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6 th Global RCE Conference Turnaround Leadership for ESD in Higher Education. Professor Geoff Scott Professor Daniella Tilbury Co-Chairs SFA Leadership Program. Why undertake this project?. A turnaround moment for higher education world-wide
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6th Global RCE ConferenceTurnaround Leadership for ESD in Higher Education Professor Geoff Scott Professor Daniella Tilbury Co-Chairs SFA Leadership Program
Why undertake this project? • A turnaround moment for higher education world-wide • ‘Good ideas with no ideas on how to implement them are wasted ideas’ • Change doesn’t happen but must be led – and deftly
About the project(see the 2 page outline) Focus • Key leadership capabilities & strategies • The world of the EfS leader in HE • Key satisfactions, challenges, effectiveness indicators • Best approaches to leadership selection and development Four phases • Identification of experienced EfS leaders • Survey • Participant feedback on the results • Report and action on recommendations
Leadership capability & competence • Capability vs competence • Our capability is most tested when things go wrong or the unexpected happens • Dimensions of capability • Personal • Interpersonal • Cognitive • Role specific competencies • Generic competencies • Capability studies over the past 15 years
Leadership Capability Framework Capability Interpersonal Capabilities Cognitive Capabilities Personal Capabilities Role-specific Competencies Generic Competencies Competency
Leadership Capability Scales Cognitive Diagnosis Strategy Flexibility & Responsiveness Competencies Management University operations EfS Self-organisation Personal • Self-awareness • Decisiveness • Commitment Interpersonal • Influencing • Emphathising
Studies of academic & professional leaders in HE- their world The world of the HE leader • juggler – of personalities, expectations, egos, eggs, priorities, chainsaws • captain, navigator, mate on anything from a large ship to a small yacht • ringmaster • conductor of an orchestra (sometimes with the score, sometimes not) • custodian, broker or gatekeeper • coach of a team • herding cats/corralling kangaroos/working with organised chaos
Studies of academic & professional leaders in HE - key satisfactions & challenges Recurring challenges HR & staffing issues Unclear direction/priorities Staff won’t engage Inefficient processes, systems & meetings Balancing home & work Having to respond to ad hoc demands Recurring satisfactions • Working with a great team • Helping shape strategy • Implementing projects • Seeing systems run smoothly & productively • Having autonomy & trust • Being recognised for work well done
Studies of HE academic & professional leaders - top 10/38 capabilities in rank order (n= 672) 5th: Motivating others to achieve +ve outcomes (IP - influencing) 7th: Being able to bounce back from adversity (P – self-awareness) 7th: Empathising & working with diversity (IP - empathising) 7th : Influencing others behaviour & decisions +vely (IP - influencing) 7th: Seeing the best way to respond in a perplexing situation (C - strategy) • 1st: being able to remain calm when things go awry (P – self-awareness) • 1st: being transparent & honest in dealings with others (IP - emphathising) • 3rd: Understanding my strengths & limitations (P – Self-awareness) • 4th: Ability to make a hard decision (P - Decisiveness) • 5th: Diagnosing underlying causes & taking the right action (C - diagnosis)
Summary lessons from the leadership research so far • The most effective leaders in HE • Listen, link and lead in that order • Model, teaching and learn • A change capable culture is built by change capable leaders • Everyone is a leader in their own area of expertise and responsibility • Our capability as a leader is most tested when things go wrong or the unexpected happens
Implications for leadership in RCEs. • Key challenges • Key messages from this session • Potential for a parallel study of effective leadership in RCEs.
Further reading • Fullan, M (2011): Change leader: learning to do what matters most, Jossey Bass, San Francisco • Fullan, M & Scott, G (2009): Turnaround Leadership for higher education, Jossey Bass, San Francisco • Scott, G (2008): University student engagement & satisfaction, commissioned report to the Bradley Review of Australian Higher Education • Scott, G, Coates, H & Anderson, M (2008): Learning leaders in times of change, ALTC