Review of Literature on the Attributes of the Ideal Leader in Higher Education - Research Paper Example

Review of Literature on the Attributes of the Ideal Leader in Higher Education Leadership provides direction to its followers. Skilled leaders define leadership as the ability to pursue goal-oriented plans using desired processes aimed at achieving targeted outcome (Warrolow, 2012). This is a review of literature that discusses the attributes of ideal leaders in higher education. Leadership in Higher Education In a study made by Hannigan (2008) in California, researcher affirmed the necessity of a leadership that is using participatory processes within the organizational structure, thus, eliciting pro-active involvement of students and employees for effective governance within the educational institution. Hannigan (2008) insist that while the institution's structures are in place, the values of participation are not neglected whilst adopting servant leadership (p. 1). Hannigan used Organizational Leadership Assessment (OLA) to measure servant leadership and a normalized performance index score using seven performance measures. Researcher found that servant leadership model is absent in the five colleges in California. Quaqebeke & Knippenberg (2012) contended that leaders can only be effective when they are able to exercise influence over subordinates. A researcher viewed that when subordinates look at their leaders as ideal, they will follow them with respect and likes to be self-identified with them. Using self-other-overlap measure, researchers determine the level of respect accorded by the respondents to their leaders through their communicative openness with them (Quaqebeke et al., 2012). Mael and Ashfort identification questionnaire was also utilized to know if they can self-identify themselves with their respective leaders (Quaqebeke et al., 2012). Researchers confirmed that the relationship between leader categorization and openness to leadership is stronger, which posit that more subordinates thought of themselves as imbibed with ideal leaders qualities (Quaqebeke et.al., 2012, p. 1). They further agreed that people's categorization of leaders and themselves is contingent upon if the ideal leader category is viewed as far from standards set as benchmark (Quaqebeke et.al., 2012, p. 1). Aaker (2003) meanwhile studied the leadership styles of female administrators in Tennesee using 13 two-year community colleges (p.1). Through Leadership Practice Inventory and with demographic data of varied respondents, Aaker (2003) argued that the traits commonly used in leadership are enabling, modelling, encouraging, challenging, and inspiring (p. 1). Aaker (2003) likewise affirmed that there is no significant differences between female executives designated in students affairs (p. 1). Warrolow (2012), on the other hand, argue that transformational leadership is needed in learning institutions as they exhibit purposiveness and extols positive changes using the power of motivations to upgrade or improve the performance of followers. Experts contend that transformational leadership is inclusive of traits that are embodied in transactional and charismatic leadership that are seen amongst visionaries (Warrolow, 2012). This extols the precept that ideal leaders are knowledgeable of its long-term goals but remained uncompromising with human values and desirable principles (Warrolow, 2012). Ideal leaders are likewise deemed innovative and creative in maximizing talents and skills, as these are imperative in confronting challenges (Warrolow, 2012). In higher education, transformational leadership is essential in managing institutional changes. This entails the need for communicative abilities and the capacity to translate plans into action that are sensitive to the interests and morale of constituents. They are skilled in managing changes (Gumusluoglu & Ilsev, 2009). They know how to gather the support of members by presenting to them the problems of the institutions and the alternatives or remedies that should be undertaken to warrant positive outcome and growth (Gumusluoglu & Ilsev, 2009). As managers, they engage all stakeholders in a positive discourse to resolve conflicting organizational practices that does not serve the interest of the institution. Therefore, ideal leaders can bring about the transition using mechanisms and frameworks that integrate the goals, norms, behaviors, motives, ethics, resources and standards (Hugo, Dimovski & Akerlavaj, 2009). Procedural as it may sound, but good leaders are also skilled transactional leaders. Applied to higher education, ideal leaders are those perceived focused on goals but is not suffering the dichotomy of managing the institution with typical standards and not confused with their personal morality (Hugo, et al., 2009). Such meant that while maintaining knowledge-based culture for empowerment, they likewise perform their tasks at a right perspective within the spectrum of processes. Transformational leaders in higher education must be also attuned to the maximization of information and technology for proficiency in networking, coordination and collaboration of all offices. They are engaged in constant reaffirmation of best practices and sustaining development for advancement (Hugo, et.al., 2009). Leadership and Higher Education Merten (2002) pointed that there are now challenges confronting educational administrators. Competence in management is insufficient as standard amongst principals, superintendents, deans, and presidents as they needed to assume the risks inherent in management such as meager educational budget, demand for peace education in conflict areas and increasing accountability posed on them as administrators (Merten, 2002). Under developmental and transformational leadership approaches, leaders of higher education must assume the roles of producing human capital that are responsive to knowledge-based market and in increasing the access to education for the handicap, ethic groups, marginalized women and migrants as well (Merten, 2002). This is because education must be an instrument that will encourage the participation of all sectors of the community with their best potentials as well as make them as helpful citizens when they are integrated into the mainstream of the society. School administrators must therefore not only equip them with necessary knowledge but must model leadership that can be emulated by its students. Expert contended that administrators can be more proficient if there capacities should be enhanced to make them persons with great personal philosophy for better behavioral patterns; develop their leadership skills to bolster their performance; inculcate in them with innovative knowledge for staff development; make them excellence-oriented as standard for students academic endeavor; and