Leadership

International Journal of Education & Management © 2017 Indian Association of Health, Research and Welfare
Studies, 2017, 7(3), 408-416 ISSN-p-2231-5632-e-2321-3671

http://www.iahrw.com/index.php/home/journal_detail/21#list Approved by UGC and have NAAS rating
The study of academic leadership preparedness and

leadership style in higher education
Hina Mohnot and Tania Shaw
School of Management Studies, Ansal University, Gurgaon, Haryana
The current study investigated academic leadership preparedness and leadership styles of 372 academic leaders of
Indian higher education institutes. Data were collected through online survey and through post on printed version of
the survey inventories. Results indicate that leadership style of academic leaders was related to their level of
leadership preparedness. Leaders with paired leadership styles were found to be more prepared for academic
leadership than leaders with single leadership style. It was also found that leaders with diffused leadership style or
no clear leadership style were least prepared for their role of leadership in the group. Results have significant
implications for designing appropriate leadership development and management training programs. Implications
and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Keywords: academic leadership, leadership preparedness, higher education, leadership styles
“Before anything else, Preparation is the key to success”- Academic leaders have to deal with major demographic and global
Alexander Graham Bell shifts in student populations and operate amongst expectations and
Academic leaders are responsible for the evolution and growth of concerns of varied stake holders. Sathye (2004) suggest,
the educational institute. In the current globally competitive arena maximizing stakeholder value, in higher education refers to
academic leaders are the key center of the whole process of higher maximizing value to stakeholders such as students, staff,
education. They have to create the vision, support the strategies, and community, and funding agencies.
act as the catalysts for developing and retaining the workforce to Gigliotti and Ruben (2017) asserted that the leadership
move the organization forward. Successful leaders are expected to challenges within higher education institutions are interdependent
engage with staff and other stakeholders to produce higher levels of by nature, and they often have a cascading impact on the
commitment to achieving the goals of the organization which, in leadership functions at all levels. Two kinds of leadership
turn, are linked to the vision (Bush, 2015). Academic leaders are also preparation have been suggested for higher education: Intellectual
responsible for ensuring a culture of high values and ethics in the and Behavioral (Bolman & Gallos, 2011). Intellectual preparedness
institution (Singh & Purohit, 2011). Academic leaders need to act entails the acquisition of a conceptual road map, which helps
dynamically handling multiple tasks and dealing with varied people. academic leaders in developing a vision and setting goals for the
This requires leaders to prepare and equip themselves with the institute. Behavioral preparedness for leadership requires individual
requisite skills and knowledge pertinent to the leadership in higher qualities like “courage, passion, confidence, flexibility,
education. Gigliotti and Ruben (2017) have noticed that leadership is resourcefulness, and creativity the foundations of healthy leadership
considered as a critical factor to the success, mediocrity, or failure of resolve and stamina” (Bolman & Gallos, 2011). Mohnot (2015)
an organization. Given the unique features of academic leadership, proposed a model of leadership preparedness in higher education
preparation for the leader becomes even more critical to not only the with four domains: Academic, Administrative, Liaising and Global-
organization and the people the leaders serve but also to the Contextual. The academic domain of preparedness includes area of
individual to avoid substitution in its stead. 'Teaching and Learning', 'Academic Standards and Assessments',
Ramsden (1998) considered leadership in higher education as a and 'Knowledge Management'; The administrative domain entails
function of many factors: leadership in teaching, leadership in management qualities required to manage people and to develop a
research, strategy vision and networking, collaborative and strong culture and structure of the institution; The liaising domain
motivational leadership, fair and efficient management, entails skills required to network with various stakeholders
development and recognition of performance and interpersonal outside the institution including parents, employers, community,
skills. Higher education's distinctive combination of goals, tasks, and media; and finally the Global-Contextual preparedness
employees, governance structures, values, technologies, and history represents the domain in broader context for taking the institution to
(Bolman & Gallos, 2011) makes it not only different but also very a higher and global level and includes knowledge and skill regarding
unique. The leadership task is a complex and variable mix of contemporary issues of higher education, financial management,
teaching, research, service, and outreach (Bolman & Gallos, 2011) laws and policies.
not to mention commercial viability in the current context. The Despite leader's critical role, most institutions of higher education
stakeholders in higher academic institutions are diverse too. pay little attention to the preparation of academic leaders or their
succession into the position (Sessa & Taylor, 2000). The academic
Correspondence should be sent to Hina Mohnot leaders are usually selected from the teaching body of the institution
Department of Human Resource Management by being good as a faculty member or researcher. The skill sets
Ansal University, Gurgaon, Haryana needed to be a good researcher may not be the same as skills require

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International Journal of Education & Management © 2017 Indian Association of Health, Research and Welfare

Studies, 2017, 7(3), 408-416 ISSN-p-2231-5632-e-2321-3671

The study of academic leadership preparedness and

Keywords: academic leadership, leadership preparedness, higher education, leadership styles

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