Kari Henquinet is quoted multiple times by International Educator Magazine in the story “Leading from the Middle” in its January 2023 issue. Henquinet shares her experiences leading and advocating for international education programs in higher education in the story, which discussed effective strategies for mid-level leaders in higher ed. Mid-level staff can be effective leaders—even when they lack official authority or decision-making power.
Among her quotes:
issue of International Educator Magazine
Kari recommends that middle managers “try to cultivate relationships with influential people in your institution—people who have the ear of the upper administration or get to sit at the table for decisions that are made,” she says. “Pay attention to new initiatives, strategic plans, trends in higher education, so that you can get involved and support these on your campus in a way that positively impacts international education.”
When asked about mid-level managers, Kari says, ““These are people who have a measure of humility and listen for new perspectives and information. They will step up to do the hard work of researching and proposing ideas that are based on sound policies, facilitate complex conversations, and get buy-in or constructive criticism through each step of the process.”
They “communicate their work and results clearly and widely to draw attention to their contributions,” Henquinet said. “There is often a lot of good work that goes unnoticed in international education. The more a leader can make this work a point of pride and prestige for their institution, the better the chances are for more support and recognition.”
On what motivates her to be a leader: “It is usually the students who ultimately give me that motivation to be a leader,” says Henquinet. “I want them to have the opportunities to develop diverse relationships, find support networks while in a new place, build confidence speaking a second or third language, and know the power of experiential learning through study abroad, research and professional experiences.”
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