skip to main content

The Kind of Leadership Students Never Forget

Find Leading With Strengths on all major podcast platforms. Gallup Podcast on iPhone and iPad Clifton Strengths Podcast on Spotify Clifton Strengths Podcast on YouTube

About the Leader

Donde Plowman

Donde Plowman

Chancellor of the University of Tennessee

  • Strategic®
  • Achiever®
  • Positivity®
  • Futuristic®
  • Maximizer®

Donde Plowman has served as chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, since 2019. Under her leadership, the university has set records in student retention and graduation, research, instructional spending, alumni giving, and state support. Plowman oversees a $2.2 billion budget, more than 38,800 students and 9,500 employees. Early in her tenure, Plowman created the Division of Student Success, helping drive significant results in retention, persistence, graduation rates and enrollment. She's also expanded the university's research expenditures to a record $380 million by emphasizing big collaborative projects and forging partnerships with companies like AT&T, Eastman and Volkswagen. Plowman oversees Tennessee Athletics, a $200 million+ operation, and serves in key SEC and NCAA leadership roles. A globally recognized organizational scientist, Plowman studies leadership, change management and strategic decision-making. Before becoming chancellor, she held senior roles at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and was a department head at UT.

"It’s just always there."

Plowman has constant energy she uses to help others see the positive in the tasks before them.

"Strategic really helps me every single day keep focused on the north star."

Leadership in academia is complex with many stakeholders. Plowman’s Strategic helps her understand how any action will affect relationships and outcomes.

"Sometimes it’s like I have to wake other people up."

With Futuristic, Plowman often finds herself inspiring others with visions of the future and developing powerful strategic visions meant to create positive disruption.

"I can be dangerous. I like to get things done quickly."

With seemingly inexhaustible energy to start and complete projects, Plowman drives productivity on her teams by encouraging action and cautioning against overplanning.

"I need their gifts in action."

Plowman recognizes that the teams she leads have many strengths that could help make her strategic visions a reality, but to be effective, those strengths must be active. She often directly asks people to apply their strengths to a situation.