Working in higher education is often described as a “calling.” Sometimes, however, it feels like being summoned to a never-ending meeting with no snacks and a PowerPoint titled “Strategic Realignment of Synergies.” Regardless of whether you are staff or faculty, disappointments can inevitably be part of this calling.

Maybe your carefully crafted proposal was rejected with a one-line response. Maybe your department’s budget was “reimagined” into something other than your priorities. Maybe you spent three weeks preparing for a workshop that was attended by only two students, one of whom was looking for something else and only wanted directions. Workplace disappointment is real and, across time, can make its mark on us.

Why Disappointment Happens

Campuses are complex institutions where calling meets bureaucracy. Faculty and staff are driven by purpose, educating students and advancing knowledge, supporting communities, but on a path littered with institutional hurdles.

Disappointments stem from:

• Unrealistic Expectations: You thought your committee would make a decision. It didn’t. Again.
• Lack of Recognition: You worked overtime to support an initiative. No one noticed.
• Poor Communication: You found out about a major policy change via a forwarded email from something named “AdminBot.”
• Resource Constraints: You wanted to make a positive first impression on applicants for your academic program, but the saddest of sandwiches from the local grocery store was all you could budget.

These moments can leave even the most dedicated professionals feeling deflated. But disappointment doesn’t have to derail your passions.

The Emotional Toll (and How to Lighten It)

Workplace disappointments aren’t just frustrating; they chip away at our morale, foster cynicism, and make us question whether our efforts matter. And on campus, where passion and personal investments run high, the sting can feel sharper.

There is good news! You can manage it! You can even grow from it. And yes, you can laugh about it. . . .eventually. . . . .

Here’s How:

• Acknowledge It: Don’t pretend it didn’t happen. Disappointment is a valid response to unmet expectations and it is okay to feel this and share it.  We are supposed to only curate our successes, but we all have enough disappointments to populate an entire second resume/vitae.
• Reframe It: Not every disappointment means failure. Disappointments and failures are very different things. Sometimes altering our reactions is a matter of redirection.
• Take a Break: Step away from the inbox. Go for a walk. Pet a dog. Reconnect with something that reminds us why we do this work. Even in the face of disappointments, our passions remain.

The Role of Humor and Perspective

Humor is one of campus’ most underrated survival tools. When your department is reorganized into a “Center for Interdisciplinary Synergies,” or the student event you helped organize gets moved to the student center basement where even wifi refuses to attend, laughter may be your best option. Finding the absurdity in a situation doesn’t mean you’re not taking it seriously, it means you’re wrestling with it with wit rather than weeping.

Perspective also helps. Remember that campuses are slow-moving ships. Change takes time. Recognition may be delayed. And sometimes, your best ideas are simply ahead of their time.

Five Points for Managing Workplace Disappointment

1. Normalize It. Disappointment is part of the campus experience. It doesn’t mean you’re failing, it means you’re engaged and disappointment is inevitable albeit rarely feeling good. If you care enough to be disappointed, you’re doing something right!
2. Build a Support Network. Find your people. Whether it’s a colleague, a mentor, or the department admin who knows where all the candy dishes are, allies make tougher moments easier to bear.
3. Focus on What You Can Control. You may not control the budget or the strategic plan, but you control your response. Set boundaries, manage your time, and protect your energy.
4. Celebrate Small Wins. Did a student say thank you? Did your event go slightly better than expected? Did you survive a meeting without muttering under your breath? Celebrate it. These moments matter and they add up, too!
5. Reconnect with Your Purpose. When disappointment hits, revisit your “Why?!” Whether it’s teaching, research, service, or supporting students, your work has impact even if it’s not always immediately visible.

Disappointments are inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be deafening. With wider perspective, a little wit, and a supportive community, you can navigate the inevitable letdowns and keep doing the work that matters. 

And if all else fails, remember: Even the best campuses occasionally realign synergies!