310- Ron Crutcher on I Had No Idea You Were Black: Navigating Race on the Road to Leadership

Today Tom is speaking with Dr. Ron Crutcher, President and Professor of Music at the University of Richmond. He’s also the author of the new book, I Had No Idea You Were Black: Navigating Race on the Road to Leadership.

Dr. Crutcher was a founding co-chair of Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) and a former member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. His new book, I Had No Idea You Were Black, outlines his success as a Black intellectual navigating highly-charged social issues, his principles for leading and being, his personal and professional journey, his struggles as both an artist and an educator to overcome the blindness and cruelty of racism, and the ways in which we must build colleges and universities as places where learning starts with listening and where courage and character matter.

Listen in as Tom and Dr. Crutcher discuss the influence of music, strong leadership, the role of university and college, lessons on life and leadership, and much more.

Key Takeaways:

[:10] About today’s episode with Ronald A. Crutcher.

[:44] Tom welcomes Ronald A. Crutcher to the podcast and congratulates him on his new book!

[:56] How did the cello first enter Dr. Crutcher’s life?

[4:28] How an incredibly influential teacher put Dr. Crutcher on a completely different life trajectory.

[8:22] How this influential teacher (and the experiences that followed) impacted Dr. Crutcher’s leadership style.

[11:44] Dr. Crutcher shares additional insights from his musical and performing arts background that he brings to his work today as an educational leader and President and Professor of Music at the University of Richmond.

[14:47] Ron shares the story that resulted in the title of his book, I Had No Idea You Were Black: Navigating Race on the Road to Leadership.

[17:20] Ron speaks more on his experience of being one of the few African-Americans involved in symphonies and orchestras and the lessons he learned.

[19:05] What began Ron’s dream of leading a university.

[21:25] About Getting Smart’s new report on what’s next in learning!

[23:05] Important characteristics and values for leaders and those in a role such as a college or a university President.

[27:20] How Ron is able to stand by these values in his own role.

[28:04] Ron speaks on the importance of being in a diverse community and what that should look like in a college or university.

[31:14] Three key lessons from Ron’s book on acknowledging race, controversies, and slowing down to have these important conversations around diversity.

[34:42] Ron elaborates what he sees the purpose of higher education as and what higher ed can do to create a shared reality around diversity and equity.

[38:20] Ron’s agenda for improving diversity and equity at the University of Richmond.

[42:28] Tom thanks Ron for joining the podcast and sharing his invaluable insights!

Mentioned in This Episode:

Ronald A. Crutcher’s LinkedIn

I Had No Idea You Were Black: Navigating Race on the Road to Leadership, by Ronald A. Crutcher

Getting Smart’s Newest Report: “20 Invention Opportunities in Learning & Development”

Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges, by Loren Pope and Hilary Masell Oswald

Getting Smart Podcast Ep: “Joe Truss on Dismantling White Supremacy Culture in Schools”

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