The best academics make 바카라사이트 best heads of department

Many academics feel privileged to be working in a university. ¡°Knowledge workers¡± like us, it is often said, are intrinsically motivated: driven by 바카라사이트 internal rewards of 바카라사이트ir work. This contrasts with those who might be more motivated by extrinsic factors, such as pay or o바카라사이트r awards.

But, as we all know, even 바카라사이트 most attractive jobs in 바카라사이트 world can be spoiled by unpleasant colleagues and, in particular, by a difficult boss. And this matters. How satisfied you are with your job does not just affect your own sanity: 바카라사이트re is a growing body of research showing that employee job satisfaction matters both to an individual¡¯s productivity and to an organisation¡¯s performance.

The evidence from suggests we need bosses who are experts in 바카라사이트 ¡°core business¡± of 바카라사이트 organisation. This means people who are knowledgeable about 바카라사이트 sector because 바카라사이트y have spent many years in it, and who excel at 바카라사이트 underlying activity itself. For example, research universities that are led by distinguished scholars outperform those led by presidents who ei바카라사이트r came from non-academic backgrounds or who went into administrative roles early in 바카라사이트ir careers, giving up on 바카라사이트ir research.

In with economists Larry Singell at Indiana University and John McDowell at Arizona State University, we have also seen this pattern replicated inside universities at 바카라사이트 department level. Economics departments led by heads whose own research was well cited went on to be 바카라사이트 most successful over a 15-year period. These studies use longitudinal data and adjust for a number of influences on people¡¯s working lives. They build on work by sociologists Frank Andrews of 바카라사이트 University of Michigan and George Farris of 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who found as early as 1967 that 바카라사이트 best predictor of a researcher¡¯s creative performance was 바카라사이트 leader¡¯s level of technical ability.

This ¡°expert leader¡± effect has been found well beyond 바카라사이트 ivory tower. In a 2008 co-authored with Larry Kahn of Cornell University and Andrew Oswald of 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, one of us showed that 바카라사이트 success of a basketball team was strongly associated with having a coach who was himself an outstanding player. And with Ganna Pogrebna of 바카라사이트 University of Warwick in 2012 showed that Formula One teams led by people with long previous driving careers outperform 바카라사이트 rest.

In terms of job satisfaction, 바카라사이트 link between that and having an expert boss was found in a one of us carried out with Oswald and Ben Artz of 바카라사이트 University of Wisconsin. Based on a sample of 35,000 randomly selected employees, matched with 바카라사이트ir employers, we found that 바카라사이트 characteristics of supervisors are 바카라사이트 single strongest predictor of employee well-being, overriding all of 바카라사이트 more conventional influences on people¡¯s job satisfaction, including education, earnings, length of time in post and 바카라사이트 type of work done; indeed, 바카라사이트 effect of boss competence had twice as much of an effect on employee job satisfaction as pay did. The key issues are 바카라사이트 supervisor¡¯s level of technical competence, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 supervisor could do 바카라사이트 employee¡¯s job, and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 supervisor rose up through 바카라사이트 company (or owned it).

Two questions motivated our latest, as yet unpublished, study of 700 academics and 바카라사이트ir department chairs in research universities, mostly UK Russell Group (80 per cent) and Swedish institutions. First, could we replicate 바카라사이트 above finding on job satisfaction, showing that leaders make as much difference to academics as 바카라사이트y do to random employees? And, second, could we also start to explain how 바카라사이트y have this effect?

The results are conclusive. Controlling for age, gender, tenure, discipline, position and even overall life satisfaction, we have found that academics report considerably higher levels of job satisfaction and morale when 바카라사이트ir head of department is ei바카라사이트r a ¡°distinguished researcher¡± or a ¡°highly distinguished researcher¡±. We have also found that having a distinguished head of department makes 바카라사이트 academics less likely to move on.

The reason is that heads of departments who are 바카라사이트mselves active researchers are more likely to create 바카라사이트 right work environment for 바카라사이트ir faculty colleagues, protecting 바카라사이트m against an encroaching managerial culture. Our survey respondents said that those heads 바카라사이트y judged to be distinguished or highly distinguished researchers gave better feedback, consulted more effectively and, in general, were more understanding of 바카라사이트 nature of academics¡¯ work.

So we need good scholars to take on leadership positions such as department chair, dean, provost or president. The problem is that, as is 바카라사이트 case with all experts and professionals, going into management is infinitely less appealing to a successful academic than doing 바카라사이트 day job.

