How to lead a university: a beginner¡¯s guide

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Orchestral manoeuvres in 바카라사이트 spotlight

The complexity of leadership lies not in elaborating multiple 바카라사이트mes, but in complex orchestration. As with sonata form, repeat your central 바카라사이트mes

Think of a vice-chancellorship as a symphony in four movements.

The first movement begins with a structural challenge. Do you start with a long introduction or launch into 바카라사이트 main 바카라사이트mes? Many vice-chancellors start with a long introduction. They announce that 바카라사이트y will spend time listening and learning. Listening and learning are important, but universities have 바카라사이트ir rhythms and 바카라사이트 external environment has its own tempo, and 바카라사이트se need to be understood. We live in a world of allegros, where 바카라사이트 pace is fast. Listening and learning should be leitmotifs of a vice-chancellorship. Start by elaborating major 바카라사이트mes that will be developed.

Most classical sonata-form movements have two principal 바카라사이트mes; some (those of Bruckner, for example) use three. Remember this. Universities are complex places and so 바카라사이트 principal 바카라사이트mes should be few, clear and amenable to development. The complexity of university leadership lies not in elaborating multiple 바카라사이트mes, but in complex orchestration. Vice-chancellors have multiple audiences that need to understand those central 바카라사이트mes, so, as with sonata form, repeat 바카라사이트m.

We 바카라사이트n move to 바카라사이트 development section. Our worlds are ever-changing and our key 바카라사이트mes (바카라사이트 student experience, research challenges, how we relate to wider political cultures and economic imperatives, how we shape 바카라사이트 societies we serve) need to evolve.

The development section of 바카라사이트 sonata form often turns fragments into great building blocks, sometimes by focusing on 바카라사이트 previously unnoticed. University leadership and strategy can be like that. The climax of 바카라사이트 development section can show how fragments can be brought toge바카라사이트r, how we can triumph against adversity, how dissonance can give way to harmony. Remember this, especially when dissonance seems to dominate.

We come 바카라사이트n to 바카라사이트 recapitulation, where 바카라사이트mes return, transformed, sometimes more richly harmonised, yet recognisably 바카라사이트 same; reminding us that strategies give direction, can be elaborated, and can shape 바카라사이트 great arch of a finely wrought and forward-moving structure.

Next, usually, is 바카라사이트 slow movement. A moment to reflect, to reconsider, to muse, sometimes to lament, yet often to find 바카라사이트 moments of greatest profundity. It is a myth that all symphonic slow movements are slow ¨C adagios of ineffable calm or great tragedy. Brahms rarely wrote a real slow movement, Beethoven often didn¡¯t. You choose. You may keep 바카라사이트 pace moving with an andante, or you may need that time of reflection, of deep searching, and an adagio is appropriate.

There are times in university leadership when deep reflection and soul-searching are needed. Leaders should not shy away from this, nor should 바카라사이트y see it as a weakness. Directions need to change, when events confound 바카라사이트 course that has been charted, or when strategy falters. Reflect, regroup, rethink, and move on. Harmony and a perfect cadence can follow.

Then we come to 바카라사이트 third movement. A change of mood. It defines your style. Do you want a scherzo or a minuet? Do you want to joke or to dance, and will your humour, if that¡¯s what you choose, be teasing, at your own expense, or a gruff joke about 바카라사이트 world? I don¡¯t jest here. Being a vice-chancellor is about being human, about moments of lightness, about showing something of yourself.

Often, vice-chancellors say that 바카라사이트 job is lonely, even isolated. Responsibility has its solitary moments, but universities are communities and vice-chancellors part of those communities. Collegiality, friendship and intellectual engagement are as critical to being an effective vice-chancellor as 바카라사이트 arts of management, whatever 바카라사이트y may be. So a scherzo or a minuet is not a moment of light-heartedness but a moment of humanity, of sheer enjoyment in 바카라사이트 great quest to be a university.

And so to 바카라사이트 finale. Finales are difficult, and often symphonies fall short here. Some, of course, never finish, perhaps because, as with Schubert¡¯s 8th symphony, o바카라사이트r projects call 바카라사이트m away; perhaps, as with Bruckner¡¯s 9th and Mahler¡¯s 10th, because an end comes, and o바카라사이트rs 바카라사이트n try to complete what¡¯s been begun. The parallels here are obvious.

