions and that this leads to a stable environment for DI.
Jamie Zaninovich – West Coast Conference
Commissioner
The challenges of operating successful, Division I non-football programs in a landscape dominated by a single sport, football. The ideal outcome would be for football to somehow establish its own model which allows the other programs to not be “dragged along” with its specific needs.
Karl Benson – Sun Belt Conference
Commissioner
Conference realignment and the changes in membership during the past 2 years have resulted in causalities throughout intercollegiate athletics – universities, administrators and unfortunately student-athletes. I wish we could go back and create conferences based on geography and region.
How has the need for information and data evolved during both your current tenure and in the span of your career?
Amy Huchthausen – America East Conference
Commissioner
We’ve certainly advanced to a time where information and data is readily available on just about anything. As resources have shrunk or failed to grow at the same rate as expenses, figuring out how to maximize what you have is critical. There are so many different ways to measure the effectiveness of what you’re doing and the value it has. I think it’s absolutely essential for decision-makers to have access to relevant data and we’re using it more than ever in our conference through tools such as Win AD. I know our administrators who have become clients are finding it incredibly useful.
Rich Ensor – Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Commissioner
Always has been important, find it’s easier to obtain today, allows for informed decision making, but it can also overwhelm the system.
Jamie Zaninovich – West Coast Conference
Commissioner
It becomes more and more essential by the day as decisions become more and more complicated and more and more constituents are involved.
Karl Benson – Sun Belt Conference
Commissioner
Presidents/Chancellors and all university personnel demand and expect information and data on an immediate basis – just like the general U.S. population demands it. We live in a “right now” world that includes intercollegiate athletics – and this requires immediate dissemination of information to our constituencies. I can’t recall the last time I sent or received a FAX – or the last time I had time there was “message light” on in my hotel when I checked-in?
How has more information/data helped achieve strategic goals or quantify success?
Amy Huchthausen – America East Conference
Commissioner
We’ve used an array of data to inform our ADs and presidents about various matters as we continue to build our strategic goals and we are absolutely using it to measure our success. It’s really important to me that I help our presidents and ADs make informed decisions so it’s my responsibility to give them as much relevant information as I can.
Rich Ensor – Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
Commissioner
No question that it does. We need benchmarks to reach in the strategic planning process that are provided through data collection. This includes internal reviews of how the league is performing as well as benchmarks against peer conferences. The MAAC typically does 5-year strategic plans, so the need for data is on-going as we set new plans, evaluate current plans and such.
Jamie Zaninovich – West Coast Conference
Commissioner
It certainly helps, but not in isolation. I am a big believer in the Malcolm Gladwell “Blink” philosophy that the best decisions are those that are based on intuition, built from experience, which are informed and supported by key metrics.
Karl Benson – Sun Belt Conference
Commissioner
As long as the information/data is accurate it has allowed our member universities to make sound and informative decisions. However, as information/data has become more accessible to the general public it has created many more “experts” in the field of intercollegiate athletics who unfortunately are then making their own assessment and analysis of issues. Presidents/Chancellors and Athletics Directors need to be sure they know and can trust who they are depending on for information before making strategic decisions.
