"Relaying bad news is never easy. My approach is truth and transparency."
Richard Benbow is the Regional Vice President (West) of Western Governors University, the nation’s first and largest online competency-based university. In this role, Mr. Benbow combines his passion for innovation and information technology with his desire to provide access to affordable, high-quality education for underserved adult learners throughout the region.
He leads a team that executes strategy and operations to optimize student success by utilizing the WGU platform and developing partnership relationships that drive value for employers and students. Mr. Benbow fosters a culture of experimentation, innovation, and collaboration. His distinguished career spans the public, private, and non-profit sectors.
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Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions! We know you’re a busy person, so our readers will appreciate learning more about your backstory and how you got started.
Richard Benbow: I have always been drawn to serve others in a way that solves problems, creates public value, and is impactful. Community engagement has been at the forefront throughout my professional and personal life. Having worked at Western Governors University (WGU) for about two years, I now know that I am 100% committed to exploring how to harness the power of education to open doors of opportunity for the underserved. I find the potential of technology to disrupt traditional learning models fascinating. Technology can remove significant barriers, expand accessibility, enhance flexibility, and introduce efficiency to time-consuming tasks. WGU’s innovative student-first approach to learning allows me to explore new possibilities in higher education to ensure everyone gets the education they deserve.
Can you tell us a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were starting out in your field? What did you learn from that experience?
Richard Benbow: WGU is a data-driven organization. I was introduced to this concept early in my tenure during one of our Business Review meetings. Someone commented that my region was trending in the right direction in several areas. Our President took notice and wanted answers as to why. There was a moment of silence, and then, as I thought about all the research that I reviewed and collected the night before, I went into this long anecdotal explanation of the local unemployment rate, student sentiment in a down economy, seasonality, and skill-shortage data. In my mind, it was as thorough an explanation as one could expect. I was so proud of myself and my answer. I did it. Then our President said, “No, Rick. We increased marketing in your region.” That day I learned that some answers could be complex, and some solutions can be simple, but either way, you better have data to back them up.
Somebody helped you get to where you are now. Somebody probably gave you some good advice or helped you out when you needed it. Who was that person for you? Tell us about it.
Richard Benbow: Honestly, I would have to say Magic Johnson! While I’ve never worked with him personally, his words have had a profound impact on me professionally. He has said that his greatest assets were his teammates. When he involved his teammates in his strategy on the court, every Laker became a superstar. It was never all about him. He knew the nuances and had an understanding of how they all worked together. By sharing the ball and winning, he brought a palpable enthusiasm to the competition. Magic put his teammates in the position to succeed. His willingness to share the ball–the limelight–for the benefit of his team is something I’ve always admired and tried to emulate.
In the corporate world, you similarly need to set your team up for success. You need to make sure that the tent is big enough for everyone to take a bow. It’s my greatest reward and pleasure to serve others, so my WGU job helping the underserved student population eliminate barriers of time, family circumstances and financial burdens to pursue an education is a team effort and one that every single person on my team has a hand in. The outcome–seeing someone walk at commencement and get a diploma they never dreamed possible–is something we collectively marvel at every day. Seeing how their individual strengths contributed to making something great happen can help them better appreciate each other as well.
Many studies have shown that businesses with a clear purpose are more successful in many ways. When your company started, what was its vision? What was its purpose?
Richard Benbow: Western Governors University has always had a singular purpose to create pathways to higher education for non-traditional student populations using innovative approaches to learning. We were founded by 19 U.S. governors in 1997 who understood that everyone learns differently, and that to ensure equity in higher education, innovation within our educational system was necessary.
By leveraging technology to extend learning to those who are not able to go the traditional education route, WGU creates opportunities for people who never thought they’d be able to continue their education because they had family and work obligations. Our flat-rate tuition creates financial opportunity where before, the debt they’d incur was insurmountable.
In addition to that, we offer competency-based learning so a working adult can apply the knowledge they already have in their coursework to move on to the next lesson. This enables them to work at their own pace and leverage real-world knowledge they’ve acquired. That’s huge for someone who is tight on time, money and wants to get a degree to help with their career trajectory without assuming a lot of debt. I’d say that the only thing that’s changed since WGU was founded, was that now we’re 130,000 students strong and growing with more than 250,000 graduates! That’s our ultimate barometer for success.
