Dr. Kim Burns

Reflection questions for the liminal space of late August

leadership consultant improving higher ed admin

I’ve just returned from vacation. A week at the beach is good for the soul. I know I’ve relaxed when I feel ready to jump back into home and work life. (It also helps that it is raining today so I’m not thinking of someone else taking my spot on the beach.) I’m thankful to […]

Brave & Bold Leadership Group Coaching Program

group of admin in higher ed

At one point while working from home at the height of the pandemic, I had an overflowing inbox, and a long task list, and for some reason every member of my family was in my home office needing something from me (including the dog). It was just too much. I was taking care of everyone […]

The Struggle Is Real

stressed admin in higher ed

Women everywhere are struggling. You may have heard of the women in Boston who gathered for a collective primal scream. I get it. This sucks. Women faced gender-based barriers at work before the pandemic. Now, everything is just so much more difficult. I have such deep empathy for all women, especially for moms of young […]

Use (and practice) your personal scripts

higher ed admin being coached

“Let me think about that and get back to you.” “That’s interesting. Let me look into that.” “Let me look at my calendar before I commit to that.” Personal scripts are phrases you have developed, and practiced in advance, that you use when you need to say something but you are unprepared to address the […]

It’s chill week

consultant for higher ed caring for herself

Do you know what day it is? Are you wearing pjs past noon? Are you still working through all the sweets that you accumulated during the holidays? Author Helena Fitzgerald wrote an article in The Atlantic describing the week between Christmas and New Year’s as a dead week. She writes, Christmas is over and we […]

Are you a multipotentialite?

multi-talented higher ed administrative consultant

A multi what? Multi-potential-ite. A multipotentialite is a person who has many interests and creative pursuits In How to be Everything, Emilie Wapnick talks about how people with lots of different interests don’t fit into the traditional career framework of specializing in one thing. I’m energized because I didn’t know there was a positive identity […]

Do you have an Honor Roll Hangover?

ballet posing higher ed coach

I was once told by a respected colleague that I was responsive and accountable to a fault. The comment made me chuckle. I take pride in dotting all of my i’s and crossing all the t’s (and just to prove this point, I will admit that I just consulted an online dictionary to confirm there […]