Executive and organisational leadership development in universities : exploring key elements and perceptions

Organisational and leadership development is said to be one of the most challenging and important activities facing universities, particularly in the current environment of fast-paced change and accelerated age-related attrition. Succession leadership development being timely, the purpose of this study was to explore the nature of leadership development most suited to meeting the leadership and organisational development challenges for contemporary universities. A blend of literature-based and empirical research was undertaken. This resulted in seven papers submitted to internationally refereed journals; five papers published, one in press, and one under review. Six of these are sole authored papers and one is a co-authored paper. The papers identify some of the issues and challenges facing the tertiary sector. They shed light on factors influencing executive and organisational leadership development deriving from the literature review and from empirical research reporting the views of current university leaders. The papers and submission document herein include recommendations and suggested models informing executive and organisational leadership development in universities. The "Lantern" model - an Illuminated Model for Organisational Leadership Development - is a key original conceptual model framing the study.

A model of organisational leadership development informing succession development : elements and practices

It is noted from observations of Compton (2009), Richards (2008), Taylor and Bennett (2002), and others that succession leadership planning and development fails to receive adequate attention in the corporate sector (see Byham 2002; Richards 2008; Wellins and Byham 2001). This paper acknowledges a marked paucity of systematic succession leadership development in education organisations. The need would seem to be compounded at a time when substantial attrition in the leadership ranks is expected over the next five years, reflecting widespread workforce demographics (Busine and Watt 2005; Jacobzone, Cambois, Chaplain, and Robine 1998; Taylor and Bennett 2002). The Lantern model has been developed in response to a perceived need to offer an integrated, systematic approach to organisational and succession leadership development. The model offers an organising framework for considering succession leadership development in a strategic, integrated way. The concept is based on organisational development and leadership literature which sees leadership development not as a series of 'tacked on' activities but as an organic 'whole of organisation' approach fostering the relevant knowledge, skills and understandings which support and 'grow' leaders as the organisation goes about its business. This paper explores how such an ideal might happen, and it suggests that pursuing such an ideal is timely. The leadership baton is set to shift at an accelerated rate in universities, as for organisations broadly, owing to age-related attrition. Moreover, given the increased complexity and demands of the leadership remit in the education leadership environment, it would seem particularly opportune to explore a framework concentrating on engendering a positive, connected organisational climate capable of growing strategic leadership strength from within. Eight core elements of the model, derived from the literature and practice research, are explored. The Lantern model purports to 'cover the bases' of succession leadership development, with particular reference to the education environment. The model is next described

New organisational leadership capabilities : transitional engineer the new designer?

Traditionally, design has been centred within the manufacturing and production areas of companies and or as a styling afterthought. Increasingly, design is viewed as a vital and important strategic business resource (Dell’Era, Marchesi & Verganti, 2010) and consequently companies worldwide look to design to help them innovate, differentiate and compete in the global marketplace. The role of the professional designer is evolving to a point where they are needed to work beyond being a specialist in the manufacturing and aesthetics of an artefact (Wrigley & Bucolo, 2011). This paper challenges the values held by academics and industry regarding the traditional role of designers in business. It investigates the emerging transitional engineering framework and puts forward a proposal for the next generation designer in the future era of design. Questions surrounding how designers will develop these new skills and how the Authors’ new framework of design led innovation can contribute to the future of design will be presented. This research is needed to better equip future designers to have a more central role in business.

Becoming a CEO: an exploration of the theory and practice of effective organisational leadership

This Thesis is an exploration of potential enhancement in effectiveness, personally, professionally and organisationally through the use of Theory as an Apparatus of Thought. Enhanced effectiveness was sought by the practitioner (Subject), while in transition to becoming Chief Executive of his organization. The introduction outlines the content and the structure of the University College Cork DBA. Essay One outlines what Theory is, what Adult Mental Development is and an exploration of Theories held in the Authors past professional practice. Immunity to change is also reflected on. Essay Two looks at the construct of the key Theories used in the Thesis. Prof. Robert Kegan’s Theory of Adult Mental Development was used to aid the generation of insight. The other key Theories used were The Theory of The Business, Theory of the Co‐operative and a Theory of Organisational Leadership. Essay Three explores the application of the key Theories in a professional setting. The findings of the Thesis were that the subject was capable of dealing with increased environmental complexity and uncertainty by using Theory as an Apparatus of Thought, which in turn enhanced personal, professional and organisational effectiveness. This was achieved by becoming more aware of the Theories held by the practitioner, the experiences from the application of those Theories, which then led to greater insight. The author also found that a detailed understanding of the Theory of the Business and a Theory of Leadership would support any new CEO in the challenging early part of their tenure.