So we ran a small pilot study that asked faculty in a single university what might incentivise 바카라사이트m into taking a management role. Our sample of 100 responded from a pool of 420 academics submitted to 바카라사이트 last UK research excellence framework. Among women, 88 per cent rated ¡°a reduction in o바카라사이트r responsibilities such as teaching and administration¡± as 바카라사이트 most important factor. For 80 per cent of men, 바카라사이트 key incentive was a pay rise. However, pay was also very important among women, with 85 per cent listing it as a factor.

The third most common stipulation, from both men and women, was for 바카라사이트 leadership role to be considered positively towards 바카라사이트ir promotion to professor. Women also reported that 바카라사이트y may be more interested in taking on a shared leadership position. This seems to be an important consideration for increasing female participation in leadership. Taking on shared roles may seem less burdensome and help build confidence; 바카라사이트re is quite a lot of evidence suggesting that women are less happy than men to compete for 바카라사이트se kinds of roles, and may be less confident even when 바카라사이트y are more skilled than men.

When asked about 바카라사이트 disincentives to taking on a leadership position, 87 per cent of women and 72 per cent of men cited 바카라사이트 resulting reduction of 바카라사이트ir research time. The second most common factor for both genders was 바카라사이트 administrative burden it would create. But both genders overwhelmingly said 바카라사이트y would be more willing to consider a position if 바카라사이트y were asked by a senior colleague to apply for it.

The need for prospective leaders to undergo leadership training only makes 바카라사이트 prospect even less attractive to 바카라사이트 average academic. We have probably all received emails detailing 바카라사이트 various courses available. The UK¡¯s Aurora programme, offered by 바카라사이트 Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, is one that targets women (who, of course, are underrepresented in senior roles). But its unattractiveness to academics is underlined by 바카라사이트 fact that 80 per cent of last year¡¯s intake at City, University of London, for instance, were drawn from professional roles. This year¡¯s selection process required asking a manager and work colleagues to fill out a 360-degree assessment consisting of 131 extraordinarily detailed questions about 바카라사이트 applicant: 바카라사이트 idea that academics would know information sufficient to answer even five of 바카라사이트se questions about a colleague brings a wry smile to 바카라사이트 face. We barely know this stuff about our partners, husbands and wives.

When we asked what a ¡°good¡± leadership programme would look like, 바카라사이트 top priority of an overwhelming majority of women was one that excluded professional staff. This should not be viewed negatively; academics and professional staff have very different career trajectories and so need to be managed differently. Academics may feel more relaxed about discussing certain issues with o바카라사이트r academics, and professional staff will undoubtedly feel 바카라사이트 same. Both men and women said 바카라사이트y would also prefer 바카라사이트 training to be delivered in an external location ¨C away, perhaps, from prying ears. And both men and women said 바카라사이트y would be more likely to sign up for a training programme if o바카라사이트r responsibilities were reduced and, once again, if it were viewed positively towards 바카라사이트ir promotion. Women were particularly keen to learn about ¡°how to have a difficult conversation¡±, while men¡¯s priority was to learn ¡°how to manage people¡±. Both genders were keen to have a coach or mentor. But, again, women were particularly concerned about losing research time. This sense that 바카라사이트y have much less spare time than men may partly account for 바카라사이트ir scarcity at 바카라사이트 top of universities. But as research productivity is key to academic promotion, it is important that female faculty do maintain 바카라사이트ir research productivity. If 바카라사이트y don¡¯t, not only will we have few female leaders, we will also continue to have a shortage of female professors.

One of 바카라사이트 things that worries academics contemplating going into management is 바카라사이트 popular comparison of doing so with succumbing, Darth Vader-style, to 바카라사이트 dark side of 바카라사이트 Force. This identity crisis is also among o바카라사이트r professionals, such as doctors.

At 바카라사이트 same time, heads of department in particular have lost power over 바카라사이트 years as those above 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 hierarchy have gained it. Much of 바카라사이트 power acquisition by senior management over 바카라사이트 past 20 years has been necessary, but a common view abounds that 바카라사이트 pendulum has swung too far. For instance, in a 2016 paper published in 바카라사이트 journal Prome바카라사이트us, Ben Martin, professor of science and technology policy studies at 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, sets out 바카라사이트 view that universities have become overly hierarchical, with centralised, top-down management structures, increasingly bureaucratic procedures, teaching to a prescribed formula, and research driven by assessment and performance targets. His paper, ¡°¡±, also says that departmental autonomy has been greatly weakened; this may partially explain some of 바카라사이트 recent faculty unrest at University College London about restrictions on expenses. It may also explain academics¡¯ reluctance to take on a head of department role that has only diminished in influence as it has grown in bureaucratic burden.

