Leading with Change When the System Is Stacked Against You

Building Thinkers has had a front-row seat to the work happening at SFBU, and this episode is a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to reimagine how people learn.My guest, Brad Fuster, is the Provost of San Francisco Bay University and host of the EdUp Innovation Podcast, and he's spent more than two decades in higher education. We go deep on what it really takes to challenge the status quo, lead through resistance, and build something new when the structures around you are designed to stay the same. We also get into the MBA program launching at SFBU this September, a fully AI-integrated, flexibly paced degree designed around the way humans want to learn, at a fraction of the cost of a traditional program. Whether you're building a company, leading a team, or just trying to grow in a world that keeps changing, the lessons in this conversation go beyond the university.Key Takeaways:What it really takes to lead change when the system is designed to resist itWhy wrapping full support around learners changes everything (99.7% retention proves it)The curriculum innovation that Google, Apple, and Tesla are taking notice ofWhy bolting AI onto old systems is the wrong move and what to do insteadHow a $10K MBA is redefining what accessible, human-centered learning looks likeWhat higher ed’s crisis means for anyone building something newTimestamps:00:00 Introduction01:57 How a disillusioned provost ended up rebuilding from the inside04:33 Why "reimagining" is just a buzzword for most institutions08:35 The bold leadership move that's actually saving struggling schools08:44 What entrepreneurs need to understand about leading change10:00 The nuclear option that stops bold leaders in their tracks13:27 Why faculty resistance is more complicated than you think14:43 What it actually looks like to put students first18:07 The retention stat that changes the conversation19:14 The curriculum Google, Apple and Tesla are paying attention to25:26 Why AI in education is being done wrong and what right looks like31:37 How to build pro-social skills in an online program33:36 What happens when learning meets the real world35:24 If only people knew this about higher ed37:52 Closing thoughtsResources Mentioned:Leadership: Key Competencies for Whole-system Change by Lyle Kirtman & Michael FullanWhatever It Is, I’m Against It by Brian RosenbergMBA Pro+ SFBUConnect with Brad:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bradley-fuster-3540a350/ Podcast: https://www.edupexperience.com/edupinnovation/ SFBU: https://www.sfbu.edu/about/our-leadership Connect with Me:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tracyannclark08/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buildingthinkers/ Building Thinkers Newsletter: https://building-thinkers.kit.com/24cdc43dcf More About Building Thinkers: I'm your host, Tracy Clark, and this is where potential becomes reality through deliberate curiosity, reflection, practice, and play. The Building Thinkers podcast is based on the realization that there's exponential potential in the things we build.And so, in my little corner of the internet and podcasting land, I want to take my 12 favorite problems, these are my constant curiosities, and I want to go deeper. I want to build thinkers. This is a community of multi-potentialites who may be disoriented by all the possibilities of success we envision but haven't yet achieved.If any of that sounds like you, come listen in. Welcome to the Building Thinkers podcast.