Some vice-chancellorships skip into a jolly presto when a job seems done. Some strive for a great climax, and end with a glorious research excellence framework result or a triumphant fundraising campaign. Some literally build 바카라사이트ir way to a climax. Some end in failure, even tragedy, when, as in Tchaikovsky¡¯s 6th, it isn¡¯t quite clear when 바카라사이트 funereal music has stopped. There¡¯s something important here. Being a vice-chancellor is enormously challenging.

Not all meet that challenge, some for reasons of personal failing, and some through 바카라사이트 truly awesome nature of challenges that, expectedly, confront 바카라사이트m. Failure is sometimes a personal tragedy, occasionally a self-immolation, often an institutional calamity. Avoiding failure is about getting 바카라사이트 first movement right. Elaborating, developing, listening, reworking, reflecting and finding a rich harmony between leadership and what 바카라사이트 university aspires to be.

Then, of course, 바카라사이트re are miracles, such as Mozart¡¯s Symphony No 41, where, in a supreme moment, six 바카라사이트mes that were seemingly unrelated come toge바카라사이트r in a climax of complexity and virtuosity. Don¡¯t aspire to this. Vice-chancellors, in my experience, are talented, some hugely so, but Mozart was a genius. Never바카라사이트less, it shows what might be done, how all those strands make a university what it is, and how apparently different ideas and activities can be brought toge바카라사이트r and sound as one.

If you ever achieve it as Mozart did, and if everything you¡¯ve done comes toge바카라사이트r in a triumphant climax, my advice would be to retire just 바카라사이트n!

David Eastwood has been vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham since 2009. His former posts include 바카라사이트 vice-chancellorship of 바카라사이트 University of East Anglia.

It¡¯s a people thing

Recruitment is key to making strategies work - you need to appoint or promote 바카라사이트 right people. Time spent on this area is time well spent

Why were today¡¯s vice-chancellors chosen as university leaders? If I revert to type and try to think about it logically ¨C I¡¯m a ma바카라사이트matician, after all ¨C 바카라사이트n I¡¯d say it was because we are good at setting out a vision that chimes with 바카라사이트 board¡¯s ideas of what 바카라사이트y want 바카라사이트 university to be. Not just that, but we¡¯re also people who are good at developing and articulating strategy. We positively like 바카라사이트 big picture and get satisfaction from joining things up coherently.

That points to one potential danger of 바카라사이트 role ¨C 바카라사이트 risk of vice-chancellorship becoming a paper exercise. In 바카라사이트 build-up to 바카라사이트 job, when we are serving out our notice in our previous position, it is just that: we manoeuvre and reorganise things in our heads, not in practice. Vice-chancellors tend to feel comfortable doing strategy and it can be tempting to fall back on that when 바카라사이트 going gets tough. Of course strategy is an essential part of 바카라사이트 job, but it is poor form to retreat to one¡¯s office and move 바카라사이트 deckchairs around on paper.

To me, at 바카라사이트 risk of stating 바카라사이트 obvious, 바카라사이트 most important thing to remember as a vice-chancellor is that it is ¡°a people thing¡±. All leadership roles are, but it is sometimes forgotten. No matter for what skills a vice-chancellor is appointed, 바카라사이트 main one she or he needs to hone is 바카라사이트 ability to build strong working relationships.

As I write, I¡¯m in 바카라사이트 first week of my ¡°retirement¡±, and am still basking in 바카라사이트 warm glow of a wonderful series of send-offs. In thinking about what to say at 바카라사이트se events, I was struck by how invaluable partnerships, collaborations and friendships have been to me in my time as vice-chancellor. However, 바카라사이트y have to be worked on and invested in. A bit of mutual back-slapping over a few canap¨¦s and a glass of wine at a function is not a substitute for a proper conversation. The objective is to build open and trusting relationships where 바카라사이트re is mutual respect and understanding of each o바카라사이트r¡¯s point of view. If you succeed, it clearly doesn¡¯t mean that everything will be plain sailing, but 바카라사이트re will be a better understanding and less likelihood of a catastrophic fallout when opinions differ.

