Giving up Perfection with Tania Tetlow, President of Fordham University

It’s tempting to believe that if leaders strive to maintain an aura of perfection, this effort will then trickle down throughout our organization and make everyone want to be better. Today, Michelle and Tania Tetlow, President of Fordham University, are here to share stories as to why this couldn’t be further from the truth of leading effectively.

Tania reflects that her moments of imperfection often achieved the greatest level of trust with her teams. And as Michelle argues, it’s not until we have this trust and resulting connection that our organizations are poised to strive for greatness.

Tania Tetlow was named the 33rd president of Fordham University on February 10, 2022, and took office on July 1. She is the first layperson, and the first woman, to hold the office at Fordham. President Tetlow was the 17th president of Loyola University New Orleans. She was the first woman and the first layperson to lead Loyola since the Society of Jesus founded the university in 1912. President Tetlow was also the fourth, as well as the youngest, woman to lead one of the 27 colleges and universities in the U.S. that make up the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. She joined Loyola in August 2018 and during her tenure ushered in a new and exciting era at the Jesuit, Catholic university.

You can find out more about picking up a copy of Michelle Johnston’s newest book, The Seismic Shift, by clicking here.

Episode 3