ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the role and importance of institutional missions and stakeholders for leaders in academic settings. When reviewing their offerings and organization, colleges and universities may seem similar, but distinct differences will emerge when studying their practices, cultures, leadership, and reasons for existing. While a concept such as embracing the mission may seem simplistic, fully understanding and supporting a mission is quite often critical to helping determine the success of an academic or administrative leader. Search committees should be especially mindful when listening to candidates for senior leadership roles as they explore mission-related issues. The chapter provides a framework for understanding the challenges created for higher education leaders from stakeholders’ competing beliefs and divergent expectations about an institution’s mission. Identifying what various stakeholder groups understand to be the central mission of a particular college or university, or higher education overall, is critical to effective leadership.
