What does it take to become the youngest—and first female—dean at a major university? Kristine Collins, Dean of Continuing Education at UC Irvine (UCI), joins Gina L. Osborn to talk servant leadership, building aligned teams, practicing for hard conversations, performance management, bouncing back from setbacks, and why you should never quit before the magic happens.
They discuss Kristine's journey to becoming the youngest and first female dean at a major university, emphasizing the importance of vision, practice, and resilience in leadership. Kristine reflects on her sports background and its impact on her leadership style, the importance of team alignment, and dealing with setbacks. The conversation also highlights the challenges of being a female leader, balancing work and personal life, and the significance of self-awareness and adaptability. Join Gina and Kristine for an inspiring discussion on what it takes to achieve greatness in both professional and personal spheres.
00:00 Introduction to Dean Kristine Collins
00:47 Gina L. Osborn's Background
01:27 Leadership Lessons from Sports
03:06 The Importance of Practice
05:18 Building and Leading Effective Teams
10:05 Navigating Challenges and Change
13:55 Vision and Perseverance
20:14 Dealing with Setbacks
26:45 Recognizing When It's Time to Pivot
28:02 Trusting Your Gut and Intuition
28:57 Balancing Work and Personal Life
29:40 Supportive Relationships and Their Impact
32:49 Lightning Round: Fun and Trivia
34:55 Self-Awareness and Leadership
41:05 Embracing Authentic Leadership
47:22 Concluding Thoughts and Gratitude
Key Takeaways
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Practice is a leadership skill. Prep for meetings and crucial conversations the way athletes prep for games.
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Alignment beats "forced fun." High-trust teams flow on clarity, feedback, and shared goals—not gimmicky offsites.
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Leaders manage performance. Diagnose problems early; avoidance costs culture and results.
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Don't tap out early. Setbacks aren't the ending—often they're the setup.
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Vision needs repetition. Write it down, say it often, and hold steady through noise.
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Remote is different. Create new rituals to keep a pulse on your people.
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Self-awareness matters. Know your blind spots (precision vs. big picture), mood, and impact.
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Work–life alignment > balance. Sports, family, and community fuel better leadership.
Standout Moments
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Growing up in a sports-centric family shaped Kristine's mindset: process, effort, and growth every day.
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Why "practice is everything"—and how leaders can script outcomes and language for tough talks.
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The feeling of an "invincible" team: trust, easy feedback, and simple, shared goals.
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Performance management as a duty: empathy first, clarity always, and decisive action when needed.
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Leading change inside a large bureaucracy with business-speed decisions.
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Setback story: losing a coveted role by email on Father's Day → startup leap → recruited to UCI.
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"Don't quit before the magic happens"—Naked & Afraid metaphor and betting on yourself.
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Work–life alignment: sport, book club, and a supportive partner create capacity to lead.
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Authentic leadership for women: likability vs. leadership, scrutiny, and owning your style.
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Tall-woman leadership: presence can be strength without intimidation.
Notable Quotes
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"Practice is everything—in sports and at work." — Kristine
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"Alignment is gold. High-trust teams make feedback easy and progress inevitable." — Kristine
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"Avoiding performance conversations creates bigger problems." — Kristine
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"Don't quit before the magic happens." — Gina
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"Vision needs to be written, repeated, and protected." — Kristine
About the Guest - Kristine Collins
Kristine Collins is the Dean of Continuing Education at UC Irvine, the youngest and first woman to hold the role. A former athlete and systems thinker, she blends servant leadership with business-speed execution. Recruited from Canada, Kristine's path includes university leadership and a stint in the private sector at a VR startup.
About the Host — Gina L. Osborn
Gina L. Osborn is a retired FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Army counterintelligence veteran, former Chief Safety & Security Officer for LA Metro, keynote speaker, and host of Making Maverick Moves. She helps leaders navigate chaos, crisis, and change with courage and clarity.
Resources & Mentions
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