6th Global RCE Conference 

Turnaround Leadership for ESD in Higher Education

 Professor Geoff ScottProfessor Geoff Scott

Professor Daniella TilburyProfessor Daniella Tilbury

Co-Chairs SFA Leadership ProgramCo-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 capability1. Personal

2. Interpersonal

3. Cognitive

4. Role specific competencies

5. Generic competencies

• Capability studies over the past 15 years

Leadership Capability Framework

PersonalCapabilities

InterpersonalCapabilities

CognitiveCapabilities

Role-specificCompetencies

GenericCompetencies

Capability

Competency

Leadership Capability Scales

Personal• Self-awareness• Decisiveness• Commitment

Interpersonal• Influencing• Emphathising

Cognitive• Diagnosis• Strategy• Flexibility &

Responsiveness

Competencies• Management• University operations• EfS• Self-organisation

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 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

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

Studies of HE academic & professional leaders - top 10/38 capabilities in rank order (n= 672)

• 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)

• 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)

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