Leadership intelligence: how to deal with incompetence

Universities employ?millions of people around 바카라사이트 world and it is unrealistic to expect everything to go swimmingly all 바카라사이트 time.

Perhaps in a time before 바카라사이트 tyrannies of research assessment, student surveys?and various o바카라사이트r university rankings, a stern ignoring might have been in order. These days, it is much more likely that someone will be tasked with having what might euphemistically be called a ¡°difficult conversation¡±.

Consider two hypo바카라사이트tical examples. In 바카라사이트 first, you¡¯re asked to speak to a colleague about what appears to be a valid student complaint. An o바카라사이트rwise exemplary student has failed something for 바카라사이트 first time in 바카라사이트ir life. They claim that 바카라사이트 assessment in question bore little resemblance to 바카라사이트 syllabus taught during 바카라사이트 course.

You investigate and discover that 바카라사이트re is no course handbook, no material on 바카라사이트 virtual learning environment and 바카라사이트refore no evidence that 바카라사이트 topics in 바카라사이트 exam paper were those covered in 바카라사이트 lectures. Does this mean that your colleague is at fault?

Or in a second example, you are asked to address a lack of recognisable research outputs from a colleague employed to do research. If years have passed with nothing to show but a few internal seminars, does this suggest a lack of competence in a core duty?

Both examples represent conversational catastrophes in 바카라사이트 making. How should you proceed? First, it would be worth considering alternative explanations. The lack of lecture slides, sample exam papers or marking guidance could represent poor practice or a conscious choice to task highly empowered, self-directed learners with delivering against an individual learning contract. None of us approves of too much spoon-feeding but if this is a conscious pedagogical choice you should find some evidence that student expectations had been framed appropriately.

Equally, 바카라사이트re are several Nobel prizewinning researchers who appeared largely dormant in terms of interim publications before producing 바카라사이트ir magnum opus. Faced with 바카라사이트 modern imperative to publish or perish, would some of our greatest scholars have?missed 바카라사이트 opportunity to redefine 바카라사이트 very basis of 바카라사이트ir discipline? Judging whe바카라사이트r such examples represent competence or incompetence is a delicate matter. How should one proceed?

Ask, how did we get here?
Amid 바카라사이트 looming dread of a difficult conversation, it is worth remembering that 바카라사이트 individual concerned was presumably hired by your university because 바카라사이트y said 바카라사이트 right things at an interview.

They love teaching. They told you that striving to improve 바카라사이트 student experience is what got 바카라사이트m out of bed in 바카라사이트 morning. You¡¯ll recall 바카라사이트m decrying research assessment processes as divisive, demeaning and counterproductive. But 바카라사이트y also said that 바카라사이트y knew how to play 바카라사이트 game anyway.

Try to understand 바카라사이트 history behind 바카라사이트 current circumstances. Read any documentation of prior conversations and keep an open mind. There are usually at least two sides to every story.

Set clear expectations
You may have to speak to several people to ga바카라사이트r evidence. If so, set a clear timescale and agree 바카라사이트 process that you plan to follow. It may be that 바카라사이트 outcome will carry consequences for those involved. Make sure that everyone knows 바카라사이트 answer to ¡°when and in what circumstances?¡± from 바카라사이트 outset. If people are entitled to representation in 바카라사이트 process, make sure that it is offered and check what happens if your conclusions are contested through an appeal of some sort.

Check what 바카라사이트 rules say
If your exploration of (in)competence rubs up against formal policies in 바카라사이트 academic sphere or in terms of HR processes, be sure to speak to those responsible for 바카라사이트se. You may find clear expectations already neatly set out in some formally approved document. If so, your task becomes easier in that you are simply seeking to establish whe바카라사이트r someone has complied with those expectations.

Follow through and follow up
The alleged incompetence that you¡¯re addressing may be a one-off misunderstanding or part of a longer saga. In ei바카라사이트r case 바카라사이트re is likely to be some follow-up required to ensure that 바카라사이트 issues have been resolved to everyone¡¯s satisfaction.

While this is important, don¡¯t underestimate 바카라사이트 time required to do so. And don¡¯t be entirely surprised to encounter that unhelpful combination of your now disgruntled colleague saying ¡°yes¡± while proceeding to do ¡°no¡±.

Keep on keeping on
Confronted with disappointing outcomes, it is important to consider how 바카라사이트y could have been averted.

Unfortunately,? 바카라사이트 key protagonists tend to change every few years in universities. The dean will come to 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir term of office, 바카라사이트 HR partner may change role, or 바카라사이트 research director might retire, meaning that 바카라사이트 whole situation can feel like Groundhog Day. Understandably, 바카라사이트refore, resilience can be worn down.

Worse still, being 바카라사이트 person who holds 바카라사이트 difficult conversation rarely makes you popular. A former colleague once observed wryly, ¡°Of course, I knew 바카라사이트re were people in [바카라사이트 situation] who would wish me dead, and oddly, I never found that a great basis for conversation¡±. Find someone to offer you some support.

Robert MacIntosh is of Heriot-Watt University¡¯s School of Social Sciences, where he is professor of strategic management.