561. Why and How to Become an Adjunct Professor

Show Notes:

In this episode of Unleashed, the panel discussion focuses on the pros and cons of becoming an adjunct professor. The panelists discuss the motivations behind teaching courses as an adjunct professor, how to get hired, whether to teach in traditional MBA programs or other certificate or degree programs, the amount of work involved, typical pay, relationship building opportunities, project opportunities, and ancillary benefits such as access to datasets or research services.

The discussion kicks off with Adam Braff, a data analytics executive/advisor, shares his reasons for teaching, stating that the best reasons to teach are not practical instrumental reasons but more passion and love for teaching and believes it is a creative act. Mary Kate Scott follows Adam. She teaches at the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business in the MBA program, and Keck School of Medicine, focusing on healthcare. She has taught the business of healthcare, innovation and health care, new business models in health care, entrepreneurship and health care, and medical device business models.

Mary Kate also shares her background with Procter and Gamble and later joined McKinsey for two years to become a better professor. She found she loved the position and stayed there for seven years, but she states that she found the joy of teaching to be both inspirational and fun. She enjoys the level of engagement and interaction in her classes.

Sven Beiker teaches Strategy Making in an MBA program at Stanford Business School, and also at a university in Sweden about AI and product development.  He discusses his experience teaching at Stanford and their passion for teaching. He began his teaching career at Stanford which led from a position as an automotive program manager. He also enjoys working with younger people, finding it intellectually stimulating. He has also found the position to be an asset in branding, and has found that it helps in terms of being considered as a keynote speaker from Stanford Business School. 

 

Mohannad Gomaa shares his experience teaching at US Navy PostGraduate School, which was motivated by a contract with a colleague and his subject matter expertise. He designed and delivered the curriculum. He has also taught in consulting colleges, and recently, he was authorized by the Association of Supply Chain Management to teach supply chain certifications, including the CSCP certified supply chain professional certification. This allows him to associate with a reputable knowledge body and meet with stakeholders interested in his work. He has also signed an agreement to be a consulting partner for the ACM, which will allow him to explore more opportunities across industries. He believes teaching is a passion that can generate revenue beyond the passion.

An adjunct professor at the University of Copenhagen shares her passion for teaching consulting and adds to her reputation for expertise in her field, but she finds teaching fun and energizing.  

 How to Secure a Position as an Adjunct Professor

The conversation also touches on how to get started as an adjunct professor. To do this, one should be flexible about the institution they want to teach in and focus on the dimensions that are necessary to their field. Many schools have executive MBA programs and masters of leadership programs and other programs  that are growing and need teachers who can teach their specific subject matter area and create and pitch syllabuses.

To reach out to the right people in these institutions, one should reach out to the Academic Director of different degree programs. This person will be responsible for the substantive side of these programs and can help with informational interviews. For example, if one wants to teach in New York City, one could reach out to HR or the dean of the school. Mary Kate discusses the benefits of adjunct teaching, including the joy of publications, networking, and credibility. She suggests starting as a guest speaker and gradually delivering classes, either shorter or elective, and eventually creating the curriculum. She also encourages reaching out to people teaching similar courses to your field to get started. She also mentions simply letting people know you are interested in teaching. 

Sven mentions that many full-time professors don't like to teach, but they are constantly looking for someone to bring real-world experience into the classroom, to interact with a class, and bring their knowledge to the table. He states that, there are continuing education programs at universities, such as Stanford, that offer continuing education programs on both the professional side of education. These programs can help students gain experience and develop their interest in graduate programs and could be a first step into teaching. Networking is a key aspect of adjunct teaching, and can lead to a board position. 

The Evaluation Process Revealed

The panelists discussed the typical evaluation process for teaching positions, including the need for specific credentials or certificates, and how to express interest. Having someone internally who can vouch for you can make a difference.

The first step in the evaluation process is to have a track record, such as a recording of a lecture, a written syllabus, and student evaluations. This ensures that when applying to another institution, they feel confident in their ability to teach a class. 

Compensation for Teaching

The compensation for teaching varies between $6,000 for a semester to 15,000, with a median of $10. The time commitment for creating a syllabus from scratch is around 200 hours. There may be additional benefits associated with teaching, such as subsidized healthcare benefits.

The panelists discuss the range of compensation, which can range from $1,000 for a 90-minute class to $2,000 for a two-hour class and could for a 7, 12, or 14 week program.  The first time teaching, the teacher takes over the curriculum and develops it, however, they could be writing the entire curriculum, which can be a lot of responsibility but also an opportunity to shape the educational experience for students. It is worth noting that the course can also impact your consulting business, as committing to a class every week can limit your consulting business if you travel frequently. In contrast, in-person classes can be more effective due to scheduling.

