Leading peers in an academic setting: insights from the front lines
International Journal of Educational Management
ISSN: 0951-354X
Article publication date: 30 May 2022
Issue publication date: 3 June 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This article highlights and discusses numerous, specific leadership attributes that contribute greatly to enabling a university faculty member to be an effective leader of a group of their peers. As such, this article provides additional insights into the important construct of “transcollegial leadership” (Burns and Mooney, 2018).
Design/methodology/approach
The personal “reflections on practice” (Schon, 1983) presented here are based on 40+ years of observing and experiencing university faculty leading groups of peers as well as numerous personal experiences of serving in such a leadership role.
Findings
This article presents a robust array of specific, real-world-based insights that can contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of a leader of peers in a higher education institutional setting. Moreover, the ideas presented are offered to leaders of academic institutions as foci for potential faculty development initiatives and discussions. The ideas presented are clustered into six categories – process, resolve, integrity, mindset, excitement/energy, and respect.
Practical implications
The actions and ideas presented pertaining to a university faculty member's capability to effectively lead a group of peers are widely and immediately actionable. The insights presented are also amenable to ongoing faculty development activities and discussions.
Originality/value
This article addresses the common challenge of effectively leading a group of one's faculty peers in an academic setting. As such, the article extends and embellishes the conceptual, institutional-level perspective presented by Burns and Mooney (2018) in this journal.
Keywords
Citation
Haskins, M.E. (2022), "Leading peers in an academic setting: insights from the front lines", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 36 No. 5, pp. 828-835. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-02-2022-0074
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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