On collegiality in academe (or collegiality really is local).
I was asked what does collegiality mean? In the context of academic life.
It's a question that you will find many different opinions about.
Some suggest it means not making waves.
Others suggest it means chipping in & helping out.
Still others suggest it means turning up to events.
Still others ...
Collegiality is a nebulous term - with few universities offering clear definitions of the term - & many journal articles offering different explanations & illustrations of its application in academic life.
Collegiality is challenging to define because it differs from uni to uni and by what & where you studied.
In a sense, this difficulty is good - it means that the definition is nuanced - it also implies that there is a place for everyone in the academe.
In a sense, this difficulty is bad - it leaves the term open to exploitation - for better or worse - by bad actors in the faculty & the admin.
(if you ever meet me, ask about a certain department chair!)
So if you are an early career person & struggling to understand local norms for collegiality, what can you do?
Start with a base level of human decency.
What does that mean? Be nice to others, don't say no to every service opportunity, & be good to the staff.
Don't complain too much & be nice to students.
Yes, I know, faculty love to complain - note the too much!
Next, grow tough skin.
What you were trained is collegial behavior is unlikely to be 100% correct at your new institution.
It was super confusing when I changed institutions, not once but twice, in three years.
At one school, you had a right to say no to service. At another school, senior faculty were essentially required to do college-level service.
If you didn't play by the rules, you were binged at both places.
Getting binged stinks!
Then, be resilient.
As you learn local expectations for collegiality, you will make mistakes.
See above.
You can't beat yourself up, just grow as you learn.
At one school, candor can be appreciated. At another school, candor is not welcome.
Take time to learn the rules.
Further, recognize that there will always be outliers.
Not everyone will ascribe to your standard or even local rules for collegiality.
When I joined my first institution, a Full Professor walked into my office, gave me the bird, and said I wasn't hot stuff.
I was shocked.
He then said, "now that we got this over with, how could he help me?"
That old guy turned out to be the best colleague in the world.
Moving forward, when in doubt, proceed with caution.
Spend your first year listening and learning.
Figuring out local rules takes time.
Almost done, when in doubt, be nice.
If your local rule is to be tough & candid, and that's not you, then be nice.
If your local rule is to be nice, tough & candid is dangerous.
Finally, don't confuse friendship with collegiality.
I've made this mistake.
But, that is a different post.
Best of luck!
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