Kindness, Culture, and the Hidden Power of Admin
I recently had the pleasure of joining the Change H.E. community to lead a session on something I believe in deeply: the hidden power of admin.
Preparing for this workshop was a chance to bring together ideas I’ve been working on for some time, from my One Minute Admin philosophy to the notion of admin as ‘cultural infrastructure.’ What struck me most is how often we underestimate these everyday tasks, when in fact they play a quiet but vital role in shaping how people experience their work.
Why admin matters more than we think
In Higher Education (and beyond), admin is often dismissed as ‘just admin.’ Yet, these small, operational details set the tone for so much of our working lives. A clear calendar invite that respects people’s time, a process that feels smooth rather than frustrating, or an email written with thought and clarity - these aren’t trivial. They’re signals of care and professionalism that ripple outwards, influencing trust, well-being, and even how people feel about change.
Kindness as a radical act
One theme we explored in the session was the idea of kindness in admin. Not in a vague ‘be nice’ sense, but as a deliberate, strategic act. A simple example is choosing to remove Any Other Business (AOB) from meeting agendas. At first glance, it seems like a small change, but it’s actually an act of kindness: it reduces the stress of last-minute surprises, prevents scope creep, and shows respect for people’s time and preparation. By being clear about what’s on the agenda, you make meetings feel safer and more predictable, which in turn supports inclusion and wellbeing. In this way, admin choices, even something as small as a line on an agenda, can radically shift how people experience their working day.
The role of One Minute Admin
Another part of the workshop focused on One Minute Admin, my approach to making admin feel lighter, quicker, and less overwhelming. I shared a typology of admin attitudes, from the Admin Avoider who puts things off until the last possible moment, to the All-or-Nothing Thinker who waits for the perfect system before making progress. What I love about this approach is that it meets people where they are, showing that even one small action can unlock momentum.
What I learned from the discussion
As with any Change H.E. conversation, the real richness came from the discussion. Attendees shared examples of where admin either drives or derails change in their contexts. For some, a thoughtful process had smoothed the path for collaboration. For others, clunky systems or unclear communication had blocked progress. It was a reminder that admin isn’t neutral, it actively shapes the conditions for change. I left the session with fresh insights of my own and a renewed sense of how important it is to keep talking about this.
Final thoughts
If there’s one thing I’d want people to take away, it’s that admin is never ‘just admin.’ It’s cultural infrastructure, the connective tissue that influences how we feel about our work and about each other. Approached with thoughtfulness and kindness, it can become a quiet but radical force for positive change.
I’m grateful to the Change H.E. community for the chance to explore these ideas together. And if you’d like to continue the conversation, whether through One Minute Admin or thinking about kindness in your own operations, I’d love to hear from you.