The Art of Community College Leadership: Some Theories from the Field
(cont.)
But what, then, constitutes the art of leadership? Some attributes not
often discussed in professional development programs are instead
exhibited by some of the best community college leaders. This is not an
exhaustive list, but it profiles a number of significant traits.
REALLY ACTIVE LISTENING
Much has been written about the art of listening, and for good reason.
The ability to be present and listen intently requires focus and
intentional interest in the message being conveyed. David Whyte (2001)
and Peter Senge, et al (2004) have published recently on this theme;
active listening requires that we suspend the “velocity” (Whyte, 2001)
of our daily activities and thoughts, to be mindful of our current
interactions with others.
THINKING AND LIVING LARGE
One of the stumbling blocks for many community college administrators
is the propensity to become “siloed,” based on position (Morgan, 1998).
Senior leaders know that a cross-organizational view is critical for
institutional momentum and success; this is often a tougher perspective
for those who lead separate areas or divisions. Recognizing the
relationships between disparate units and creating appropriate crossfunctional teams will serve to break down barriers and create knowledge
of the interconnectedness of college work.
SUSPENSION OF JUDGMENT
Leaders are shaped by their own heritage, culture, education, and
experience; when faced with a challenging situation, they often jump
quickly to a decision point in order to solve the problem or issue at
hand. In doing so, they may inadvertently miss an original or
innovative idea from a likely (or often unlikely) source. The ability
to truly hear and thoughtfully consider all ideas before formulating a
plan generally leads to a better result.
FOLLOWTHROUGH
Stakeholders rely on leaders to say what they do and do what they say.
When faculty and staff invest their time and energy in college
projects, they want to be assured that their input is valued and that
positive action will occur as a result. Leaders need to ensure that
initiatives move forward as planned and monitor, support, and guide
processes to remove obstacles and facilitate completion.
COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE!
Probably one of the most difficult challenges in community colleges,
particularly large, multicampus institutions, is communication, yet
there are few processes that are more important. Sharing information
and being available and accessible to faculty and staff is critical for
a leader; it builds trust, a sense of team, and a common understanding
of current challenges and opportunities. Communication experts suggest
triangulating messages by using multiple sources to ensure that they
are both sent and, more important, received.
TO LEAD, BUT ALSO FOLLOW
Successful leaders intuitively know when it is time to step out boldly
to wave the flag and, alternatively, when it is appropriate to guide
from the side. The ability to cooperate, collaborate, and value the
expertise of others suggests different roles at different times;
recognizing when to let others take leadership is critical to the
growth and professional development of individuals aspiring to senior
positions.
INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE
Community colleges are diverse in so many wonderful ways, with faculty,
staff, and students from different cultures, generations (Lancaster and
Stillman, 2003), and ethnicities. Effective leaders recognize the
richness of multiple perceptions and work to gain understanding of
viewpoints and values other than their own (Wlodkowski and Ginsberg,
1995). They navigate easily within groups and situations, honoring the
many perspectives that diverse stakeholders bring to the table.
SEEKING TO SERVE
Robert Greenleaf's (1982) seminal work on this topic has been studied
and promoted in various leadership programs. Sandy Shugart, president
of Valencia Community College in Orlando, is a proponent of Greenleaf's
tenets and has presented on servant leadership at institutions in
Florida and across the nation. The underlying principle of Greenleaf's
work presumes that one cannot lead without being willing to serve
first; leaders must be prepared to roll up their sleeves in support of
those who report to them in order to engender their trust and respect.
PUT THE MOOSE ON THE TABLE
In this recent book (2003) by Randall and Todd Tobias, the authors
suggest that it is time to “put the moose on the table;” in other
words, that leadership team members need to learn the discipline of
respectfully and directly saying what they honestly think to each
other, rather than contributing in a way that is either party line or
politically appropriate. Creating safe space for meaningful dialogue
and healthy conflict will allow stakeholders to surface their best
thoughts and foster authentic discussion around important issues in
pursuit of better resolutions.
THEY DON'T CARE HOW MUCH YOU KNOW, BUT THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW MUCH YOU
CARE
This is a seemingly simplistic yet powerful statement. Abraham Maslow
(1954) suggested that humans are “wanting and valuing organisms;”
beyond health and security, both connection and direction are necessary
for our happiness and success. Engaged, caring leaders provide a sense
of safety and stability for faculty and staff, and although educational
pedigrees are required for senior positions, they are not the singular
qualifier for effective leadership in our future community colleges.
AUTHENTICITY: WALKING THE TALK
Effective institutional leaders are what they appear to be; they are
real, direct, and honest in their interactions with others and bring
their “whole self” (Whyte, 2001) to work each day. Faculty and staff
recognize behavior that is disingenuous and not in keeping with their
personal perspectives. Authentic leaders behave consistently from
situation to situation, whether in professional or personal
interactions; this constancy creates a foundation of mutual trust that
is essential for effective leadership.
Can great leaders be nurtured, or are they fundamentally a product of
nature? Is exceptional leadership an art or a science? This dichotomy
has been debated by many academics and theorists; compelling arguments
have been advanced in defense of both perspectives. In review of the
profiled characteristics, it would seem there is one unifying value
that connects them: a sincere interest in providing service,
facilitation, and support to stakeholders while promoting a shared
vision of the future.
Community colleges across the United States and Canada are experiencing
massive retirements, both in administration and faculty ranks. George
Boggs, president of the American Association of Community Colleges, has
identified this challenge as one of the most significant facing our
institutions in the next 5 to 10 years. Looking ahead then, those
aspiring to senior positions should do some true soul-searching; our
institutions do need leaders with solid technical competencies, but,
perhaps even more, altruistic individuals of good character who want to
do important work and empower others to do the same.
Community colleges will indeed be fortunate to attract leaders with
these attributes or, better yet, to grow them. To reduce the luck
factor, nurturing from within will be critical, so that natural leaders
are recognized early, and provided with appropriate development and
support. It is vital to proactively prepare for succession, so that the
future of community college education is in the hands of both competent
and artful leaders.
REFERENCES
Bohlman, L., & Deal, T. (1991). Reframing Organizations. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Burns, J. M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper & Row.
Greenleaf, R. (1982). Servant as Leader. Indianapolis: Robert K.
Greenleaf Center.
Lancaster, L., & Stillman, D. (2003). When Generations Collide. New
York: HarperBusiness.
Maslow, A. (1954). Motivation and Personality. New York: Harper & Row.
Morgan, G. (1998). Images of Organizations. San Francisco: BerrettKoehler Publishers, Inc.
Roueche, J. E., Baker, G. A., & Rose, R. R. (1989) Shared Vision:
Transformational Leadership in American Community Colleges. Washington,
D.C.: The Community College Press.
Senge, P., Jaworski, J., Scharmer, C., & Flowers, B. (2004). Presence:
Human Purpose and The Field of the Future. Cambridge, MA: The Society
for Organizational Learning.
Shugart, S. (2001). The Recovery of Persons. In N. Thomas (Ed.)
Perspectives on the Community College: A Journey of Discovery, pp 3134.
Tobias, R., & Tobias, T. (2003). Put the Moose on the Table.
Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
Wheatley, M. (1992). Leadership and the New Science. San Francisco:
Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Whyte, D. (2001). Crossing the Unknown Sea at Work as a Pilgrimage of
Identity. New York: Berkeley Publishing Group.
Wlodkowski, R., & Ginsberg, M. (1995). Diversity and Motivation. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
______________________________________________________________
Tracy L. Edwards is Academic Vice-President and Chief Learning Officer
at Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida.