Your Career: How Not to Sabotage Yourself on the Job

Some work behaviors that seem responsible may not be good for your career or your institution. ADVERTISEMENT [Your Career Logo]( Did someone forward you this newsletter? [Sign up free]( to receive your own copy. Some work behaviors that seem responsible may not be good for your career or your institution. Certainly, as a responsible administrator or academic, you would not inflate enrollment numbers in an official report or use a departmental printer to produce political-campaign brochures. Such actions would get you into trouble. If you consider yourself a card-carrying member of the responsible camp, it may come as a surprise that there are instances when acting with “integrity” can derail, rather than enhance, your career. No one is suggesting you stop acting with integrity and think only of yourself. The point, rather, is that some actions that feel like you’re “doing the right thing,” may not be so right after all. For example: - You believe in standing on principle. Certainly those brave enough to question the integrity of a course of action can prompt a group to make better decisions. But are you climbing onto your soapbox too often? Constant position-taking can be perceived as disruptive and may not only undermine your effectiveness but also earn you a label as a person who is inflexible and unreasonable. - What to try instead: First, recognize that some issues don’t matter enough to waste your valuable political capital on trying to fix them. Even when an issue is truly important, it is best to use outrage sparingly. In general, most people respond better to inquiry rather than advocacy. Rather than enumerate the many reasons an idea is flawed, ask a series of well-spaced questions to help others realize that they are headed in a bad direction. Continue reading: “[Are You Acting With ‘Integrity’ or Just Sabotaging Yourself?]( by Allison M. Vaillancourt Share your suggestions for the newsletter with Denise Magner, an editor at The Chronicle, at denise.magner@chronicle.com. If you’d like to opt out, you can log in to our website and [manage your newsletter preferences here](. ADVERTISEMENT SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to essential news, analysis, and advice. Latest Career Advice, Opinion, and News ADVICE [Still Recovering From Academe, One Year Later]( By William Pannapacker [STORY IMAGE]( A professor walked away from academe and his tenured position in 2021. Here’s where he landed. ADVERTISEMENT ADVICE [Ask the Chair: What to Do When a New Hire Bails]( By Kevin Dettmar [STORY IMAGE]( A new monthly column offers advice on the challenges of running a department. 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FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [Building a Faculty That Flourishes]( [Building a Faculty That Flourishes]( Colleges and universities cannot be successful without vibrant and engaged faculties. Now is the time to figure out sustainable ways to recruit, support, and diversify the faculty. [Order your copy today.]( SPONSOR CONTENT | Tableau [Wanted: Accountants who are data storytellers.]( Accountants have always worked with numbers, but there’s now more data than ever, and new analytics skills are required for the role. What we’re reading. Here’s more on career issues and trends from around the web. See something we should include? [Let me know](mailto:denise.magner@chronicle.com?subject=Your Career feedback). - Science magazine [reports]( on a new study that shows female scientists are “still underpaid” compared with male scientists who have similar publishing records. - In the Harvard Business Review, [advice]( on how managers can “create the conditions for work friendships to flourish.” - In The New York Times, a look at why you [shouldn’t be afraid to ask for help](. New research shows people “underestimate how willing” others are to “lend a hand.” More Career Resources PAY UPDATE [How Much Has Faculty Pay Changed Over Time?]( By Brian O’Leary [STORY IMAGE]( See the latest federal data on compensation for all ranks of the profession at thousands of American colleges. DATA [How Much Are Public-College Presidents Paid?]( [STORY IMAGE]( Base pay, bonuses, and benefits for 196 chief executives at public doctoral universities and systems in 2021. [How Much Are Private-College Presidents Paid?]( [STORY IMAGE]( Base pay, bonuses and benefits for 265 chief executives at private colleges with expenditures of $100-million or more. NEWS [Compare the States]( By Ben Myers and Sandhya Kambhampati [STORY IMAGE]( Explore data on more than 80 measures to see how your state is doing in relation to others on faculty pay, student aid, and more. JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Assistant Professor or Associate Professor in Speech-Language Pathology]( Towson University [PROVOST AND CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER]( American University of Sharjah [Two Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Faculty Positions]( University of Minnesota Twin Cities [Careers Are Built at Kean]( Kean University [College of Education Faculty Openings]( North Carolina State University College of Education [Tenure Track and Non-Tenure Track Faculty Positions in Various Disciplines]( Augsburg University [President]( Siena Heights University [University of North Texas, Denton G. Brint Ryan Endowed Chair in]( University of North Texas, Denton [Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Position in Math]( University of Pennsylvania [Tenure Track, Assistant Professor in Economics]( Massachusetts Institute of Technology [Search other jobs.]( NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK [Please let us know what you thought of today's newsletter in this three-question survey](. This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. [Read this newsletter on the web](. [Manage]( your newsletter preferences, [stop receiving]( this email, or [view]( our privacy policy. © 2022 [The Chronicle of Higher Education]( 1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037