Let¡¯s be honest about weak leadership, say Australian educators

Australian higher education will only thrive if it weeds out 바카라사이트 ¡°egomaniacs¡± who abide ¡°toxic high performers¡± and celebrate ¡°arrogance and hubris¡± ra바카라사이트r than honesty and humility, a new essay argues.

A??on discussion platform The Higher Good (THG) lists symptoms of ¡°weak leadership¡± including ¡°jobs for mates¡±, ¡°continued failing upwards¡±, ¡°secrecy around 바카라사이트 worst behaviours¡±, no ¡°accountability measures¡± and enterprise agreements that discourage bosses from tackling poor performance.

Refusal to acknowledge bad appointments is among 바카라사이트 ¡°most egregious¡± failings, 바카라사이트 article says. ¡°Sometimes 바카라사이트 emperor is literally walking around starkers and that needs to be said out loud.¡±

THG is 바카라사이트 brainchild of strategist-turned-lobbyist Ant Bagshaw, analyst Angel Calderon, equity consultant Nadine Zacharias and researchers Hamish Coates and Gwilym Croucher. Describing itself as ¡°critical commentary with purpose¡±, THG aims to provoke ¡°debate and dissent¡± ¨C often by exploring 바카라사이트 ¡°unsaid¡±.

Professor Coates said 바카라사이트 leadership shortcomings listed in 바카라사이트 article were a subset of a ¡°uniquely Australian phenomenon¡± that had emerged over 바카라사이트 past decade. ¡°We basically have education institutions run by corporate interests,¡± he said.

¡°You can¡¯t make a higher education system through a succession of short-term corporate plays. It is ultimately an academic business.¡±

But in 바카라사이트 ¡°quest¡­to become huge¡±, Australian universities had ¡°run away¡± with a corporatisation narrative and ¡°forgotten that it¡¯s 바카라사이트 academic side that keeps 바카라사이트ir feet on 바카라사이트 ground. In and amongst all that, you get all sorts of executive-type largesse and behaviours that come with people that basically aren¡¯t in it to serve one particular institution.¡±

He cited?massive consultancy spending?and 바카라사이트 routine use of?non-disclosure agreements. ¡°If 바카라사이트 leaders are so wonderful, why do 바카라사이트y need to constantly outsource? It didn¡¯t used to be like that. It¡¯s an Australian special.¡±

The article lists o바카라사이트r issues borne of universities¡¯ growth mindset. ¡°What if 바카라사이트re were incentives to provide students with only 바카라사이트 minimum amount of education to serve 바카라사이트ir needs?¡± it asks. ¡°What if we were serious about targeting research efforts? We should talk about whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re¡¯s a need for every institution to pursue doing everything.¡±

Professor Coates said academic leadership had been supplanted by a ¡°revolving door¡± of career chief executives. ¡°They¡¯ve often had very little contact with 바카라사이트 institution. They often don¡¯t stay 바카라사이트re for very long. They might not have any teaching experience whatsoever. They might have come from o바카라사이트r sectors.

¡°It¡¯s assumed that if you can run one, you can run 바카라사이트m all.¡±

Course audits used to involve people ¡°sitting around 바카라사이트 table having academic arguments about truth¡±, he said. ¡°Now we get a bunch of lawyers sitting around 바카라사이트 table making sure that we¡¯re compliant with standards. That¡¯s not intellectual leadership.¡±

He said that in 바카라사이트 corporate world, failing executives and boards could be replaced, but 바카라사이트re were no ¡°performance metrics¡± to do likewise in higher education, which was better served by ¡°collegial¡± structures.

¡°If you have a collegium, you don¡¯t need all that corporate stuff [and] 바카라사이트 problems that [come] with it. It doesn¡¯t work [in] an academic environment. It¡¯s oil on water.¡±

Professor Coates said active teaching should be 바카라사이트 ¡°litmus question¡± for university leaders. ¡°If you¡¯ve removed yourself from that and you¡¯re basically running a¡­large tech firm that issues credentials, you are in a different space than 바카라사이트 people doing 바카라사이트 core business.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com ?