Another panelist, who is a Professor of Practice at Michigan State University's School of Business, states that the course is a salaried position, but it is not a full-time gig. The pay is based on a W-2 and a salary, which is a relatively small amount.

The Benefits of Teaching

The conversation revolves around the benefits of teaching and consulting, including inspiration, credibility, and carryover spillover benefits. Mary Kay shares her experience with getting clients and consulting project leads and converting leads into confirmed projects due to her credibility. Her students have become clients, and she concludes that the network is an enormous benefit. 

Adam suggests that teaching should be synergistic with consulting work, and that it is synergistic to his writing work and that he has adapted the courses he teaches to corporate training. However, in this situation, it is advised to focus on the language of contracts to ensure that intellectual property rights are portable to a corporate context.

Sven shares his experience with gaining project leads, which can be former students who become clients or organizations seeking advice from a professor who is also a consultant, and he has often been asked to be on the advisory board of startups by former students. This nurtures the network and gives the professor more standing and credibility. Clients often recognise the professor's expertise and reputation, making it a valuable asset.

Best Practices for Networking Opportunities

To maximize networking opportunities, Nick has found partnering opportunities with fellow professors. Mary Kate suggests connecting with other faculty members, attending university events, and partnering with fellow professors. She also shares her experiences of being wasted in the first semester of teaching and finding it difficult to find opportunities to meet with faculty members. 

Developing a Curriculum in Academia

The conversation turns to the complexity of developing a curriculum in academia. Developing a syllabus can be challenging, especially when it comes to creating evaluation materials and quizzes that can be objective and not lead to low grades. The tension between grades and evaluations can also be a challenge, but it becomes easier after the first time.

The complexity of creating a syllabus depends on the type of class, for example, a seminar class at Stanford may require more discussion and bringing in guest lecturers. Another may require more content creation; a new class may require more detailed teaching material, including a reading list, quizzes, preparing exams etc. 

Teaching As a Learning Experience

Jared Lee, a faculty lecturer at McGill University and principal at Juniper, a Montreal-based consultancy, believes that teaching is a deeper way to learn and develop skills, as it requires a lot of preparation, the ability to defend theories against questions, and to be able to implement storytelling techniques. He believes that teaching 180 students who have detailed questions requires being bulletproof in preparation and how to apply the theories.  

Jared also shares that this experience has built his ability in educating clients. Panelists also state that teaching has helped develop stronger public speaking skills, and the ability to manage a crowd. The discussion revolves around the challenges of teaching at universities like Stanford and the importance of facilitation in making discussions meaningful and meaningful.

Access to Ancillary Benefits As an Adjunct Professor

Additional ancillary benefits include access to datasets, academic journal articles, and other resources. Academic resources, such as the MSU library, are free and can be used in private practice. Academics can also leverage their academic connections to engage in conversations with people for various purposes, such as building lectures for their courses or collaborating on consulting projects. Health insurance is another asset. For example, at McGill, teaching three sections within a year can grant access to health insurance and supplemental pension and investment plans.

The conversation ends with the participants discussing their takeaway from the discussion, including: 

• The importance of 200 hours of syllabus development

• The importance of fostering meaningful discussions and connections within academia for both students and faculty

• The importance of passion, preparation, and genuine effort in creating content for a class

• The need for preparation

• Staying updated on relevant topics and staying updated on the latest developments

• Credibility

The panelists agreed that you should have good reasons for taking this position, and having a clear purpose for teaching can lead to better results. One additional tip was to be clear about why you are doing it and this will help you focus on how to achieve your goal. Another is to take advantage of a guest lecturer opportunity, and to be open to learning from your students.

In conclusion, the panelists discussed the importance of passion, preparation, and genuine effort in creating content for a class. They also highlighted the importance of being proactive, asking questions, and embracing the unique experiences of students. By doing so, teachers can gain valuable insights and develop a deeper understanding of their field.

Timestamps:

07:03 Consulting career paths and teaching experience

10:25 Adjunct teaching roles in economics

12:37 Finding teaching opportunities in higher education

15:06 Adjunct teaching opportunities and how to get started

17:24 Teaching at universities, networking, and evaluation processes

24:31 Teaching gigs, compensation, and time commitment

27:07 Teaching and consulting gigs for experts in customer experience management

31:22 Leveraging academic faculty status for consulting opportunities

34:48 Curriculum development and networking at a university

36:42 Teaching methods and challenges in higher education

39:58 Teaching and learning theories in consulting

42:48 Teaching strategies and access to academic resources

45:16 Academic benefits, networking, and health insurance

53:21 Teaching and consulting in academia

 

Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at www.umbrex.com.