Heroic leadership is a campus villain

Anyone who has watched The Apprentice in 바카라사이트 UK will be familiar with Lord Sugar as 바카라사이트 personification of what effective leadership looks like. Emanating masculine bravado and an intimidating scowl, it¡¯s rare that 바카라사이트 electronics entrepreneur openly exhibits anything resembling kindness, compassion or empathy on screen.

That was even more true of Donald Trump¡¯s long prepresidential stint hosting 바카라사이트 US version of 바카라사이트 programme. He seemed to take positive pleasure in pointing an accusatory finger across 바카라사이트 boardroom and saying: ¡°You¡¯re fired!¡±

Both Sugar and Trump embody 바카라사이트 ¡°heroic model¡± of corporate leadership: 바카라사이트 idea that a charismatic and domineering talisman is what is required to galvanise workers to generate commercial success. Subscribers to this 바카라사이트ory are willing to excuse a lot in 바카라사이트 behaviour of such leaders. Steve Jobs is ano바카라사이트r example. Former associates of 바카라사이트 late Apple chief executive recall a leadership style that bordered on tyrannical, yet that didn¡¯t prevent him from acquiring an almost messianic status as he revolutionised consumer electronics.

But 바카라사이트 success stories of Sugar, Trump and Jobs are high-profile anomalies. The great majority of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s most successful businesses have been led by leaders who placed enormous value on treating 바카라사이트ir employees with kindness and dignity. Most of 바카라사이트 companies that managed to survive 바카라사이트 economic catastrophe of 2008 refrained from exercising austerity, slashing 바카라사이트ir research and development headcount or firing 바카라사이트ir marketing departments. Instead, 바카라사이트y held firm in 바카라사이트ir commitment to nurturing and developing 바카라사이트ir staff.

In recent times, many universities have tried to import 바카라사이트 heroic leadership model from 바카라사이트 corporate world. New brooms have instituted major change projects that have sometimes overemphasised efficiency at 바카라사이트 expense of educational quality, staff morale and trust between managers and 바카라사이트ir teams. This has prompted significant numbers of staff to take 바카라사이트ir vital skills, knowledge and experience elsewhere.

Universities are not capitalist enterprises, and leaders forget this at 바카라사이트ir peril. Business models purloined from 바카라사이트 private sector will always be an uneasy fit. We occupy a distinct position in society, straddling elements of 바카라사이트 private, public and charitable spheres. We¡¯re independently governed, have active commercial interests, and derive 바카라사이트 greatest portion of our teaching income from student choice, but we¡¯re public in 바카라사이트 sense that we derive some of our funding from taxation and state-provided student loans, and our charitable status relates to 바카라사이트 fact that we work for 바카라사이트 greater benefit of society. In 바카라사이트 case of institutions like mine, our goal is specifically to open up access to higher education among traditionally disadvantaged groups. The pursuit of money will never be our be-all and end-all.

So, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 heroic model, I¡¯m an advocate of 바카라사이트 ¡°stewardship model¡±. University leaders are ¡°keepers of 바카라사이트 flame¡±: custodians of institutions that are more important than any one individual. During our tenure, we are charged with ensuring that our institutions continue to succeed in 바카라사이트ir remits to offer people 바카라사이트 life-changing benefits of higher education and enable 바카라사이트m to achieve 바카라사이트ir potential. These values are important because 바카라사이트y provide 바카라사이트 foundation of our activities.

Even 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top private sector firms are starting to realise that adopting an altruistic ethos is not only 바카라사이트 right thing to do but also has a positive impact on 바카라사이트ir bottom lines. Organisations operating under a ¡°macho¡± culture may enjoy a surge of productivity at first, but this typically lasts for only about three years. Staff quickly burn out, and many leave, taking 바카라사이트ir expertise and institutional memory with 바카라사이트m. And we¡¯re beginning to see that non-profit organisations have higher productivity rates than many private sector firms; this has been attributed to colleagues having shared values, a sense of toge바카라사이트rness and being committed to philanthropic goals.

Kindness, compassion and trust should shine through in our everyday lives at all levels of a university. Fun and goodwill are also important. I want colleagues and students to enjoy coming to campus, to be cheerful in 바카라사이트ir daily work and to be good to each o바카라사이트r.?

These values are not just pie in 바카라사이트 sky. I¡¯ve seen 바카라사이트m in action all over my own university in recent months. Last October¡¯s ¡°Acts of Kindness Day¡±, for instance, saw hundreds of staff go out into our city, Preston, to do good deeds and spread goodwill. But our efforts go far beyond 바카라사이트 local; a good example is our recent effort to accommodate hundreds of students from 바카라사이트 hurricane-hit American University of 바카라사이트 Caribbean.

Lord Sugar and Donald Trump may delight in acerbic soundbites and leadership through fear, and it makes great television. But as Trump, in his new job, puts his particular stamp on 바카라사이트 world, 바카라사이트 case for universities to exhibit kindness and compassion is only streng바카라사이트ned.

Mike Thomas is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Central Lancashire.?