make them good organizational development manager (Hutton, 2010). The University of California Commission on General Education (UCCGE) (2007) also recommended that leaders of higher education must inspire reform within the educational system. UCCGE (2007) demand that such transformational leadership must inspire systematization of general education by giving institutional leaders the voice in decision-making bodies to enable them to articulate the resources and supports needed in maintaining competent administration of higher education institution (p. 1). Administrators must likewise possess that leadership quality that evokes motivation among educators (UCCGE, 2007) using incentives and benefits. They inspire continuous learning to enrich their human resources as fountain of knowledge in educational institutions. They likewise practice coaching and conduct seminars or trainings to cope with unceasing changes with the market and of the community (Ismail, Mohamed, Sulaiman, Mohamad, & Yusuf, 2011). In educational institutions constantly facing conflicting situation within its served communities, leaders should advocate and teach peace education to shape the perspectives of its constituents to peace and conflict management (Zeljko, Ivana, & Dujak, 2008). Thus, education leaders should be adept to the varying processes of conflict resolution so that they are able to inculcate amongst students, teachers and administrators the value of peacebuilding, peacemaking and conflict resolution (Zeljko, et.al., 2008). Using peace frameworks, leaders can be instruments in organizing its communities into peace zones, hence discourage the use of violence in managing disputes. They will be pro-active teacher-leaders who will be willing to extend its academic services to the communities needing balance and objectivity in dealing with problems (Zeljko, et.al., 2008). Such also meant that the higher learning institutions should nurture a policy for research and community extension works that are responsive peoples’ needs and challenges (Zeljko, et.al., 2008). Empirical and successful experiences out of these endeavors can be shared as best practices to other institution and ergo, can be a model for community services too. This likewise can be an opportunity for learning processes as well in teaching and advocating for transparent governance, community risk reductions, gender response, poverty reductions and the like. Within its institutions, ideal leaders of higher education should be likewise adept in applying principles in conflict management within its working environment (Gates, Binningsbo, Malmin & Lie, 2007). Thus, they should be presumed able to identify the problems with impartiality; engaged all stakeholders in resolving issues; expert in responding to problems; able to provide alternatives to remedies to arising dilemma; and can encourage conflicting parties or interests to look back at their common vision, values and practices (Gates, et.al., 2007). Therefore, it’s significant that leaders are able to develop the climate of trust among its constituents so that they can openly communicate their issues, needs, and recommendations. Conclusion These are the times when higher education is not only about exuding competence for teaching and learning processes. The post-modern period is unwaveringly challenging, deconstructing old practices as against the development of new educational culture. While leaders dream of nurturing academic excellence amongst students, but institutions nowadays are needing leaders that are innovative, integrative, empirical, and are constantly in pursuit to achieve the ideals (Warrolow, 2012). It’s therefore primordial to have leaders who are not only competent but are also visionary, goal and output-oriented; responsive to both institutional and community needs; and proficient or effective of its performances. These meant that leaders of institution for higher education should develop a new culture within its bureaucracy that does not simply study realities published on books but also the realities that are constantly met by its stakeholders and by the institution itself (Warrolow, 2012). They need to be expert managers and skilled developmental advocates. At such, if their shared knowledge is translated to reality, education can be said as an instrument for social transformation and genuine changes. References Alan G. Merten, (2002). Improving Education Outcomes In Colleges, Universities, and Beyond. Conference Series Proceedings, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, United States. pp. 295-296. Disraeli Hutton, (2010). Characteristics, Qualities and Behaviours of the High Performing Principal: Experiences the Jamaican School System. International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, Volume 5, Number 3. Gates, Scott; Binningsbo, Helga Malmin & Lie, Tove Grete, (2007). Post-conflict justice and Sustainable Peace, Policy Research Working Paper Series 4191, The World Bank, Washington, DC. Gumusluoglu, Lale & Ilsev, Arzu, (2009). Transformational Leadership, Creativity, and Organizational Innovation, Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, Vol. 62(4), pp. 461-473. Hannigan, John (2008). Leadership in Higher Education: An Investigation of Servant Leadership as Predictor of College Performance. Capella University, pp. 1-75. Hugo ZagorÅ¡ek & Vlado Dimovski & Miha Åkerlavaj, (2009). Transactional and Transformational Leadership Impacts on Organizational Learnin. Journal for East European Management Studies, Rainer Hampp Verlag, Vol. 14(2), pages 145 - 165. Ismail, A., Mohamed, Hasan Al-Banna Sulaiman, Ahmad Zaidi Mohamad, Mohd Hamran, Yusuf, M. H., (2011). An Empirical Study of the Relationship between Transformational Leadership, Empowerment and Organizational Commitment. Business and Economics Research Journal, Uludag University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Vol. 2(1), pages 89. Neils van Quaqebeke & Daan van Knippenberg (2012). Subordinates' Self- and Typical Leader Perceptions Moderate Leader Categorization Effects., University of Hamburg, Germany. p. 1-2. Sherry Aaker (2003). Leadership Styles of Executive Female Administrators in Tenessee Community Colleges. School of Education, Tennesee State University, Knoxville, Tennesee, United States. Stephen Warrilow (2012). Transformational leadership theory. Strategies of Managing Change, Clevedon, UK. The University of California Commission on General Education. (2007). General Education in the 21st Century: A Report of the University of California Commission on General Education Center for Studies in Higher Education, UC Berkeley. Zeljko Turkalj, Ivana Fosic, & Davor Dujak, (2008). Conflict Management in Organization. Interdisciplinary Management Research. Faculty of Economics, Osijek, Croatia, Vol. 4, pages 505-515. Read More