Making sense of success: Leadership attributes and practices of successful university presidents.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This qualitative study is an examination of presidential leadership and shared governance. This research identifies leadership attributes and practices employed by successful university presidents within institutions that value shared governance. Using a multi-case analysis of three universities and a positioned-subject approach, I interviewed 30 respondents across the sample universities. Respondents represented a cross-section of universities constituents including presidents, board members, vice presidents, provosts, faculty, and student leaders.
The following are the leadership attributes and practices that have been identified as contributing to successful presidential leadership. The leadership attributes include: vision, institutional understanding, effective communication, institutional commitment, intellectual capital, and political savvy. The leadership practices include: employing an effective leadership team, employing multi-level engagement, and practicing process flexibility. By way of identifying these attributes and practices, two additional findings emerged. First, the findings show that among the respondents in the sample there was significant ambiguity concerning the concept of shared governance and how shared governance, as a process of decision-making, is executed. Second, presidential leadership and institutional context, as variables that impact success, are both linked and interact.
Based on these finding, I advance a tentative theory entitled, ‘competency-context theory’, that can serve as a foundation for further examination of presidential leadership. Lastly I offer recommendations to presidents, governing board members, and selection committees that are aimed at strengthening presidential leadership, thus institutions of higher education.