Accountability metrics and measures are becoming the norm in the university, but as policies are molded, adopted, and modified, many administrators, faculty, and students continue to seek answers and a sense of ease in increasingly difficult times. Instructional designers at the university level can and should adopt theories of transformational, shared, and distributed leadership to help create the lasting change that is needed within many universities today. As experts in instruction and understanding how students learn best, instructional designers are in the unique position to build consensus and solve disconnects between faculty and administrative interests in times of uncertainty. This article examines practical applications of leadership theory, including encouraging collaboration, clear communication, and the establishment of strong goals and visions, in order to help university instructional designers navigate the difficult situations they may face. Through such actions, they can effect more lasting change, find buy-in and consensus amongst diverse groups, and in turn take on stronger leadership roles at their institutions.