BERKELEY – It had been less than three hours since Jim Knowlton had been announced as Cal's new Director of Athletics and he was already giving his 30 head coaches a homework assignment.

Knowlton, who became the university's 24^th athletic director on Monday morning, told his new employees that he would be sending them a questionnaire that would help him get started on his new position.

It's that quest to gather information from the people around him that defines Knowlton's leadership style.

"I want to come in and be a servant leader and help us continue to grow," Knowlton said Monday afternoon at his introductory press conference at the Field Club at California Memorial Stadium. "I want to be a facilitator, a servant leader, and really allow our coaches and our student athletes to really continue that growth process."

Knowlton, who has spent the past three years at the athletic director at Air Force and served in the United States Army for 26 years, used the term "servant leader" repeatedly Monday as he met with coaches, staff and the media. A proponent of collaborative leadership, Knowlton made it clear he intends to spend the first days of his tenure collecting as much information as possible from different athletic department stakeholders to help with his decision-making.

Knowlton said the next several weeks will be "Listening Days," in which he will receive feedback from Cal's head coaches based off the packet he sends them. He will be looking for each program's strengths, challenges and opportunities for him to help make a difference. Knowlton said the goal is for coaches to help him determine where he should be spending his time helping them to get better.

 "I think what you will find is I'm very collaborative," Knowlton said. "When you're from many of the organizations that I've been, being a servant leader is certainly what people respond to. I think that's what you'll find as you get to know me. That truly is my leadership style."

Knowlton met with Cal's head coaches Monday morning followed by a meeting with athletic department staff. He was scheduled to meet with student-athletes Monday evening.

Knowlton's first day will be on May 21. He is replacing Mike Williams, who announced last August he would step down when his contract expires in May.

"It became clear during the search process that in Jim Knowlton, we found a special leader for Cal Athletics who is ready and able to guide this department at a crucial time," said Cal women's basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb, one of two Cal head coaches to serve on the search committee along with head football coach Justin Wilcox. "The Berkeley campus, and Cal Athletics, are about excellence. I'm so excited to work with Jim as we elevate our department going forward. He is a collaborative leader with a keen mind and I know we'll all benefit under his guidance."

Before introducing Knowlton to Cal's head coaches, Chancellor Carol Christ told them that some of Air Force's coaches cried when they learned he was leaving.

"Some of them were tears of joy," Knowlton joked.

Knowlton also received a phone call from Williams on Monday morning congratulating him on the job.

"I think the hardest part of all this is I had to explain to my kids why we had to burn all of our red clothing in the house," Knowlton said. "I think they got it. The bonfire is probably on back in Colorado Springs right now."