I am the 12th president of Emerson College in Boston.
I taught English and American literature at Harvard and served as senior tutor at Winthrop House.
I later served on the Harvard Board of Overseers and as a vice-chair of its executive committee.
What are your job responsibilities?
Thats a pretty good summary.
Its an exceedingly tough job.
But mostly, the best description would be that I am in the people business.
For that reason, most of my decisions consider the impact or benefit on the community.
Take us through a recent workday.
People and ideas make the world go.
Someone once said: If your dreams dont keep you up at night, they arent big enough.
Thats absolutely and irrevocably true.
I dont sleep a lot.
I also set aside time at lunch to work out at my fitness center near my office.
Its my sanctum sanctorum.
I dont do lunch meetings (or try not to).
What apps, gadgets, or tools cant you live without?
I am the happiest when I am in a book store, kitchen store or gym.
Whats your workspace setup like?
A large office with a conference table, sofa, chairs and what I call my JFK rocker.
I spend most of my time in my rocker solving problems, giving advice, listening and learning.
Mostly, its monastic.
Whats your favorite shortcut or hack?
I live within walking distance to the school and my office.
I read several newspapers and magazines in my bed at night and in the morning on my iPhone.
I also have a few rules about my day to save time.
One rule is: read emails only once.
I get dozens and dozens of emails each day so I have to be efficient.
Take us through an interesting or unusual process you have in place at work.
Many of my one-to-one meetings used to be conducted while walking outside.
It is very effectiveand healthy.
How do you keep track of what you have to do?
Luckily, I have a great team who keeps me on track.
I also use Post-it notes.
I text or email myself notes.
My children complain that I spend too much time on my iPhone.
They are probably right to complain.
How do you recharge or take a break?
I wait for the school year to end and usually take a break in late July or early August.
I much prefer mountains to the ocean.
I like solitude in the mountain, hiking trails and biking roads.
I can breathe in those places.
Whats your favorite side project?
I venture to read two books per week in both print and audio.
Does that count as a side project?
What are you currently reading, or what do you recommend?
My bed is on the fourth wall.
I just finishedLosing My Cool, by Thomas Chatterton Williams.
I just startedSing, Unburied, Singby Jesmyn Ward.
The Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles
I didnt want either to end.
But they did, sadly.
Who else would you like to see answer these questions?
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.
Whats the best advice youve ever received?
The best advice Ive given: Be authentic.
There is no substitute for it.
Whats a problem youre still trying to solve?
In one of my favorite films, one character asks another:
What do you want?
I want a normal life, he replies.
There is no such thing as a normal life.
Thats just about right, it seems to me.