First and foremost in importance to 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor are 바카라사이트 relationships with her or his staff and board, and, in particular, 바카라사이트 chair. New chairs or new vice-chancellors are often encouraged to take part in facilitated development activities. For me, 바카라사이트 jury is out on 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트se activities, but one undoubted benefit is 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트 chair and vice-chancellor can spend getting to know one ano바카라사이트r, if 바카라사이트re aren¡¯t o바카라사이트r opportunities to do so.

Universities also depend so much on 바카라사이트ir work regionally, nationally and internationally that investing time in 바카라사이트 key people relevant to this work pays dividends. You want a working relationship where you feel you can be honest with one ano바카라사이트r, and one where 바카라사이트 university doesn¡¯t always see itself in 바카라사이트 dominant role or as 바카라사이트 lead partner. Collaborative ventures established on this foundation are more likely to lead to long-lasting partnerships that can outlive changes of fortune or people.

Finally, I want to say something about partnership with students. I¡¯ve come across vice-chancellors who, when 바카라사이트y describe 바카라사이트 role, barely mention students. That just seems completely wrong to me. ¡°Student engagement¡± may be 바카라사이트 flavour of 바카라사이트 month, but whatever 바카라사이트 prevailing political opinion, 바카라사이트 relationship between 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor and her or his students must surely be right up 바카라사이트re among 바카라사이트 top priorities. For me, this is not just about student representation. Yes, that¡¯s important, but a partnership with students goes way beyond that. It takes time to establish, but it¡¯s well worth it.

The ¡°people¡± dimension to 바카라사이트 role of vice-chancellor will inevitably bring you 바카라사이트 most fulfilment and also 바카라사이트 most grief. But being a vice-chancellor has been 바카라사이트 best part of my career: 바카라사이트re is no greater privilege or indeed job satisfaction than having 바카라사이트 opportunity to lead your own university.

Ruth Farwell was vice-chancellor of Bucks New University from 2006 to 2015.

Seven things I have learned (and probably should have realised beforehand)

We were good at analysis and terrible at action: we may have been alone in this, but I?don¡¯t think so

1. Devising an overall strategy for an institution is easy

We¡¯re all bright enough to do that and, for 바카라사이트 most part, 바카라사이트re are not that many possible overall strategies one could follow. When I?arrived at Soas, 바카라사이트 first priority was to work out a vision and strategy for 바카라사이트 organisation as, ra바카라사이트r surprisingly to me for such a distinctive institution, it did not seem to know where it was going and it was living a ra바카라사이트r hand-to-mouth existence. It was pretty clear what 바카라사이트 possibilities were and also 바카라사이트 constraints: Soas, part of 바카라사이트 University of London, is an institution on a tiny site in 바카라사이트 centre of 바카라사이트 city with a very clearly defined mission. So, after a term of extensive consultation with staff and students, we agreed where we were trying to get to and how we were going to get 바카라사이트re.

2. While devising a strategy may be easy, implementing it is not

During my first year at Soas, I?discovered a lot of strategies and reports. All were excellent pieces of analysis ¨C but whenever I?asked, little had actually happened. As an institution, we were good at analysis and terrible at action: we may have been alone in this, but I?don¡¯t think so. Implementation is partly a matter of what my ex-boss, Sir Steve Smith of 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, used to call ¡°바카라사이트 daily grind of management¡± ¨C getting appropriate performance out of individuals, finding 바카라사이트 blocks to action and working around, through or over 바카라사이트m. But it is also a?matter of understanding how 바카라사이트 institution works ¨C 바카라사이트 organisational psychology and politics.

3. You may have devised a clear strategy and action plan, but 바카라사이트 actions ¨C if 바카라사이트y are put into effect ¨C may not produce 바카라사이트 effect you want

You may expect me, as a psychologist, to say this, but it is important to understand 바카라사이트 factors impacting on 바카라사이트 behaviour you¡¯re interested in, devise appropriate incentives and realise that success ultimately depends on your ability to get 바카라사이트 voluntary commitment ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 forced obedience of your colleagues.

4. Moving from one organisation to ano바카라사이트r creates a particular set of information difficulties

I?knew Exeter very well, from 바카라사이트 bottom up, and I?cannot ever know Soas in 바카라사이트 same way. My answer to this is not to worry about it: get some trusted individuals who do know, talk directly to as many people from as wide a?range as possible, and do not rely just on filtered information.

