Incoming Eastern Washington Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tim Collins joins ADU’s Steph Garcia Cichosz to discuss his journey to the Big Chair, digging into the process of going through a public AD search, garnering trust with a new staff and establishing accessibility with student-athletes. Collins reflects on his background as a coach and fundraiser and how both experiences will influence his leadership style in Cheney before sharing more about the life transitions that come with becoming a first-time AD. Collins and Garcia Cichosz also discuss the role self-interest plays in the competitive world of collegiate athletics, where “playing to win” has to be balanced with being a team player within a department.
The conversation is indexed below for efficient viewing: - 0:26 - Your start date isn't for a few weeks but how busy have you been since being named the next Eastern Washington AD?
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1:30 - How has the concept of "fit" evolved as you've advanced throughout your life and career? How does the definition of fit change as your priorities change?
- 2:46 - Did anything surprise you about the AD search process? Do you have any advice for navigating the different steps it took to get to the big chair?
- 4:44 - How much thought goes into details such as picking the right suit jacket for your introductory press conference?
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6:08 - How did your mindset shift when walking on campus as just a candidate versus walking on as the big boss?
- 7:08 - How will you gain influence and garner trust from your new staff, from the student-athletes and from campus stakeholders as the new AD - aside from having the AD title?
- 9:19 - What strategies from your fundraising experience will you tap into as you build key relationships with the community?
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10:24 - What qualities from your coaching days have you translated to your style as a leader?
- 13:16 - What role does self-interest play in the journey to the big chair? How do you balance playing to win versus being a team player throughout your career?
- 14:56 - Former Eastern Washington AD Lynn Hickey's advice to new ADs is to take an even longer listening tour than you'd think to do; what's going to be your first step when you arrive in Cheney?
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16:44 - How do you manage the life transitions that come with becoming a new AD?
- 18:48 - What does balance look like for you?
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