Dr. Martinella Dryburgh, Executive Director, Posey Leadership Institute at Austin College, shares three skills that helped her move into leadership roles: collaboration, project management and feedback skills.
“Working on a small campus means needing to collaborate effectively with other departments,” said Dr. Dryburgh. “I consistently look for ways to collaborate with others so that we all have positive outcomes to our work.” Skill two is project management. “Part of my role is to host campus-wide events, project management skills are essential. I can demonstrate my leadership by consistently taking event ideas and executing them.” And the third skill is feedback. “Reading articles on how to effectively give feedback has helped me immensely, “added Dr. Dryburgh. “I have learned how to give students specific, but gentle, feedback on their class performance. I’ve also improved the way I give feedback to colleagues.”
Along with her Ph.D. in Public Affairs from The University of Texas at Dallas, these skills have served her well as Dr. Dryburgh is TWHE president-elect and was awarded TWHE Emerging Leader 2020. She is also a member of the International Leadership Association and Association of Leadership Educators.
In addition to her executive director position, Dr. Dryburgh is also an associate professor of Business Administration, and her current publications and presentations include Flying solo: Professional isolation and role complexity in solo faculty programs. Studies in Higher Education, 2022, and Lessons learned: Women and leadership in mid-career, presented at the International Leadership Association Global Conference, October 14, 2022.
