Rob Vischer – Inspiring The Leaders Who Will Shape Our Future

After interviewing Rob Vischer, President of the University of St. Thomas, at last Friday’s Good Leadership Breakfast, I have a new favorite word: flourishing. Why?

Culture of encounter

President Vischer was both calm and energizing in explaining his commitment to be the top role model for the “culture of encounter” at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota. “Pope Francis was passionate and articulate about the benefits of a culture of encounter,” Vischer explained. “We want every student to feel seen, heard, and respected in ways that ensure they are flourishing.”

It was the way he said flourishing that captured my attention. At Good Leadership, we talk a lot about the word thriving. It’s central to the Goodness Pays, win-together, we-is-greater-than-me leadership style and mindset. And now, I see that the word flourishing takes goodness to a whole new level. 

President Vischer: “Our mission and culture needs to come alive in every individual at the University, because when a parent leaves a new student at our door, they don’t expect us to care for them as student – they need us to see them as their child. They are trusting in us to help that child flourish in a complex world.”

Tricky job

 “About 33% of our staff are PhD professors who are trained to think narrow and deep about their subject matter,” he shared. “That’s tricky business managing that many independent-minded, unique personalities,” I quipped as the facilitator. “How do you get them moving in the same direction?”

“We’ve done our best to ask our faculty to lift their gaze above this moment in time; to see the bigger picture and to be open to the broader forces at work in our society. Because in the US and in Minnesota, we’re producing less and less 18 year olds than in the past, and that’s not changing any time soon – we need to keep up with the times to be the top choice for a college education.”

Looking ahead

The magic of the moment came when I asked Dr. Vischer about how the University of St. Thomas was preparing students to improve the culture of healthy accountability at the societal level. “We have to respect and excel at creating a good financial return on investment by helping our students find good jobs. We excel at that, but if that’s the end goal, it’s fragile and a little hollow. The most important work is our commitment to formation – developing young leaders who are searching for the meaning in their lives and confident they can develop into the people they want to be. That’s what we really do.”

Follow this link to listen to me and Good Leadership Senior Coaching Associate, Nancy Weidenfeller, reflect on the morning in today’s Good Leadership Podcast episode. The full broadcast will be available for viewing later this week on the Good Leadership Breakfast webpage.

Tickets are on sale now for the remaining breakfast of the Fall Series: 

• October 9 will feature Kelly Hansen, SVP of People & Culture, and Tim Reimann, President of Viet Construction
• November 13 will feature Jeff Kiesel, Former CEO and Chairman of the Board, of Restaurant Technologies