Individual and organisational leadership: the shared approach

Purpose - this paper focuses on reducing the margin for leadership error in meeting strategic aims by forming a more robust approach to developing a broader and more reliable set of leadership skills to provide a greater likelihood of strategic alignment between corporate and individual need, increasing both of their respective shelve lives.

The role of wisdom in organisational leadership

This thesis begins with a review of the literature on wisdom models, theories of wise leadership, and existing wisdom measures. It continues with a review of how the concept of wisdom may add value to existing leadership models, highlighting the need to empirically identify the characteristics of wise leaders and develop a wise leadership measure. A nomological framework for wise leadership is then presented. Based on a review of the wisdom and leadership paradigms, a mixed-methods research design is described for three studies to define the characteristics of wise leadership in organisations; identify specific leadership challenges that might require wise responses; and to develop the wise leadership measure comprising of vignettes. The first study involves critical incident interviews with 26 nominated wise leaders and 23 of their nominators, which led to the identification of nine wise leadership dimensions which include Strong Ethical Code, Strong Judgement, Optimising Positive Outcomes, Managing Uncertainty, Strong Legacy, Leading with Purpose, Humanity, Humility, and Self-Awareness. The second study includes critical incident interviews with 20 leaders about organisational challenges associated with the nine dimensions, to elucidate the wise leadership measure. The third study includes the design of 45 vignettes based on organisational challenges that measure the nine wise leadership dimensions. The measure is then administered to 250 organisational leaders to establish its construct validity, leading to the selection of 18 vignettes forming the final wise leadership measure. Theoretical, methodological and practical implications of this research are then discussed with recommendations for future research.

Leadership for creating cultures of sustainability

This chapter discusses the vital role of leadership in creating change for sustainability in an early childhood education and care setting. The author's experiences and perspectives as the past Director of Campus Kindergarten, a long day care centre that has had a Sustainable Planet Project for over a decade, are drawn upon as she explores the theoretical underpinnings that helped to shape her work as an innovative leader and a leader of innovation. Four frames of leadership, organisational culture, professional development and organisational change, and their contributions to creating and shaping the Sustainable Planet Project, are outlined. The style of educational and organisational leadership is highlighted as essential in creating a culture of sustainability. There is an emphasis on 'whole settings' approaches to change and the creating of 'learning communities' for sustainable living. Importantly, the recognition of children as leaders and change agents for sustainability is explored.

Profiles of organisational culture in Indonesian construction companies

Although relatively few studies have been undertaken analyzing the drivers of performance for construction companies in producing and delivering satisfactory quality of project works, findings from previous research reveal that there is a significant correlation between the company’s organisational culture and the quality performance of contractors. It has also been noted that the nature of organisational culture is a major determinant factor for quality improvement. This paper presents a summary of the results of a pilot study investigating the organisational culture profiles of five Indonesian construction companies. The survey utilizes the Organisational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI), which is based on the Competing Values Framework (CVF). This instrument assesses six important and significant traits of organisational culture: dominant characteristics, organisational leadership, management of employees, organisational ‘glue’, strategic emphasis, and criteria of success. These assessed cultural dimensions identify the most close-fitting perspective of a company’s inherent culture drawn from four possible types: clan, adhocracy, market, or hierarchy culture. Further discussion is presented, which describes the companies’ dominant cultural profiles in terms of strength and congruence and how an effective quality management system operates within the dominant culture type. This analysis contributes to the finding that a suitably ‘strong’ organisational culture impacts positively on construction organisation success within its own specific sector.

‘Doing’ social justice in early childhood : the potential of leadership

Early childhood education has long been connected with objectives related to social justice. Australian Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) has its roots in philanthropic and educational reform movements prevalent at the turn of the 20th century. More recently, with the introduction of the National Early Childhood Reform Agenda, early childhood education has once more been linked to the achievement of aims associated with redressing inequality and disadvantage. According to Jean-Marie, Normore and Brooks (2009), educational leaders have a moral and social obligation to foster equitable practices through advocating for traditionally marginalised and poorly served students while creating a new social order “...that subverts the long standing system that has privileged certain students while oppressing or neglecting others” (p.4). Drawing on extant literature, including data from two previously reported Australian studies in which leadership emerged as having a transformational impact on service delivery, this paper examines the potential of early childhood leadership to generate ‘socially just’ educational communities. With reference to critical theory, we argue that critically informed, intentional and strategic organisational leadership can play a pivotal role in creating changed circumstances and opportunities for children and families. Such leadership includes positional and distributed elements, articulation of values and beliefs, and collective action that is mindful and informed.