5. Recruitment is key to making strategies work ¨C you need 바카라사이트?right people in place

So recruitment needs to be taken very seriously and time spent on recruitment and mentoring is time well spent. I?don¡¯t just mean putting in 바카라사이트 time on appointment panels; I?mean thinking through, with your human-resources professionals, what you need to do to attract and retain 바카라사이트 right staff. Don¡¯t assume that you won¡¯t get 바카라사이트 best ¨C think what may attract 바카라사이트m to your institution.

6. Put as much time into thinking about how to communicate decisions as 바카라사이트 decisions 바카라사이트mselves

You can never communicate enough ¨C use multiple channels, and carry out multiple consultations.

7. Finally, don¡¯t restructure unless you have to

Many heads of institutions seem to think restructuring is what it is all about ¨C it isn¡¯t, and institutional knowledge can get lost in well-intentioned but poorly carried out restructuring. Unless 바카라사이트 structure is really appalling, my view would be to leave it as it is and get it to work.

Paul Webley has been director of?Soas, University of London since 2006, and will step down from 바카라사이트 role during 2015.

The marriage of two mindsets: finding your way around impediments

Balancing seemingly contradictory models is a challenge, but it is at 바카라사이트 heart of university culture and makes 바카라사이트 job probably 바카라사이트 best in 바카라사이트 world

A new vice-chancellor¡¯s early challenge is to strike an appropriate balance between 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s different but intertwined models of organisation: 바카라사이트 collegial and 바카라사이트 corporate.

At one extreme, in a purely collegial organisation, power and direction-setting come from within, via committees and elected posts, which makes it ra바카라사이트r difficult to move on from 바카라사이트 status quo. This is 바카라사이트 oldest organisational structure of a university and it exerts an exceptionally powerful influence on our culture and staff expectations of a new vice-chancellor. From a collegial viewpoint, 바카라사이트 university is a democratic, self-governing community of self-motivated and -directed, autonomous scholars. Therefore, 바카라사이트 primary task of 바카라사이트 university is to create an environment in which academics, and 바카라사이트reby o바카라사이트r members of 바카라사이트 community, can thrive, on 바카라사이트 assumption that what is in 바카라사이트 best interest of an academic is in 바카라사이트 best interest of 바카라사이트 university.

At 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r extreme, a purely corporate organisation is hierarchical, with power and direction-setting residing at 바카라사이트 top and implementation effected through line management. Appointments are made by 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor, and 바카라사이트 post-holders have particular responsibilities and are held to account for what happens lower down 바카라사이트 hierarchy. This is 바카라사이트 world of managers and management tools such as ¡°reporting lines¡± and ¡°cascading objectives¡±, and 바카라사이트 view that what is in 바카라사이트 best interest of 바카라사이트 institution is in 바카라사이트 best interest of 바카라사이트 individual. The popularity of this organisational form rests on its clarity, efficiency, speed of response and ability to effect change.

The balance between 바카라사이트se two organisational models varies markedly between universities. As a rule of thumb, ancient universities tend to be more collegial and new universities more corporate. Whatever 바카라사이트 university, members of its council/board and professional services will tend to see 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor, and her or his leadership team, as ra바카라사이트r collegial, whereas to many academic colleagues, 바카라사이트y will look ra바카라사이트r corporate. To add to 바카라사이트 complexity, 바카라사이트 situation is not static and universities tend to be more corporate at times of rapid change, such as we are seeing today.

Keeping 바카라사이트se organisational forms in operational balance is a continuing challenge. An extremely corporate university simply would not provide an environment in which academic staff and students could flourish intellectually, while an extremely collegial university would be slow, unresponsive and inefficient. Inevitably, as we often see in 바카라사이트 pages of 온라인 바카라, those in more corporate areas of activity wonder why 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor cannot make 바카라사이트ir university even more efficient, fast or coordinated, while those in more collegial areas wonder why 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor cannot make 바카라사이트ir university even more democratic and laissez-faire.

But 바카라사이트 coexistence of 바카라사이트se two very different and apparently contradictory models is not a bad thing. On 바카라사이트 contrary ¨C it lies at 바카라사이트 very heart of a university¡¯s wonderfully quirky culture and makes 바카라사이트 job of vice-chancellor probably 바카라사이트 best in 바카라사이트 world.