Thank you for that. Now let’s turn to the main focus of our discussion. Can you share a story with our readers about how you led your team during difficult times?
Richard Benbow: Well, let’s acknowledge that there were two crises that happened since 2020: a global pandemic and a racial reckoning. Both of which disrupted systems everywhere and greatly impacted corporate America. For us, it underscored our vision that the future serving the education needs of the region means doing so responsibly from an economic and social justice perspective. We strive every day to help diverse, underserved students pursue higher education by providing access and affordability. These are rural, people of color, first-gen, low-income learners that were often ignored by more traditional universities.
What really helped motivate my team during those tough times was how our online flat-rate competency-based learning model offered essential workers –who put their lives on the line every day to help keep us all safe–a bridge to a brighter future. To help them realize careers beyond their current jobs, we launched an Essential Worker scholarship. We’ve awarded 241 scholarships for a total of $721,000.00 nationwide to date. These recipients have enrolled in our degree programs that create a pathway to career opportunities they never thought possible.
I also think that prior to the pandemic, online education was seen somehow as inferior and not effective. Now of course universities are realizing how learning online can mean a new way of engaging with students and providing pathways to those who may have geographic limitations, family obligations, or work full time. We are at an advantage because we started out that way. That was validating and motivating for our team.
Have you ever thought about giving up? Where do you find the motivation to continue through your challenges? What keeps you going?
Richard Benbow: You know when I see how we create pathways to success for non-traditional student populations, it’s highly motivating! It’s so inspirational to have a team committed to innovating current education models to expand access to anyone who wants to pursue higher learning.
But there’s a widening educational gap rooted in socioeconomic disparities and exacerbated by pandemic-induced disruptions. The National Bureau of Economic Research found that lower-income students are 55% more likely to delay graduation due to COVID-19 than their more affluent peers. On top of that, the bureau found that COVID-19 nearly doubled the gap between low- and high-income students in expected grade point average. The pandemic’s disruption to students’ ability to succeed is profound.
We’re making big strides at WGU in closing that gap. We know that advancing the future of education means advocating for every student. That keeps me going. I’m so grateful to be in this position and help build stronger communities, and honestly, I’m too busy to think about stopping anytime soon!
What do you think is the most important role of a leader during difficult times?
Richard Benbow: Good leaders don’t grumble or complain when challenges happen—instead, they lead by example and show the positive results that can come–all the while reminding their team that “we are on the same team and focused on the same goal.”
I also think it’s critical for leaders to lead by example by giving time to their community. I’ve volunteered in my community my whole adult life, serving as a Board Member for the Harbor City Boys and Girls Club and as an Advisory Board Member for Urban Media. I also assist aspiring young, college student-athletes, and coach youth basketball and football, and try to serve as their mentor. Showing your staff that a full life creates a fulfilling job is extremely valuable in getting through challenging times.
When the future seems uncertain, it can be hard to stay motivated. What is the best way to improve morale? What can a leader do to make their team feel inspired, motivated and engaged?
Richard Benbow: There’s no better way of keeping them engaged when you know you’re giving someone hope for a better future. Higher levels of education are associated with a wide range of positive outcomes — including better health and wellbeing, higher social trust, greater political interest, lower political cynicism, and less hostile attitudes toward immigrants. To this end, as an education leader, it’s so important to continually motivate your team and remind them that all their hard work is truly making an impact.
How can you best communicate difficult news to your team and customers?
Richard Benbow: Relaying bad news is never easy. My approach is truth and transparency. Even if the news is not optimal, you’ll still have trust which can get you through disruptions or challenging situations.
How can leaders be able to make plans when the future is uncertain?
Richard Benbow: I find that staying your course while allowing the flexibility to pivot when necessary is critical. For example, COVID-19 forced many educational institutions to pivot to online teaching and offer teaching and assessments online at a distance for the first time. While many will be able to rely on endowments and government support, enrollment is down in higher education institutions across the country. Now, many institutions have announced plans for blended learning. They’ll have to continue to be flexible as our new reality fully takes shape.
