The higher education sector is approaching a capability crisis with many leaders facing retirement. Given the situation, finding good candidates for leadership roles is critical for ensuring continuity during this transition process. So what is working?
This week, my client is interviewing candidates, that I found for them, for two Head of School positions. To be successful, people in these positions spend 25% of their time on research and the rest on academic leadership, including hands-on management from strategic planning through operations. What I’ve discovered is that not many academics want such a role, and even fewer actually have what it takes for their School to succeed under their direction.
Of all the short listed candidates on campus this week, only one responded to an advertisement for the position. Advertising was part of the blended marketing campaign, including listings on major academic job sites in Australia, the UK and North America.
Why didn’t the advertising work? People who are best suited to a leadership position are too busy being successful in their current role and research to notice job ads.
All the other high quality candidates came directly either identified through my research, or my contacts, or referred to me via a ripple effect generated by my online communications campaign, the message travelling via social networks.
Read my next post for insights on how to make sure you are recommended by your colleagues in an active search for leadership positions in your field.
1 comment:
Hello Hiapp.
Certainly your view that "management is a betrayal" is often found within academe. That's a shame, because I do work with academics, both in management, and who aspire to it, whose motivations to be administrators are so that they can help others. And you are right, it does involve sacrificing some dedication to their research, and usually most of their teaching as well.
On the flip side though, a good academic leader can mentor starting academics, ensure that people within their School - staff and students - get the resources they need, and guide systems and structures that make the School greater than the sum of its parts. That's a valuable contribution.
You make a valid point about a need for new models in career progression. Perhaps respecting people who do want to put their School ahead of their own academic profile is a good start to helping attract people to these important roles -- and with the impending retirement of many baby boomers in management roles, we are going to need more replacements!
Post a Comment