In a recent article from the Chronicle of Higher Ed, David D Perlmutter (Texas Tech University) discusses five ways that postsecondary administrators can ensure that they are paying attention to the work that matters and attain a sense of self-fulfillment. Perlmutter explains that mattering involves both feeling valued and adding value and notes the importance of mattering to morale and job performance. The author encourages administrators to keep track of metrics, focus on attaching value to outcomes rather than to bureaucracy, and call attention to positive news and “good wins.” Perlmutter also advises administrators to pause and consider what they have done right and accept that while there are different understandings of what is important on campus, the mundane still matters.