"Doing” social justice in early childhood: The potential of leadership

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) has long been connected with objectives related to social justice. ECEC in Australia has its roots in philanthropic and educational reform movements, and more recently with the National Early Childhood Reform Agenda, ECEC has once more been linked to the redressing inequality and disadvantage. Drawing on extant literature, including data from two previously reported Australian studies in which leadership emerged as having a transformational impact on service delivery, this paper examines the potential of early childhood leadership to generate ‘socially just’ educational communities. With reference to critical theory, we argue that critically informed, intentional and strategic organisational leadership can play a pivotal role in creating changed circumstances and opportunities for children and families.

Participative behaviour of organisational leaders: The perspective of the Bhutanese corporate sector

Explored in this study are the participative behaviour of organisational leaders in the emerging for-profit sector in Bhutan. Leaders engage primarily in verbal participative behaviour with subordinates when making organisational decisions especially if they believe in the importance of the contribution of participation to organization effectiveness. Leaders who believe in high power distance however are less likely to engage in both verbal participative behaviour and consultative participative behaviour. The research contributes to our understanding of participative decision making by identifying dimensions of participative behavior in the context of emerging economies.

The complexity of leadership and organisations

The thesis contributes to the evolving process of moving the study of Complexity from the arena of metaphor to something real and operational. Acknowledging this phenomenon ultimately changes the underlying assumptions made about working environments and leadership; organisations are dynamic and so should their leaders be. Dynamic leaders are behaviourally complex. Behavioural Complexity is a product of behavioural repertoire - range of behaviours; and behavioural differentiation - where effective leaders apply appropriate behaviour to the demands of the situation. Behavioural Complexity was operationalised using the Competing Values Framework (CVF). The CVF is a measure that captures the extent to which leaders demonstrate four behaviours on four quadrants: Control, Compete, Collaborate and Create, which are argued to be critical to all types of organisational leadership. The results provide evidence to suggest Behavioural Complexity is an enabler of leadership effectiveness; Organisational Complexity (captured using a new measure developed in the thesis) moderates Behavioural Complexity and leadership effectiveness; and leadership training supports Behavioural Complexity in contributing to leadership effectiveness. Most definitions of leadership come down to changing people’s behaviour. Such definitions have contributed to a popularity of focus in leadership research intent on exploring how to elicit change in others when maybe some of the popularity of attention should have been on eliciting change in the leader them self. It is hoped that this research will provoke interest into the factors that cause behavioural change in leaders that in turn enable leadership effectiveness and in doing so contribute to a better understanding of leadership in organisations.

Developing executive capability — banking and beyond

The transition to becoming a leader is perhaps the least understood and most difficult in business. This Portfolio of Exploration examines the development of conscious awareness and meaning complexity as key transformational requirements to operate competently at leadership level and to succeed in a work environment characterised by change and complexity. It recognises that developing executive leadership capability is not just an issue of personality increasing what we know or expertise. It requires development of complexity in terms of how we know ourselves, relate to others, construe leadership and organisation, problem solve in business and understand the world as a whole. The exploration is grounded in the theory of adult mental development as outlined by Robert Kegan (1982, 1994) and in his collaborations with Lisa Laskow Lahey (2001, 2009). The theory points to levels of consciousness which impact on how we make meaning of and experience the world around us and respond to it. Critically it also points to transformational processes which enable us to evolve how we make meaning of our world as a means to close the mismatch between the demands of this world and our ability to cope. The exploration is laid out in three stages. Using Kegan’s (1982, 1994) theory as a framework it begins with a reflection of my career to surface how I made meaning of banking, management and subsequently leadership. In stage two I engage with a range of source thinkers in the areas of leadership, decision making, business, organisation, growth and complexity in a transformational process of developing greater conscious and complex understanding of organisational leadership (also recognising ever increasing complexity in the world). Finally, in stage three, I explore how qualitative changes as a result of this transformational effort have benefitted my professional, leadership and organisational capabilities.

Reflections on being a first generation self-advocate: belonging, social connections, and doing things that matter

Background Despite good policy intentions, people with intellectual disability continue to be socially excluded. Social geographers suggest the potential of self-authored spaces as catalysts for social inclusion. One such space, self-advocacy, is commonly perceived as part of a political movement for social change rather than a vehicle for social inclusion of its members. This paper investigated what involvement in self-advocacy has meant to long-term members of a self-advocacy group in Victoria, Australia. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 self-advocates about their reflections on involvement in the group. These data together with the commentary of 5 self-advocates during interviews with 18 self-advocacy supporters about their recollections of involvement in the group were transcribed and analysed thematically. Findings Through their involvement in self-advocacy, members of the group had gained a sense of belonging, social connections, and purposeful occupation, which included paid project work, lobbying, and organisational leadership and management. Conclusions This study suggests that self-advocacy groups can be places that foster social inclusion, potentially offering “membership” of an exclusive group, a wider social movement and of mainstream society.