So, the other day, I overheard a department head ranting about his own faculty—with an outsider. And not just any mild, harmless venting. This was full-on, “These people just don’t get it, I’m surrounded by resistance!” energy. You know, the kind of frustration that makes you pace the room, throw your hands in the air, and question whether you should have just become a florist instead.

And it got me thinking—what is administration, really? Is it just about making sure things run? Is it about forcing our ideas through, no matter the resistance? Is it about serving the larger interest of the organization? Or is it more of a fragile, delicate dance of consensus-building, like trying to get a group of toddlers to agree on a bedtime story?

I fell deep into this spiral of thoughts, and since you’re here, you’re coming with me. Let’s talk about what makes good administration—the golden principles that separate the truly great leaders from the ones who think “leadership” means “because I said so.”

1. Administration Is Not a Solo Act

Look, you may have a vision. A bold, innovative, world-changing vision. But if your team isn’t on board, you’re basically that person trying to start a slow clap at the wrong moment. No one follows ideas simply because they’re “right”—they follow ideas that make sense to them, ideas they feel part of. Administration isn’t about pushing an agenda; it’s about bringing people together around one.

2. The Organization Comes First (Not Your Ego, Sorry)

There’s a fine line between being a passionate leader and being, well… a dictator. When making decisions, the question should always be: What serves the greater good of the organization? Not “What makes me look good?” or “What proves my point?” The moment personal ego overshadows organizational health, things start going downhill fast.

3. People Resist Change, Not Because They’re Difficult, But Because They Weren’t Included

Resistance isn’t always about stubbornness. It’s often about fear, uncertainty, or just not understanding why a change is happening. The best administrators don’t bulldoze through resistance—they address it. They explain, they listen, they adapt. A change that people feel they had a hand in shaping is always easier to implement than one that’s just dropped on them like an unexpected PowerPoint presentation.

4. Conflict Isn’t the Enemy—Mismanagement of Conflict Is

Avoiding conflict doesn’t mean you’re running a smooth ship; it means you’re probably ignoring some serious icebergs. The best administrators don’t fear disagreements—they manage them. They create a space where people can air concerns, debate, and then move forward instead of festering in passive-aggressive email chains.

5. Consensus Doesn’t Mean Everyone Is Happy, It Means Everyone Can Move Forward

Here’s the thing: you’re never going to get 100% of people completely happy with a decision. But administration isn’t about pleasing everyone; it’s about creating a functional, forward-moving system where people can at least accept the decisions made. The goal isn’t universal love—it’s workable, sustainable agreement.

6. The Best Administrators Don’t Just Manage, They Inspire

People don’t just need a boss; they need a leader. And a leader doesn’t just keep things running—they motivate, they uplift, they make people believe in the purpose of what they’re doing. The best administration is invisible in the sense that it’s so good, people don’t even realize how seamlessly things are working. It’s not about control; it’s about enabling greatness.

So, back to that department head who was venting to an outsider. I get it—frustration happens. But leadership isn’t about proving a point. It’s about making things work. And if your whole team is resisting you, maybe the problem isn’t them. Maybe it’s time to step back, listen, and figure out if the goal is to be right—or to actually lead.