Navigating Your Career In College Athletics: Todd Turner and Brad Bates

Summary

• - What are some of advantageous traits to having when becoming an athletics director?
• - When you started your career in athletics, was it always your goal to become an AD or did your career lead you onto this path?
• - What do you wish you had known before making the jump into the AD chair?
• - Is there one track that you would recommend people take to becoming an AD?
• - In the search process, what are some things that will set you apart from candidates in a negative way?
• - How much emphasis should ADs and senior level administrators put on managing and making relationships with the senior level administrators for the institution? (Turner)
• - How important is it for an AD to be flexible during the course of their career?
• - Are there any areas where people may put too much attention into certain aspects of their professional career?
• - How do you remain in touch with the student-athletes and the people on the ground level within an athletic department when you've got so many different aspects evolving so quickly?
• - How do you value tenure at one institution versus an individual who has bounced around in making a hire?
• - Is there one piece of advice that you wish you'd known when you were 35 years old that would have made your careers that much easier and more enjoyable?
• - How much does have having a resume come across your desk for someone who did play collegiate athletics change your perception of them?
• - As an AD, how would you appreciate someone that's coming up the race asking you for guidance or to stand in a mentorship position?
• - What is the hardest part about being an Athletics Director?
• - Who is the most important campus-based leader to form a relationship with that is not the president or chancellor?
• - What is one decision you made early in your career that was extremely difficult to make at the time that you were incredibly glad you made?
• - As an AD, how much time is an amount of time for an individual to be productive in their role?
• - When you are a senior staff administrator looking to take the next step into becoming athletic director, what are you looking for to make sure you're applying for a job that is right for you?