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[couldbe]

I am the prime suspect as my department enters a new chair search.  I'm tenured, have a reputation as competent and fair, and am repeatedly told that it's my turn to contribute to the department.  Most other faculty in my department are pre-tenure or deserve a break after putting in years and years in various administrative positions.

I do recognize that it's time for me to step up and make more contributions to the department and university in terms of service, now that I'm tenured.  The problem is that I'm pretty sure that administration will make me miserable.  I find being in charge stressful (to the extent that previous stints have led to stress-related health problems like ulcers). 

Does anyone have any suggestions about how I can balance good citizenship in my university with my aversion to high-stress leadership positions?  Can I make a useful contribution to my department and university without having to step into the chair's position?  What other roles should I be thinking about that might be useful but less stressful?

[derosa]

Kind of sounds like the way I felt (and our department situation) when I was tapped to be chair 5 years ago.  Now, I am in the first year of my second term.  This is not to convince you to do something you don't want or are not suited for, but, at least in my experience, it turned out to be a challenge that I am enjoying.   Competence and fairness are useful characteristics.   As chair, I have been able to impact every aspect of my department.  I have also gained leverage on university issues.  If you are at all interested in these big ideas, this is your opportunity.  On the down-side, my scholarship has been essentially nonexistent and I get to spend little time teaching.

Other roles?   Important university committee appointments....faculty senate...talk to your dean about other institutional contributions....all good, but none of these would dissipate a department sentiment that it is your turn to take the lead.  You might have to deal with that with some collegial diplomacy. 

[much_metta]

Is it too late to volunteer to chair the search committee for the new chair?  ;)

[saguaro]

I do recognize that it's time for me to step up and make more contributions to the department and university in terms of service, now that I'm tenured.  The problem is that I'm pretty sure that administration will make me miserable.  I find being in charge stressful (to the extent that previous stints have led to stress-related health problems like ulcers). 

Based on what you say and my own experience, I say DO NOT TAKE THE JOB.

[svenc]

It sounds like the writing is already on the wall.  The only way to duck it may be to take on another large, but slightly more agreeable, responsibility as soon as possible!

[science_expat]

I do recognize that it's time for me to step up and make more contributions to the department and university in terms of service, now that I'm tenured.  The problem is that I'm pretty sure that administration will make me miserable.  I find being in charge stressful (to the extent that previous stints have led to stress-related health problems like ulcers). 

Perhaps you should have a frank talk with your dean?

Based on what you say and my own experience, I say DO NOT TAKE THE JOB.

[jackalope]

No one else enjoys being chair anymore than you do. I think it is your turn.  Find a way to establish some boundaries. "I will be chair for three years, I will preserve Mondays for research, I need X amount of course release, I will assign these tasks to my colleagues, I will be away for one month each summer."

[choirguy]

Is it too late to volunteer to chair the search committee for the new chair?  ;)

Isn't that how we got Dick Cheney as VP?  Sorry - couldn't resist. 

[waxwing]

It may be helpful to let go of the idea of the head as someone who is "in charge."  Clearly that implies a high degree of stress, but I will go out on  a limb  and say that at most places incharged-ness does not accurately  describe what the head does.  This is all the more true if you work in a department that is fairly mature and has people who have already been head.  You won't be there to be their boss, but to be the person who makes sure things get done, who makes arguments to the dean when they need to be made, etc.

WW

[couldbe]

Thanks for your take, Waxwing.  Thinking of chairing as getting things done, as opposed to leading, is helpful.

I've been talking this over with trusted friends, and have realized that maybe it's not chairship per se that bothers me, but more that I am afraid of losing control of my time.  I find it really stressful when there are lots of little details to juggle at the behest of someone else-- so faculty coming up to me in the hall to ask for this and that starts to feel like everyone picking at me (not picking on me, but constantly breaking my focus with demands to pay attention to something else.  That leaves me feeling fragmented, which makes me stressed out). 

I'm thinking I might need to set some reasonable limits and then accept the job.  Maybe, with a bit of luck, it could teach me to be a little more flexible.

[csguy]

It may be helpful to let go of the idea of the head as someone who is "in charge." 

It's kinda like being in charge of a herd of cats actually.

[anthroid]

It may be helpful to let go of the idea of the head as someone who is "in charge." 

It's kinda like being in charge of a herd of cats actually.

It also depends on the institution.  I work at a place where we have a strong chair model--where, in fact, chairs ARE in charge of a fair amount, at least as the Faculty Legislature has decided through the faculty policybook.

[dellaroux]

Does your department have a rotating chair system, or could you establish one?

I know of at least one set-up in which everyone knows that they serve as chair the year before they take their sabbatical, so that the research is less an issue and no-one is hard on anyone else because they know it will be them next time...or soon.

[ruralguy]

I've avoided a similar situation by chairing a committee I like, and praising the current chair of the dept. Plus, I think my dept. would rather see the current guy take a second term rather than have me do it.

[verbena]

No one else enjoys being chair anymore than you do. I think it is your turn.  Find a way to establish some boundaries. "I will be chair for three years, I will preserve Mondays for research, I need X amount of course release, I will assign these tasks to my colleagues, I will be away for one month each summer."

That's not true, actually; I like being chair of my department (and the others are either glad to have me in the position or at least very good at pretending). If the OP is talking about ulcers, then being chair's a very bad idea.

But it sounds as if the OP is coming to terms with the idea. I agree that being chair is not about being in charge of faculty - more like being in charge of schedules, meetings, and other administrative stuff, along with an awful lot of what I think of as diplomatic work.