Leadership Won’t Listen? Here’s How to Make Them Care About Student Onboarding

Introduction

Many Directors, Assistant Directors, and Associate Directors in orientation and student success face a common challenge:

“It’s not my decision—it’s above me, and no one is listening.” – Anonymous

Professionals in these roles know onboarding is critical to student success, but getting leadership to care is a different battle. Having built influence across multiple institutions, Joe has seen how strategic advocacy, relationship-building, and aligning onboarding with institutional goals can turn leadership resistance into buy-in.

"Advocacy isn’t about having a great idea. It’s about having the right relationships before you present the idea." – Joe Thomas

This case study, informed by insights from Joe Thomas, outlines short-term, mid-term, and long-term strategies for building influence and securing leadership support for onboarding innovation.

Short-Term Strategy: Winning Small Battles (What You Can Do Today)

Advocacy does not start with presenting a solution; it starts with building relationships.

1. Establish Social Capital Before Advocating for Change

• Advocacy is built on relationships, not just good ideas.

• Leaders respond to trusted voices, not just compelling proposals.

• Take the time to connect with key decision-makers informally before asking for support.

“What relationships have they established, even leading into that advocacy? You need buy-in. You need to be able to explain the why.” – Joe Thomas

2. Identify Who Controls the Decision-Making Process

• Understand who controls budget, IT systems, and institutional priorities that affect onboarding.

• Map out who needs to be involved before approaching leadership with a request.

3. Frame Onboarding as a Student Success Priority

• Leadership prioritizes retention, persistence, and institutional growth—onboarding should be framed in those terms.

• Instead of saying, “We need better technology for onboarding,” reframe it as: “Streamlining onboarding will help us improve student engagement and reduce melt.”

Mid-Term Strategy: Gaining Momentum (3-6 Months to Build Influence)

1. Create Cross-Departmental Coalitions

• Onboarding is not just an orientation team’s responsibility—it involves housing, advising, enrollment, IT, and student affairs.

• Engaging these departments creates institution-wide support, making leadership approval more likely.
  

2. Align Onboarding with Institutional Priorities

• Study your university’s strategic plan and connect onboarding to those goals.

• Leadership is more receptive when onboarding is positioned as a campus-wide initiative rather than an isolated request.

“If your strategy seems outside the bigger picture, you're going to have hurdles. But if you can connect key points to your upline—whether it's the president’s strategic plan or division goals—you’ll have a stronger case.” – Joe Thomas

3. Use Data and Storytelling to Strengthen Advocacy

• Some leaders respond to hard data (e.g., retention rates, engagement metrics), while others respond to student success stories. Use both.

• Share how peer institutions have successfully implemented structured onboarding solutions to improve outcomes.

Long-Term Strategy: Securing Buy-In (1+ Year for Sustained Impact)

1. Keep Onboarding Visible in Leadership Conversations

• Successful programs risk being ignored because they are “working well.”

• Regularly report how onboarding impacts retention and student success metrics to leadership.

“I think it actually becomes really challenging when your programs are a well-oiled machine and successful. It starts to fall off the radar because it's working.” – Joe Thomas

2. Show How Onboarding Fits into the Bigger Picture

• Orientation should not be viewed as a single event but as the first phase of student success and retention efforts.

• Connect onboarding to academic advising, student affairs, and institutional success metrics.

3. Advocate for Structured Solutions

• Many institutions struggle with siloed processes and disconnected systems.

• Schools that implement structured onboarding solutions eliminate inefficiencies, reduce errors, and create a more seamless student experience.

“Campuses are really struggling with segmented sources of truth. We have pockets of information in housing, the registrar’s office, student information systems, and CRM tools. How do these things come together?” – Joe Thomas

The Role of Technology in Onboarding Advocacy

While each institution’s approach varies, successful onboarding programs rely on structured, centralized solutions to streamline communication, increase efficiency, and provide measurable impact.

Key Takeaways:

• Technology should be positioned as an enabler of onboarding success, not just a software tool.

• IT and leadership must be involved early to ensure buy-in and system compatibility.

• Schools that use structured onboarding technology find it easier to secure leadership support because they can present a clear, data-driven case.
  
  

Conclusion: A Learning Platform for Future Leaders

This case study is not just about helping institutions implement better onboarding solutions—it is about empowering professionals at all levels to advocate for meaningful change.

For those starting their careers, these strategies provide a roadmap to move from mid-level management to strategic leadership. For current clients, this resource serves as a tool to push back when pressured to leave structured onboarding solutions in favor of disjointed processes.

By applying these principles, Directors, Assistant Directors, and Associate Directors can position themselves as institutional leaders and drive real change in onboarding innovation.