14 | OPINION | UNIVERSIT Y BUSINESS


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CHALLENGES OF U NIVERSI T Y LE ADERSH I P I


Professor Andrew Kakabadse addresses the challenges faced by university leaders in an increasingly diverse marketplace


n an era where UK university tuition fees have almost trebled while student admissions continue to rise, some observers


have described vice-chancellors’ increased pay packets as both ‘inappropriate’ and ‘unfair,’ while ministers further at ack ‘spiralling levels’ of senior pay in the sector. Unfortunately, making universities


market-driven also makes them prone to short-termism. The bulk are becoming commodity suppliers of university programmes and, in this sense, VCs are already being paid appropriately. However, no mat er what the


justifi cations, disengaged staff are a signifi cant reality aff ecting both universities and the private sector. High employee turnover has become the norm, as has hiring the lowest available cost labour. When staff move on, the prevailing culture is ‘no problem, as long as we can get an appropriate replacement for the lowest cost.’ Educational leaders now have to


consider where and how they might bet er strengthen strained staff relations and morale, while identifying how institutions can benefi t from revitalised employee engagement as part of key strategy and decision-making processes. Put simply, university chiefs possessing


a heightened awareness of these important environmental developments are reappraising their leadership styles as part of an urgent eff ort to deliver the best possible outcomes for both students and staff . So which key qualities count when it


comes to acting as an eff ective leader? Applying the fi ndings of our research into how the best CEOs and top management teams operate around the world, and considering what separates them from their more meagre contemporaries, we have drawn some key conclusions. The important mentoring infl uences


on off er from VCs, as well as their senates, commit ees and advisors, should include support, stewardship and leadership. At the very top of the list is also a requirement to identify and capitalise upon a university’s distinct competitive advantage. Being diff erentiated means carving


out and defending a niche position in the marketplace. This is delivered not only through the skills of VCs, but also by establishing other executive roles, such


as pro-VCs, in burgeoning areas, such as international and research. These positions prove not only functional, but strengthen a university’s competitive standing. Our research with leading FTSE


companies has found that many boards are signifi cantly disengaged, and over 80% of them simply don’t know what their organisation’s competitive advantage is. This similarly applies to university leaders and their management teams. In top management, 33% lack a shared


vision, mission and strategy, and 66% say they know what is wrong with their organisation but are too inhibited to talk openly with senior colleagues about problems and solutions. This leads management to become defensive, either not giving out important information, or providing inappropriate or inadequate detail. Top universities are now placing a


much stronger emphasis on governance and development. What is ultimately required are university boards as working bodies, as opposed to gatherings such as senates. This requires appropriately- skilled non-executives who can develop a portfolio of strategic responsibilities while


“A RE VCS BO RN LE AD ERS? IN SHOR T ‘NO’. P E OP L E BE C OME LE AD ERS TH RO U G H TH EI R E X PERIENCE AND HARD WORK . TH E Y STRIVE TO B E MO RE THAN TH E Y ALRE A D Y ARE AND B E L I E VE IN CO N T INUOU S D E VE LOPMENT”


Professor Andrew


Kakabadse


focusing on teamwork and strategy. Past examples suggest the lat er cannot be left to individual institutions and there is a role for government to design appropriate programmes in support of this. Next in line is the need to introduce


performance-oriented pay at faculty levels, with bet er trained Deans taking on crucial leadership and planning functions. The balance between teaching, research and vocational and adult development should be resolved at school level, as long as a university has developed a meaningful mission which managers and Deans can believe in and become actively engaged with. VCs and their leadership teams have


a critical part in all of this, providing strategic clarity in identifying and embedding competitive advantage, professional teamwork and the necessary facilitation skills required to work with boards. Are VCs born leaders? In short ‘no’.


People become leaders through their experience and hard work. They strive to be more than they already are and believe in continuous development. There is no single formula which will work


for every university but, as league tables, guides and other critical forms of review are used to inform a new type of higher education ‘consumer,’ a vital factor for success is to transparently determine what sort of university a VC wants, and why. Engaging schools


and faculties with this notion, as opposed to copycat behaviour when faced with new challenges, will truly ensure a university


stands apart from its competitors. EDQ


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