Growing our own: The institutional and individual value of on-campus leadership development programs for higher education administrators

The field of higher education attracts many talented, ambitious professionals who are inspired to work in this sector because of opportunities to support the academic, personal, and professional development of students. It is an irony that more attention is not paid to the professional and leadership development of administrative talent in colleges and universities. As the American Council on Education (ACE) reported, In general, higher education has been negligent in formally developing its own leadership talent in strategic and deliberate ways (ACE, 2008). Through a qualitative, multiple case study approach, this dissertation explored on-campus leadership/talent development programs for administrators at three sites: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania, and MOR Associates, a consulting firm that partners with higher education clients to design and deliver these programs. Interviews with institutional leaders addressed the impetus for program creation, attributes the programs aim to develop, how institutions assess proof of outcomes, and the value of senior leadership support for these offerings. Additionally, focus groups identified how well the programs met past participants\u27 expectations for professional advancement and leadership opportunities on campus. The research revealed that universities create leadership/talent development programs to instill institutional culture and values, to foster connections across complex, multi-faceted enterprises, and to build a pipeline of future leaders for the institution. Attributes that the programs aim to develop include strategic thinking, communication, exercising influence, and leading change. Bottom-line, financial outcomes are inherently elusive to measure, although other means of assessing outcomes are emerging to demonstrate the programs\u27 impact. Support from senior leadership was deemed an essential component of the programs\u27 success and sustainability. Program alumni noted the value of a shared network of administrators across their institution, increased confidence and intentionality in their work, and greater strategic focus in their current roles. An unexpected finding was that past participants did not explicitly view the program as a means to professional advancement within the institution, although they uniformly saw participation as a worthwhile experience. The importance of manager engagement, accountability for implementing learning, and clarity regarding next steps after program participation also surfaced as important considerations