New faculty survive ambiguity with process, pipeline, mentors

three practical – In a first year as an assistant professor, one educational leadership instructor described how he rebuilt momentum after feeling unstructured and unsure how to measure progress. His approach centers on redefining productivity through process-based scheduling,

The days of teaching preparation and grading were only part of the work. In the first year of higher education, the part that surprised him most wasn’t the workload—it was the lack of clear signals about whether he was actually moving forward.

After 22 years in K–12 education. he found himself with more autonomy than ever. but far less clarity on how to measure progress. He described evenings where he had only a few sentences written and a lingering question: Did he accomplish anything today?. The uncertainty didn’t stay theoretical. He had long projects—projects, articles and publications, curriculum design—that could stretch over weeks and even months.

One article, he said, took almost two months to work on, then nearly two more months passed after he submitted it before a decision came. In that gap, motivation dipped—because finishing wasn’t immediate, and productivity felt harder to prove.

His solution started with a shift in what “productive” meant. Instead of waiting to feel productive only when something was finished. he focused on the process that would lead to longer-term outcomes. He broke long timelines into small chunks and built a routine around showing up—because success could be measured by consistent execution. not just publication.

He now schedules a minimum of two four-hour blocks of time each week for scholarly activities such as article submission or a book project. If he completes the task of sitting during those two blocks of time, he considers that a success. He connected that approach to teaching advice from John Wooden. the former UCLA men’s basketball coaching legend: set your goal. create a plan. then forget the goal and put 100% focus on executing the plan. In his view, the “magic” is in execution—not waiting.

That idea became the backbone of a second system designed for the slower pace of academic publishing. Because writing, submission, and publication can take weeks or months, he built a three-stage “scholarship pipeline” so his work stayed active even when decisions weren’t.

At any given point in time, he aims to have three separate pieces in motion.

There is one piece he is writing—some level of active writing, whether it’s a reflection or a heavily researched scholarly article.

There is one piece under review with a publisher, recognizing that decisions can take weeks or months. He described the “incubation phase” as part of the process, something not to fight.

And there is one piece that has been accepted or is nearing publication—the destination in the pipeline—where reaching acceptance means he is now published, even though the payoff may come later.

He said the daily relief of this pipeline is knowing publication can be months away while the other parts remain active. A steady pipeline keeps him productive even when results are delayed.

The third system tackles another problem first-year professors often face: isolation. He argued the quickest way he learned to achieve success was to study what successful people do and duplicate their work habits. So he invested heavily in mentorship.

His university partnered him with the department chair in a formal mentoring relationship. He said the university provides coffee and meal tickets to help build the relationship during time spent together. Through this formal mentoring opportunity. he learned how to proactively find journals that match his writing style. how to successfully document and write up his annual review. how to navigate the higher ed system. and how to navigate inter-departmental relationships.

He also built mentorship in less formal ways. Before arriving at Stetson, he had already developed rapport with two other professors in his department. He said both have been invaluable resources for pedagogy. course design and revision. advising students. and approaching tenure and promotion requirements. In his account. it wasn’t just advice—it was the ability to bounce ideas off experienced colleagues and get multiple perspectives.

Peer mentorship became another layer. During his interview process. he met professors in his department and later reached out to two of them to ask if he could observe them teaching. He said he approached the observations with a beginner’s mind. watching with fresh eyes and seeking ways to learn and improve.

He observed two professors in his department this year, including an undergraduate special education course. From those observations, he said he gained more insight into the student teaching process, and that helped him make more connections with his graduate students.

To help others translate these ideas into action, he offered a set of steps tied to each strategy. For formal mentorship, his instruction was to ask for a formal mentor and schedule a monthly meeting. For informal mentorship, he advised asking targeted questions to colleagues you trust. For peer mentorship. he said the key is not waiting for mentorship to be assigned—starting instead with a specific request such as. “Can I observe one of your classes?”.

Taken together, his approach treats the first year as something that can be made workable. The environment may feel ambiguous and isolating, he acknowledged, but clear processes, a steady writing pipeline, and intentional mentorship can create structure in a situation that otherwise lacks it.

He urged new faculty to start small: choose one of the strategies for the week, implement it, and build from there.

The writer behind the account is Andrew Olson. EdD. an assistant professor of educational leadership at Stetson University and president of the Leadership Development Network. He brings over 20 years of experience in K–12 education as a teacher. principal. and district leader. with work focused on leadership development. organizational systems. and practical strategies for improving performance.

first-year faculty higher education teaching productivity scholarship pipeline mentorship network Stetson University educational leadership faculty development K-12 to higher ed