ABSTRACT

Combining expert knowledge, experience and reflections from senior leaders to distil collective leadership experiences, this book explores the realities of leadership at universities rather than the imagined and often-unrealistic expectations and perceptions of how leaders should act. This key text is an informed insider’s guide to leadership transitions that will assist talented individuals in considering whether to apply for, how to prepare for and how to take on the task of leading a university. The collection of leadership experiences provided will help universities to be more successful, students to have great educational experiences and staff at all levels to have more-fulfilling working environments. It will also consider how to avoid the emotional pain and suffering that can arise when leaders find themselves poorly equipped, unprepared, unable or unwilling to provide the sound and competent leadership that universities deserve.

Centred on the practice and experience of leadership, this book will be a must-read for all new and existing heads of universities. It will also provide useful insights to those actively involved in the recruitment and development of senior leaders, members of senior leadership teams and those who hold governance roles in universities. Further updates and details about the application of the ideas in the book in practice can be found at www.leadershiptransitionsatthetop.com/.

part I|89 pages

Setting the trajectory

chapter 1|13 pages

Transitions

Concepts, connections, challenges

chapter 2|20 pages

Understanding the role

The delicate balancing act

chapter 3|14 pages

Understanding the environment

Context and culture

chapter 4|24 pages

‘Being there’ and routes to ‘there’

Patterns and pathways

chapter 5|16 pages

Undertaking the journey up

Motivations and making the cut

part II|177 pages

Leading the university

chapter 6|20 pages

Early days

Surprises and sense-making

chapter 7|21 pages

Senior leadership teams

More than you

chapter 8|18 pages

Working on the agenda

Do strategy and planning really matter?

chapter 9|19 pages

Leading change

From ‘launch pad’ to ‘lift-off’

chapter 10|25 pages

Leading in a crisis

Don’t forget BC, get through DC, focus on AC

chapter 11|14 pages

Leading externally

Concepts and cases

chapter 12|14 pages

You and the role

Surviving and thriving

chapter 13|26 pages

Staying there

Most do, some don’t

chapter 14|18 pages

The art and science of baton passing

Exiting well

part III|68 pages

We need to change

chapter 15|19 pages

Shaping new beginnings

When, what and how?

chapter 16|12 pages

The future

For universities, for the head of university (HoU) role and for transitions

chapter 17|26 pages

Integrated leadership transitions

Planning and action

chapter 18|9 pages

Voices from the top

Final reflections on the realities of leading