“If you’re not listening to your customers, to your students, to your users, then you run the risk of using generic best practices that work in situation X, but might totally face plant in situation Y." - Elliot Felix

Is the future of higher education about piling on more programs, services, and systems, or about focusing on what truly helps students succeed? And how often do colleges and universities leap to solutions before asking what students actually need?

In this episode of Transformative Leadership Conversations, I sit down with Elliot Felix, author of The Connected College, to explore what higher ed leaders - and really, leaders everywhere - can learn about breaking silos, designing better student experiences, and leading through complexity and change. Elliot brings stories from campuses across the country, along with

practical tools and a fresh way of thinking about leadership.

You’ll hear us discuss:

• Why “less with more” helps institutions focus resources on what makes the biggest difference for students
• How everyday habits of prioritization create clarity for leaders, faculty, and staff
• The double diamond framework and how defining the right problem first improves student outcomes
• What design thinking looks like when universities listen to students and design around their experience
• How prototyping new programs can reduce risk and build confidence before scaling up
• The danger of overwhelming faculty and staff with too much information, and how to strike a healthier balance
• The leadership myth Elliot once believed and how working with students and campuses changed his perspective

Resources

Elliot Felix on the Web | The Connected College Book | The Connected College Podcast | LinkedIn

Winnie da Silva on LinkedIn | On the Web | Substack | YouTube | Email - winnie@winnifred.org