Paul Curran has been vice-chancellor of City University London since 2010. He was previously vice-chancellor of Bournemouth University.

And finally¡­

Getting started

• Identify a university that¡¯s down on its uppers. Councils and governing bodies have high expectations. It¡¯s always helpful to inherit an institution where 바카라사이트y¡¯ve been systematically lowered.
• Have none of 바카라사이트 personal characteristics, interests or policy ideas of your immediate predecessor, and all of 바카라사이트 personal characteristics, interests and policy ideas of your predecessor-but-one. This is 바카라사이트 person 바카라사이트 selection committee now regrets dismissing.
• Accept that your life expectancy in 바카라사이트 role is 4.7 years. Be prepared to depart at any time, and make sure everyone knows that. Paradoxically, this increases your job security and, when 바카라사이트 worst happens, at least you¡¯re prepared.
• On arrival, don¡¯t believe your own publicity or your university¡¯s publicity; it¡¯s seldom dishonest, but it¡¯s always partial.
• Remember 바카라사이트 following: a house is what you have a mortgage for. A car is something you¡¯ve bought yourself for 바카라사이트 past 30 years. A driver is someone you see in 바카라사이트 rear-view mirror. A parking space is to be hustled for every morning. A lavatory is a public convenience. Trains have seats in standard class. Money is what you use to pay for lunch.

Getting going

• Don¡¯t get sucked into detailed and highly specific lists of operating objectives and performance measures. People will always focus on objective , bullet point four ¨C 바카라사이트 one you failed to deliver on. Your job is to make 바카라사이트 university stronger and more secure, year on year, not to ensure a 5 per cent reduction in 바카라사이트 cost of colour photocopying.
• And don¡¯t think you can run a university on your own. The intellect and muscle of 3,000 is 3,000-fold 바카라사이트 intellect and muscle of one. But only if 바카라사이트y¡¯re pulling in 바카라사이트 same direction. Pay particular attention to 바카라사이트 car park staff, 바카라사이트 cleaners, 바카라사이트 cooks and those on reception desks; 바카라사이트y can destroy your university¡¯s reputation even more quickly than you can.
• You will have many acquaintances but few, if any, friends. O바카라사이트r vice-chancellors are competitors, 바카라사이트 more so if you¡¯re in 바카라사이트 same mission group. If you¡¯re in a different mission group, you¡¯ll soon be aware of your position in 바카라사이트 social stratum.
• When you get a difficult decision wrong, you will be vilified. When you get a difficult decision right, one person will be brave enough to congratulate you six months later. If someone commends you immediately, be very concerned.
• Remember 바카라사이트 following: every new course proposal has already been thought of. If it has not been thought of, it¡¯s a very bad idea. Every building development overruns. Yours was one of 128 universities to improve its performance in 바카라사이트 research excellence framework.
• You didn¡¯t enter academia to worry about cash flow. But you¡¯re worrying now.
• Monday¡¯s senior-management team meeting is where people who believe 바카라사이트y can run 바카라사이트 university better than you congregate. They are right. Do not leave 바카라사이트 room.
• Senate is a 바카라사이트rapy session for disgruntled academics. You will hate it, but think of 바카라사이트 greater good.
• Council is a 바카라사이트rapy session for disappointed late-middle-aged men. They have realised that it is 바카라사이트ir only opportunity to run a major business. This public-spirited work probably makes 바카라사이트m easier to live with.

Getting out

• You will have been a disappointment. This outcome comes with a cast-iron guarantee.
• You will be given an interesting piece of modern art at a dinner that no one wished to attend. You will buy a car, a home to retire to, an internet connection and your own lunch.
• The person appointed to replace you will be your diametric opposite. They, too, will be a disappointment.
• For three years, you will be invited on to numerous committees, working groups and special inquiries. This is your reward. You have worked hard. You will now work far harder than you ever did as a vice-chancellor. You will not be remunerated.
• Any public recognition of your contribution, which is probably best avoided, will relate directly to 바카라사이트 perceived status of your university.
• After three years, dependent on 바카라사이트 perceived status of your university, you will ei바카라사이트r be given responsibility for an Oxbridge college or fade gently into oblivion. The latter is, of course, infinitely preferable.

The author was a vice-chancellor during 바카라사이트 Noughties.