Transformation, Stress, and Conflict in Higher Education Leadership
Frequently, managers are tasked with the responsibility to improve motivation and increase productivity both departmentally and organization-wide. In the past, this was completed through transactional leadership efforts, where leaders implement a contingent rewards system comprised of positive consequences for the accomplishment of goals and negative consequences for falling short of goals or making mistakes. Recently, management efforts have moved away from transactional leadership to transformational leadership. This leadership style is designed to empower employees to reach their potential and find meaning in their work through idealized influence, inspirational motivation, …show more content…
Somech (2005) recommends two significant aspects of this process, which are to provide a sense of “evolution” to meet the institution’s mission and clearly defining how the organization will meet projected goals in accordance with said mission.
Applied in a traditional education setting. Administrators of traditional institutions implement such practices by constructing a university mission that is clearly visible throughout the campus, such as in printed materials, in each course syllabus, in faculty contracts, in staff handbooks, on campus signs, and posted in community environments such as the cafeteria, bookstore, and financial aid office. Additionally the mission statement should be incorporated in staff, faculty, and community meetings, where administrators must disseminate how the goals designed to follow the mission are being measured and share ongoing progress towards those …show more content…
According to the authors, stress can impair a leader’s ability to make informed decisions. When stressed, it is human nature to search for ways to control the environment or situation. For a leader, that would be to tighten the reins on participatory experiences by removing employee autonomy and narrowing the focus to short-term goals because those can be easily controlled. Additionally, when anyone is stressed, including postsecondary leaders, coping mechanisms for self-preservation are employed. This depersonalizes the process, which takes the focus away from helping others find self-fulfillment and personal growth by decreasing the amount of motivation and personal guidance provided to the
Frequently, managers are tasked with the responsibility to improve motivation and increase productivity both departmentally and organization-wide. In the past, this was completed through transactional leadership efforts, where leaders implement a contingent rewards system comprised of positive consequences for the accomplishment of goals and negative consequences for falling short of goals or making mistakes. Recently, management efforts have moved away from transactional leadership to transformational leadership. This leadership style is designed to empower employees to reach their potential and find meaning in their work through idealized influence, inspirational motivation, …show more content…
Somech (2005) recommends two significant aspects of this process, which are to provide a sense of “evolution” to meet the institution’s mission and clearly defining how the organization will meet projected goals in accordance with said mission.
Applied in a traditional education setting. Administrators of traditional institutions implement such practices by constructing a university mission that is clearly visible throughout the campus, such as in printed materials, in each course syllabus, in faculty contracts, in staff handbooks, on campus signs, and posted in community environments such as the cafeteria, bookstore, and financial aid office. Additionally the mission statement should be incorporated in staff, faculty, and community meetings, where administrators must disseminate how the goals designed to follow the mission are being measured and share ongoing progress towards those …show more content…
According to the authors, stress can impair a leader’s ability to make informed decisions. When stressed, it is human nature to search for ways to control the environment or situation. For a leader, that would be to tighten the reins on participatory experiences by removing employee autonomy and narrowing the focus to short-term goals because those can be easily controlled. Additionally, when anyone is stressed, including postsecondary leaders, coping mechanisms for self-preservation are employed. This depersonalizes the process, which takes the focus away from helping others find self-fulfillment and personal growth by decreasing the amount of motivation and personal guidance provided to the