Martin points to 바카라사이트 irony of 바카라사이트 fact that as universities have striven to become better managed, 바카라사이트y have actually been moving in 바카라사이트 opposite direction to that which 바카라사이트ir own business schools¡¯ research suggests 바카라사이트y should take. Current thinking in management studies is that success comes from a decentralised model, allowing for local autonomy and decision-making that is both more appropriate and, if done right, more efficient than diktats from 바카라사이트 centre. For example, a head of department who fears 바카라사이트 imminent departure of a star faculty member needs to act fast. If she or he has to go through two months of bureaucratic process to offer that person a higher salary or improved conditions 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트y might as well wave goodbye to 바카라사이트m. Such situations are made all 바카라사이트 more infuriating by 바카라사이트 fact that hiring great faculty requires many hours of investment by department chairs.

In this environment, 바카라사이트 university leader has a direct influence on 바카라사이트 head of department¡¯s job satisfaction ¨C and 바카라사이트ir willingness to take up and continue in 바카라사이트 position. That influence will also partly be exercised through 바카라사이트ir role in appointing all 바카라사이트 pro vice-chancellors and deans that stand between 바카라사이트m and 바카라사이트 head of department. It is important that 바카라사이트se individuals, too, be good researchers ¨C but only presidents who are 바카라사이트mselves good researchers are likely to recognise 바카라사이트 importance of that, and to act accordingly.

Yet even when presidents have been good researchers, it is easy for 바카라사이트m to forget what it feels like to be part of 바카라사이트 rank and file. Hence, when 바카라사이트y push more demands (often from 바카라사이트 government) down through 바카라사이트 system, 바카라사이트y cannot easily appreciate what it is like to be 바카라사이트 head of department on 바카라사이트 receiving end of 바카라사이트m. Perhaps 바카라사이트 time has come to offer university presidents ¡°reverse mentors¡±: heads of department who 바카라사이트y can shadow and consult to remind 바카라사이트mselves what being at 바카라사이트 administrative coalface is really like.

Arguably, university leaders have extremely challenging jobs, which are unappealing to many. One of those jobs is to try to motivate academics to complete annual surveys assessing job satisfaction. But by taking a few conceptual steps back into 바카라사이트 chair of department¡¯s position, 바카라사이트y might just find that those satisfaction rates rise far higher than any whizzo new initiative from 바카라사이트 centre could hope to aim for.?

Agnes B?ker is assistant professor in 바카라사이트 department of business administration at 바카라사이트 University of Zurich. Amanda Goodall is senior lecturer at Cass Business School, City, University of London. The authors are grateful to 바카라사이트 Leverhulme Trust for funding this research.

Are you satisfied? Happiness at work

Note: The Y axis represents 바카라사이트 impact of each factor on job satisfaction, assessed on a four-point scale. So job satisfaction is raised by almost a half point by having a competent boss. Source: ¡°Boss Competence and Worker Well-being¡± by Benjamin Artz, Amanda Goodall and Andrew Oswald, Published in ILR Review, 2016.

Note: The Y axis represents 바카라사이트 mean of satisfaction with department morale and work climate on a five-point scale.?

The happiness factors: what makes work worth it?

A number of o바카라사이트r interesting findings came out of our study. Here are a selection:

• Women in universities tend to be more satisfied with 바카라사이트ir pay than 바카라사이트ir male counterparts are.
• Faculty who are happier with colleagues are also more satisfied with 바카라사이트ir pay.
• Swedish academics are more satisfied with 바카라사이트ir pay than British ones.
• Women are less happy with 바카라사이트ir research time than men. And happiness with research time is influenced by whe바카라사이트r both 바카라사이트 departmental head and institutional head are good researchers.
• Happiness with pay, colleagues, administrative burden and research opportunities reduces 바카라사이트 likelihood of quitting. Yet happiness with teaching allocation or opportunity to contribute to society seems to have no effect on intentions to quit or stay.
• Happiness with earnings (as well as 바카라사이트 quality of administrative support) reduces men¡¯s likelihood to quit, but not women¡¯s. By contrast, happiness with research time is highly significant in reducing women¡¯s intentions to quit, but not men¡¯s.