As a pioneer of fully online education, WGU is positioned to deliver the same high-quality, student-centered educational experience regardless of how long the coronavirus remains active. What’s more, WGU’s first-of-its-kind competency-based education enables students to use what they already know to earn their degree faster—making it an attractive option for students in a struggling economy. Now that doesn’t mean we won’t need to pivot when necessary, but as our history demonstrates, we will always lean into innovation when it comes to enhancing how we teach our students.
Can a company find stability during difficult times by using a specific principle?
Richard Benbow: At WGU our main principle is providing a student-centric education. We believe in the inherent worth and ability of the individual. This is evident in the work we do—creating pathways to a better life by expanding access to education—and in how we do it—with an unwavering focus on our students.
This core belief in the worth of the individual and our vision to be the most student-centric university are woven into our culture, which is foundational to our continued success and the success of our students.
What are some of the most common mistakes that businesses make during difficult times? What can you do to avoid making these same mistakes?
Richard Benbow: 1. Not harnessing the strength of your team to create a pathway forward. Look to your best asset, your employees, to ideate around how to address new challenges, and help put a strategic plan in place to support new approaches to how you do business that stay true to the DNA of the organization.
2. Not listening to your constituents and not being aware of changes happening around you. For example, we launched a proprietary reporting program called the Environmental Barriers Program (EVB) to collect data that tracks and monitors the pandemic’s effects on our students. The data helps inform University leadership in the wake of major traumatic events regarding how students, many of whom are working adults, are staying engaged and on track with their academic coursework. The system flags key barriers to a student’s academic success across 16 categories such as personal distress, job overtime, illness and family care issues. WGU leaders use the data to create mitigation strategies to help these students.
3. Being tone deaf. Make sure you are sensitive to how the current environment affects your team and make sure your language reflects that you understand–and are working to help get them through as best as possible. And always make sure their voices are heard. If not, you risk losing great people.
Making more money, getting new customers, or keeping your current ones is hard during good times. It can be even harder during hard times. But it’s important to keep growing. Can you tell me some of the things you do to make sure you don’t lose ground when the economy is tough?
Richard Benbow: At WGU we are very aware of the types of jobs in demand in today’s market and our dynamic curriculum reflects that. We stay connected to our strategic partners in the workforce to make sure we offer the most valuable programs to help our students’ achieve their career goals when they graduate.
We know that a lot of people are now looking to change careers after working from home or being furloughed from their jobs, so we’re offering programs in growing industries like cybersecurity. And I believe we offer those motivated students the fastest and most affordable way to attain it. I don’t think many other existing four-year colleges are prepared to compete with this model and our ability to graduate students ready to work in highly skilled positions.
What are four things a business leader can do to lead effectively during uncertain and turbulent times? Please share a story or an example for each.
Richard Benbow: 1. Working with a purpose is the best job ever. I wake up every morning with the opportunity to impact someone’s life. I live with intention and direction.
2. Everyone is not a fan of innovation. Unfortunately, there are people and institutions who do not see the value in progress and that’s okay. The fun part is convincing them that is a better way.
3. The success of our students is our success. We are truly a mission-driven university.
4. Have tissue nearby when you are giving a surprise scholarship. We love showing up with good news of awarding a scholarship to help those who least expect it. It lifts all of us up!
Can you share a life lesson quote that is meaningful to you and explain how it has influenced your life?
Richard Benbow: “We win or we learn. We don’t lose.” — Nelson Mandela
I believe that there are a lot of failures and lessons learned in the change/innovation business. You have to have the memory of a goldfish to learn from unsuccessful experiences and remain undeterred in pursuit of a better norm.
How can our readers stay up-to-date on your work?
Richard Benbow: Visit us online at www.wgu.edu!
Jed Morley, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Richard Benbow for taking the time to do this interview and share his knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Richard Benbow or his company, you can do it through his – Linkedin Page
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