Distributed Leadership in Higher Education

Bolden, Richard; Petrov, Georgy; Gosling, Jonathan

doi:10.1177/1741143208100301

Cited by 258 publications

(223 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Undeniably, there is a need for more large scale research across a much broader range of higher education institutions to explore how widespread these experiences are. However, if the data is indicative of experiences across the university sector in the UK, it suggests the need for a more strategic and nuanced approach to leadership development in higher education for academic middle managers to ensure the on-going success of our institutions in these ever changing times (Bolden et al 2008). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Supporting Academic Middle Managers in Higher Education: Do We Care?

Floyd

2015

High Educ Policy

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In the current higher education environment, the need to develop and support good leaders and managers could hardly be more pressing. Yet, research on how academic middle managers are supported in their roles is surprisingly sparse. The purpose of this paper is to address this perceived gap in the literature by reporting on the findings from two separate, but related, research projects investigating the role of the academic middle manager in two culturally different English universities, specifically to examine the support that such leaders have received in relation to taking on and adapting to this increasingly challenging role. By drawing on semi-structured interviews with 28 academic middle managers from one pre and one post 1992 university, the paper argues that we need to provide more support and individually tailored training for today's middle managers so that the best may become the sector's effective senior leaders of tomorrow.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Supporting Academic Middle Managers in Higher Education: Do We Care?

Floyd

2015

High Educ Policy

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“…This is the case even though, as previously argued, the notion of 'distributing leadership' in universities has become increasingly popular (Bolden et al 2009;Floyd and Fung 2017). Concurring, Bianchini et al (2014, p. 558) identified that more work is needed in this area:…”

Section: Theoretical Underpinnings Distributed Leadershipmentioning

confidence: 89%

The role of the associate dean in UK universities: distributed leadership in action?

Floyd

Preston

2017

High Educ

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This paper reports on findings from a Leadership Foundation for Higher Education funded project exploring the role of associate deans in UK universities. While the number of associate deans leading cross-curricular and inter-disciplinary initiatives appears to be on the increase, there has been very little research focusing on the exact nature of the role and its importance, or otherwise, in the leadership and management of universities. Drawing on mixed-methods data from 15 semi-structured interviews and a follow-up online survey (n = 172), this paper reports on how the role is defined and positioned in relation to university organisational structures and identifies what the similarities and differences are between associate deans working at traditional and modern universities. As the first national survey of the role, it is argued that this paper makes a significant and original contribution to knowledge. By drawing on the concept of distributed leadership, the paper also offers new theoretical insights into how different types of universities in the UK are responding to external pressures as a consequence of the fast-changing and increasingly complex sector environment.

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“…On the other hand, we have more ambiguous, fragmented and structurally diverse 'workspaces', populated by multiple actors and agencies each pursuing partisan interests or market-driven agendas. Even distributed leadership, which appears to offer greater democracy and participation, can disguise institutionalized power inequalities (Bolden et al 2009). More than ever then, an ethically based approach to leadership is called for.…”

Section: Maintaining Ethical Purpose Rather Than Bowing To Market Prementioning

confidence: 99%

Having Burned the Straw Man of Christian Spiritual Leadership, what can We Learn from Jesus About Leading Ethically?

et al. 2016

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In considering what it means to lead organizations effectively and ethically, the literature comprising spirituality at work (SAW) and spiritual leadership theory (SLT) has become highly influential, especially in the USA. It has also attracted significant criticism. While in this paper, we endorse this critique, we argue that the strand of literature which purportedly takes a Christian standpoint within the wider SAW school of thought, largely misconstrues and misapplies the teaching of its founder, Jesus. As a result, in dismissing the claims and application of SAW and SLT, there is a real risk that we lose the vital contribution of Christian thought, not least some of the timeless counter-cultural wisdom of Jesus which, we contend, offers a vital foundation to the practice of ethical leadership and business ethics in organizations. In proposing a way forward, two thorny issues which face all leaders are addressed: dealing with ego and closing the gap between what we say and what we do. The more we understand about the dynamics of human nature, the more we learn about the profundity of Jesus' teachings. We then propose a number of ways in which Jesus-centred ethical leadership can be practised. Each is radical and each implies risk: both the personal risk of inner renewal arising from repentance as a doorway to personal integrity, as well as the risk of opposing unethical practices and promoting the excellence of core practices in the workplace.

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Distributed Leadership in Higher Education

Abstract: In this paper we present findings from research in 12 UK universities that sought to capture a range of perspectives on 'distributed leadership' and reveal common and competing experiences within and between institutions.

Cited by 258 publications

References 21 publications

Supporting Academic Middle Managers in Higher Education: Do We Care?

Supporting Academic Middle Managers in Higher Education: Do We Care?

The role of the associate dean in UK universities: distributed leadership in action?

Having Burned the Straw Man of Christian Spiritual Leadership, what can We Learn from Jesus About Leading Ethically?

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