Transformational Academic Leader:

Leading from the front

Shamsul A.B.Distinguished Professor

Founding Director, Inst. of Ethnic Studies (KITA)The National University of Malaysia (UKM)

<https//ukm.academia.edu/ABshamsul>

Presentation at SOUTHEAST ASIAN HIGHER EDUCATION SUMMIT 2016, organised by AKEPT & UPM, Enstek, Negeri Sembilan,

28-29 Nov. 2016

Of academic leaders and followers

In higher education it is believed that academic leadership behavioursdetermined the development of the academic staff he/she leads.

The question is to what extent these behaviours can transform the personal values of followers to support his/her vision and raise the performance of the team to another level

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Making sense of the Academic ‘Political Ecosystem’

Why academic political ecosystem?

Academia is part of the larger political, society & culture

It is set in a multi-layered form of bureaucracy

In decolonized countries, it is often in the mouldthat is inherited from the colonial era

It is framed within the socio-political system, often characterised by diversity and difference, often labeled as ‘plural society’ or in the state of ‘unity in diversity,’ this is ireflected in the education system of the country

The academia exists within this education system

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Socio-political mouldof the academia

Since the academia exists within the established education system

The academia therefore exists simultaneously in a two-layered mould

Outside the academia

Inside the academia

Both continuously interact

The focus today is academic leadership ‘inside the academia’

But we must not forget the role and influence of ‘outside the academia,’ not only leadership but also societal demands and pressures

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Who are the transformational leaders?

The four major components of academic transformational leaders

1. Charismatic

2. Inspirational & motivational

3. Intellectual stimulation

4. Individualized focus

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The components…

Charismatic

Role models, respected and admired by followers, and want to emulate them. Has clear vision, sense of purpose, and risk takers. These elements create the charismatic aura, generate high level of trust and positive environment

Inspirational & motivational

Behave in a way that motivate others, optimistic, generate enthusiasms and challenge people, excellent communicator making complex ideas accessible and often raise level of performance of followers

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The components…

Intellectual stimulation

Always offer new ideas and new approaches of doing things, in terms , generating creativity among followers. Criticism offered individually to followers, so as not to shame them, thus creating positive problem solving and in seeking doable of solutions

Individualised focus

Many of the followers often need individualisedattention, active listener particularly at the beginning of his/her career; the supportive climate is contagious and creates team work, ‘accessible boss;’ the leader would notice strength and weaknesses of members of his team.

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Between ideas and practice:Leading from the front

The four characteristics of the transformational academic leaders are only true as ideal-types, meaning combination of all the positive behaviours of leaders and followers

In practice, perhaps only one or two of the four elements are most effective, complemented by the others.

Personal experience:

LEADING FROM THE FRONT through

Intellectual stimulation

Individualized consideration

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Challenges of achieving the practice

The yawning gap between ‘academic leaders’(scholars top in their academic fields) and ‘bureaucratic leaders’ (scholars who are not on the top in their field but proven good as administrators) in the universities

Some examples fro Malaysia:

Profess Ungku Aziz Era; Vice Chancellor University of Malaya (Oct 1968 – Feb. 1988)

Post Ungku Aziz Era – mushrooming of public universities, more bureaucratic leaders were needed to be Vice Chancellors and not enough academic leaders who can perform both9

‘Outside’ influencing the ‘inside’

Academic leaders who are appointees of the government of the day

At the highest level, Vice Chancellor or President to the lowest level Head of Departments

External politics and internal student politics? Outside intervention

Where are the academics in this struggle? What sort of leadership position they take? Silent followers or to take the social activist route? The rules guiding this.10

Reflections

In a decolonized country the education and the academia are often shaped by the colonial rule and experience

Heavily bureaucratized and often centralised

Academia exists in two-layered mould, one is not separated from the other

Focusing on one ‘inside the academia’ is insufficient, especially in public universities, tied closely to the ruling government who provided the funding.

Private universities perhaps are regulated by capitalistic concerns and profit, so ‘the inside’ is influenced by ‘the outside,’ mainly market forces

The academic leadership may be transformational in the “inside sense” but “outside forces or considerations” often limit this

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