The Pulse of Higher Ed

Perspectives on Online and Professional Education
from UPCEA’s Research and Consulting Experts

Leading with Values-Based Influence in Higher Education

A person (Vickie Cook) smiling

By Vickie Cook

Why Values-Based Influence Matters Now 

Higher education is undergoing seismic shifts—demographic changes, budget constraints, AI disruption, and questions of relevance. In this environment, how we lead and why we lead matters as much as what we do as leaders. Leaders who operate from a strong internal compass—those grounded in values—offer clarity, stability, and hope. 

Values-based influence is not about hierarchy or control. It’s about leading with integrity, building credibility through consistency, and aligning actions with deeply held beliefs. And it works—because people follow authenticity before they follow authority.   

What Is Values-Based Influence? 

Values-based influence is the ability to lead by example, inspire others through shared values, and foster a culture rooted in purpose and trust. This model of leadership prioritizes: 

  • Integrity over image 
  • Collaboration over compliance 
  • Consistency over charisma 

It is about becoming the kind of leader others choose to follow—not because they have to, but because they believe in the direction you are leading. 

How to Identify Values-Based Influence 

Recognizing and strengthening values-based influence begins with a few key strategies: 

1. Conduct a Values Audit 

Review strategic plans, communications, and decision-making patterns. More importantly, listen. What stories are being told in meetings? What behaviors are recognized and rewarded? These are reflections of your unit’s real values.  Align the values that are identified with the strategic plans being made. 

2. Recognize Informal Leaders 

Look beyond titles. Identify those who consistently demonstrate ethical behavior, inspire peers, or provide a moral compass during conflict. These individuals are often quiet influencers who uphold the culture and keep teams anchored in purpose. 

3. Facilitate Values Mapping 

Hold intentional conversations to map where individuals see values showing up—or falling short—in daily work. This can help uncover disconnects and foster ownership of cultural alignment. 

4. Align Practices to Principles 

Are your hiring, recognition, and budget decisions aligned with your values? If not, adjust. Systems either reinforce or erode culture.  Systems that erode culture have an oversized negative impact on an organization. 

Aspire to Lead with a Values-Based Identity 

To become a values-based leader, commit to personal and professional alignment: 

Clarify Your Leadership Values 

Define your non-negotiables—those values you refuse to compromise. Whether that’s equity, transparency, or courage, write them down, keep them on your phone, refer to them in moments of tension and conflict. Know yourself and be determined in values-based leadership. 

Model the Culture You Want to Create 

Your behavior sets the tone. If you seek a culture of collaboration, invite voices into decision-making. Build distributed leadership patterns.  If you value innovation, create safe spaces for experimentation and learning from failure. Build an entrepreneurial foundation. 

Empower Others to Lead from Their Values 

Mentor your team in reflecting on their personal values and encourage them to act from that space. Distributed, values-based leadership creates resilience and engagement. 

The Impact on Your Unit—and Beyond 

When leadership becomes rooted in shared values, the results are powerful: 

  • Greater trust across teams 
  • Deeper engagement from faculty and staff 
  • Stronger alignment with mission and strategic goals 
  • A healthier, more inclusive workplace culture 

Values-based leadership transforms institutions not from the top down, but from the inside out. 

Final Thought 

Values-based influence is not about perfection. It is about taking a bold, courageous stand to lead authentically, a commitment to mission and values alignment, and the discipline to act with integrity. In the shifting landscape of higher education that we are experiencing today, the leaders who thrive will be those who inspire not just through ideas, but through who they are. 

Additional Resources 

 

Vickie Cook is the Vice Chancellor for Enrollment and Retention Management and a Research Professor of Education at the University of Illinois Springfield, as well as a Strategic Advisor for UPCEA Research and Consulting.  To learn more about UPCEA Research and Consulting, please contact [email protected]

Learn more about UPCEA's expert consultants

Do you need help with your PCO unit or campus? We can help. Contact UPCEA Research and Consulting for a brief consult. Email [email protected] or call us at 202-659-3130.

Trusted by the nation's top colleges and universities, UPCEA Research and Consulting provides the best value in the industry today. UPCEA's industry experts have years of experience in Online and Professional Continuing education - put them to work for you!

UPCEA Research and Consulting offers a variety of custom research and consulting options through an outcomes-focused pricing model. Find the option(s) that best suit your institution.

Learn more about UPCEA Research & Consulting


The UPCEA Difference

Unmatched Experience: For more than 100 years, UPCEA consultants have exclusively served the needs of online and professional continuing education programs. UPCEA consultants leverage their extensive industry expertise to expedite solutions, anticipate upcoming shifts, and offer distinct best practices, effectively aiding clients in achieving their goals.

Cost Effectiveness: As a nonprofit, member-serving organization, we provide unmatched value, allowing you to maximize limited research and consulting budgets.

Action in Motion: Our cadre of experienced, skilled authorities and expert practitioners propels you forward, translating research and consulting into impactful implementation, a distinctive hallmark of UPCEA. Our team of current and former institutional leaders will support you, turning research and consulting into action.

Mission Alignment: Like you, our mission is to enhance and expand educational opportunities and outcomes for adult and other non-traditional learners. We share your values and work in partnership with you to advance access and excellence in education.

Other UPCEA Updates + Blogs

International Student Visa Review Resumes, Social Media Vetting Instituted | Policy Matters (June 2025)

Major Updates Trump Administration Resumes Embassy Review on Student Visas, Implements Social Media Vetting Requirements The Trump Administration has lifted its pause on F‑, M‑, and J‑visa processing but simultaneously unleashed sweeping new social-media vetting requirements: all international student applicants must now make their Facebook, X, Instagram and other accounts public for consular review, with…

Read More

UPCEA Announces Updates to Board of Directors

June 25, 2025 – WASHINGTON — UPCEA, the online and professional education association, announces recent updates to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Susan Seal, Ph.D., Dean of the College of Professional and Continuing Studies at Mississippi State University, has been appointed to serve as a Director At-Large, filling the remainder of the 2025–2026 term…

Read More

Results of Global Lifelong Learning Study Released

UPCEA supported the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL)’s comprehensive global study. WASHINGTON (June 18, 2025) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announced the release of an international study, “Making lifelong learning central to university strategy,” conducted by the Universities Association for Lifelong Learning (UALL) and CarringtonCrisp.  UPCEA (alongside EUCEN) is proud…

Read More

New Book Offers Strategic Blueprint for the Decade of the Chief Online Learning Officer

UPCEA and Routledge Publish Landmark Guide to Elevating Online Education Leadership WASHINGTON (June 17, 2025) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, proudly announces the release of The Chief Online Learning Officers’ Guidebook: A Framework for Strategy and Practice in Higher Education (co-published with Routledge). This essential new volume, co-edited by two of the…

Read More

Navigating Political Headwinds: Online and Professional Continuing Education Units Support of International Enrollment Efforts

Colleges and universities committed to high-quality teaching and research are navigating a growing set of challenges in attracting and supporting international students. The presence of international students on our U.S. campuses enriches the academic environment, fosters global perspectives, and enhances the cultural competency of the campus communities. These learners often pursue STEM disciplines, contributing significantly…

Read More

Celebrating the life of Dr. Pamela Wimbush

It is with a heavy heart that we must inform you of the passing of one of our own. Dr. Pamela Wimbush, a friend, mentor, colleague, and member of the UPCEA’s Board of Directors passed away Tuesday. She will be missed, most acutely by her family and the dear friends she has all over the…

Read More

The Nation's Top Universities Choose UPCEA Research and Consulting

Informed decisions. Ideas that work. The data you need. Trusted by the top universities in the nation.