25 Leadership Lessons from a University president.

Women in leadership positions are often asked to share their stories, because hard-learned lessons from experience are especially helpful to others in the trenches.

As president of Antioch University McGregor, the adult student component of Antioch University in Ohio, Dr. Barbara Geilman-Danley planned to offer her leadership advice at the NILD/AAWCC conference in Phoenix in June. Although unable to present due to an airline delay, she left a written list of 25 tips on leadership.

When asked to share what had she learned about being a leader, she decided to "list everything I've learned and what I would want to pass on to future leaders if I were hit by a train tomorrow,"' she said. Here's her list:

1. You can have it all--but you have to define the "all." She recalled an academic association meeting 15 years ago where a woman leader suggested that women must decide ahead of time whether being married and having children was more important than becoming an administrator. "I decided that I'm not giving up one or the other," she said. As a wife and a mother, she learned, "You just have to figure out how to balance both."

2. Commit yourself to lifelong learning, to get an edge.

3. Plan all you want, but don't forget to be flexible. Careers generally have minds of their own.

4. Never, ever let anyone see you sweat, cry or show personal emotions related to the job. It's OK to sob in public about other relationships, movies or lost pets, but not work. A woman's credibility is compromised the minute she begins to get emotional over a work issue. Whether it's with tears or anger, as soon as a woman loses composure, it compromises her ability as a leader. "I will be vilified in a meeting and they won't see it on my face," said Geilman-Danley. "You've got to remain professional."