The Essential Skills to Succeed as An Academic Leader – Leaders within the sphere of higher education often have to live in two different worlds. On the one hand, these individuals are educationists passionate about bringing a real difference through their teaching expertise and research skills. But on the other hand, these educators also need to fulfill the responsibilities of administrators and managers, which require skills outside of their disciplines.
More often than not, these leaders have to encounter challenges transitioning into a new role where a different skill set is needed. Far too often, academics take on new job roles with significant responsibilities without the resources to enable them to lead effectively. And this, in turn, creates a pressing need for leadership development.
Educational leadership skills allow individuals to guide institutions on the right path to success. Academic leaders rally the learning communities and cultivate a conducive environment that encourages the execution of clear goals. Not only this, but the role of leaders is paramount in influencing the reputation and climate of educational institutions. These individuals are essentially the cornerstone on which the communities thrive.
With successful academic leadership, educational institutions become excellent learning incubators where students are motivated to learn and challenged to grow and develop. But the question arises: what makes a successful academic leader? While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, the following are some of the essential basic skills that every exceptional academic leader possesses:
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Life-Long Learning
One of the most critical qualities an academic leader should possess is an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Regardless of the industry, the best leaders understand that they will never know it all. Instead, they are curious individuals whose quench for learning and questioning never ceases.
It takes a profound sense of personal dedication, specifically once an individual has attained a position of significant responsibility, to push oneself and challenge traditional wisdom. Therefore, individuals who wish to succeed in the academic sphere should consider investing in higher education.
For instance, educators should enroll in online masters of education policy to introduce a positive change at the local and federal levels. This way, these individuals can develop and enforce policies that shape the education sector toward a brighter and equitable future. Moreover, an online degree enables individuals to manage their studies while maintaining the momentum of their careers.
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Practice Effective Communication
Communication, undeniably, is a critical aspect of leadership roles. As academic leaders, individuals must interact with various people, including staff members, stakeholders, students, and parents. And they must convey relevant information to them adequately.
However, how an individual communicates with the faculty member or parents would differ from how they address a student’s concerns. For instance, dispatching weekly newsletters outlining events and activities is a great way to keep in touch with the parents and keep them apprised of significant changes. In contrast, academic leaders can develop weekly bulletins to communicate the necessary information to the staff members.
Besides communicating functional changes effectively, academic leaders should also know the art of communicating compassionately. They must utilize their written, verbal, and nonverbal communication skills to build trust and succeed. For example, by making the most of their oral communication skills, educational leaders can condense complex concepts into simple, easy-to-understand terms for students. Likewise, they can create progress reports and other essential documents by utilizing their exceptional written communication skills.
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Showcase Empathy
People come from various socioeconomic backgrounds and family circumstances in an educational setting. As a result, an academic leader should possess the ability to empathize with people, even if they haven’t experienced the same situation first-hand. They should listen intently and come up with practical solutions to help people.
After all, successful academic leaders are the ones that are also excellent team-builders. These individuals understand the institution of strong relationships; thus, they empower their students and staff.
It’s relevant to note that empathy is one of the qualities that undergird various other skills. It is critical for building an all-inclusive learning community. Not only this, but this skill also plays a vital role in developing people, meaning: enhancing learning instructions and teaching.
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Execute a Compelling Vision
While it’s easy to disregard the concept of vision as something vague; however, successful academic leaders are the ones that possess a strong vision and share a real sense of moral purpose. Moreover, these leaders have an innate ability to transform, build, and shape the industry’s future rather than get shaped by events.
Safe to say that the vision of an academic leader acts as a catalyst for bringing the learning communities together and bringing positive change. Often these leaders devise and execute a compelling and motivating vision, inspiring every individual to perform their best.
And perhaps that’s the reason why most successful academic leaders are exceptional storytellers and confident communicators. These individuals walk the talk – they are well-versed in capturing the minds and hearts of the people. Not only this, but their actions continuously align with their moral ambition, and they stay steadfast even in the event of uncertainty.
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Ability to Take Risks
Academic leadership isn’t about staying in the comfort zone and playing safe. Instead, educational leaders must venture out of their zones and be innovative.
Just as professors promote risk-taking to stimulate student development and growth, academic leaders should also support risk-taking among their subordinates by creating a positive and conducive work environment. But, of course, there’s a massive difference between taking risks and acting recklessly. An effective educational leader knows which chances are worth it.
Therefore, a leader should analyze the situation and assess the potential benefits and pitfalls before deciding. They should look at the bigger picture, consider the worst-case scenarios, and what strategies can help them recover. Likewise, educators should evaluate the possible positive outcomes should they take risks.
Final Words
While it’s true that any individual can become a leader in some capacity, an academic leader must fulfill unique responsibilities supporting the interests of teachers, students, and other faculty members.
The multi-dimensional role of an academic leader necessitates a wide range of skillset comprising scholarly expertise and strong interpersonal skills. Therefore, developing and refining these crucial skills is indispensable to thrive in the education sector.
Academic leaders should nurture an environment that promotes open dialogue and constructive feedback and facilitates innovation. Not only this, but they should also practice visionary leadership that steers educational institutions toward a shared mission and enable students to unlock their full potential.
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