Academic
Advising &
Leadership
Robert E. Saggers, PhD
Session Outline
Address the following questions:








Are leaders born or made?
Is leadership primarily a function of one’s position?
Do you consider yourself a leader?
What is leadership and what do leaders do?
To whom are leaders accountable?
Is academic advising a form of leadership?
What leadership model is most appropriate for
academic advising?
What skills do advisors need to increase their
leadership effectiveness?
Quiz
Do agree or disagree with the following
statements?
1. Leaders are born, not made.
2. Leadership is primarily a function of one’s
position or organizational role.
Leadership is
the process of influencing,
either directly or indirectly,
individuals, groups and organizations
toward accomplishing their goals.
Based on a definition by Roach and Behling (1984)
•
•
•
•
•
Shared social influence process
Purposeful
Not restricted to a person in particular
Followers are part of leadership process
Can be either direct or indirect
In light of the following definition…
Do you consider yourself a leader
in your personal and professional life?
Guiding Questions
 Are leaders born or made?
 Is leadership primarily a function of one’s position?
 Do you consider yourself a leader?
 What is leadership and what do leaders do?
 To whom are leaders accountable?
 Is academic advising a form of leadership?

What leadership model is most appropriate for academic
advising?

What skills do advisors need to increase their leadership
effectiveness?
Interactive Leadership Model
Based on the work of Hollander (1978) and Hughes, Ginnett & Curphy (1993)
Leadership Space & Outcomes
• Results
• Satisfaction
Leader
Teacher, Advisor
Colleague
Situation
Macro/Micro
University Advising
Followers
Students, Colleagues
The Leader Role
Leading others and managing processes
to contribute to individual/organizational objectives.
• Setting the example: role-modeling, building
credibility and commitment
• Communicating requirements, expectations
• Gaining support and cooperation
• Motivating, empowering & developing others
• Tracking and managing performance
• Recognizing accomplishments and celebrating
success
Leader Accountability
in Academic Advising
• Organization and your Immediate Manager –
for results, modeling organizational values
• Colleagues – for sharing information, support
• Students – clarification of academic
interests/goals, providing resources, advising
• Self – for personal well-being and ongoing
development
Guiding Questions
 Are leaders born or made?
 Is leadership primarily a function of one’s position?
 Do you consider yourself a leader?
 What is leadership and what do leaders do?
 To whom are leaders accountable?
 Is academic advising a form of leadership?
 What leadership model is most appropriate for
academic advising?
 What skills do advisors need to increase their leadership
effectiveness?
Servant Leadership
• Originated in the writings of Robert
Greenleaf (early 1970s)
• Paradoxical – both service and influence
oriented, seems counter-intuitive
• Views service as an end, not solely as a
means to other organizational outcomes
• Aligned with other leadership theories
e.g. “authentic”, “transformational”
• Different conceptualizations, e.g. trait vs.
behavioural
• Applicable across different organizational
roles/types
• Context is important
• Can be learned and developed
“Good leaders
must first become
good servants.”
Robert Greenleaf
1904-1990
Characteristics of Servant Leaders
1. Listening – hears and is receptive to what others say
2. Empathy – understands others' thoughts/feelings
3. Healing – cares about others’ well-being, makes people
whole
4. Awareness – understands oneself/their impact on others
and is attuned to their context
5. Persuasion – influences others through clear and
persistence communication that convinces others to
change
Characteristics of Servant Leaders
6. Conceptualization – responds to problems creatively,
integrates presents realities / future possibilities
7. Foresight – understands how past, present & future are
connected to predict the future
8. Stewardship – takes responsibility for leadership role
entrusted to them
9. Commitment to others’ growth – treats others’ uniquely,
helps each person grow personally/professionally
10. Building community – creates a supportive environment
in which people feel safe and connected, but can still
express their individuality
Guiding Questions

Are leaders born or made?

Is leadership primarily a function of one’s position?

Do you consider yourself a leader?

What is leadership and what do leaders do?

To whom are leaders accountable?

Is academic advising a form of leadership?

What leadership model is most appropriate for academic
advising?
 What skills do advisors need to increase their
leadership effectiveness?
John Dewey
1859 - 1952
The self is not something ready-made,
but something in continuous formation
through choice of action.
Leadership and learning
are indispensable
to each other.
From a speech prepared for
delivery in Dallas
the day of JFK’s assassination
November 22, 1963
John F. Kennedy
35th President, USA
Leadership Outcomes
Behaviours
Leading requires
us to
feel,
Thoughts
think,
and act
differently.
Emotions
Key Skills for Leadership Effectiveness in
Academic Advising
Personal – self-awareness/management; curiosity,
willingness/ability to learn; time/stress management;
critical thinking; creativity/innovation; problem
solving/decision-making
Interpersonal – understanding others; trust building;
communication; gaining power/influence, motivating
others; coaching/counseling; resolving conflict
Maya Angelou
1928 - 2014