1. How do you personally navigate competing commitments in your life, both personal and professional? What strategies have you found effective in balancing them?
2. Gayle Beebe and Markus Watson discuss the influence of emotions in leadership. How do you believe leaders can effectively handle their emotions while supporting their teams through challenging times?
3. Reflecting on Gayle Beebe’s experiences with personal losses and crises, how do you think such adversities shape one’s leadership style and empathy towards others?
4. Gayle Beebe emphasized the importance of having a processing partner in leadership. Who do you turn to for emotional and professional support, and how has it impacted your leadership?
5. Westmont College approached the events of 2020 as adaptive challenges. How do you differentiate between technical and adaptive challenges in your own leadership or community, and how do you approach each type?
6. Reflecting on the wildfires that affected Westmont College, what do you think are the key elements of an effective institutional response to natural disasters or crises?
7. Gayle Beebe talks about integrating commitments to justice, reconciliation, and diversity into the general education curriculum. How can academic institutions effectively integrate these values into their programs?
8. How has Pascal’s “Pensées” influenced Gayle Beebe’s approach to leadership and life? Do you have any philosophical works that have profoundly impacted your thinking and why?
9. Considering Gayle Beebe’s reflections on the crucibles of leadership, what have been some of your “crucible experiences,” and how have they contributed to your personal and professional resilience?
10. Discuss the strategies Westmont College implemented to advance justice, reconciliation, and diversity. How can similar strategies be applied in other organizations or institutions to foster an inclusive environment?
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