Shared leadership: what are your thoughts?

Universities are introducing business-like terminology in their management structures moving from “Head of School” to “Director”, creating line-manager positions and referring to students as customers (Fragouli and Vitta, 2012). Implementing the changes of performance management targets and additional tools to measure effectiveness and quality often result in more layers of leadership (Armstrong, 2012). Traditional hierarchical leadership models are being emphasised even more as part of institutional reforms with management practices aiming to control subordinates’ efficiency and productivity. Feeling micro managed; academics are reported as feeling disengaged with the organisation. The “top-down” style of leadership ignores the potential of those in more junior positions (Dearlove 2002; Kanuga 2013). Perhaps the idea of shared leadership or distributed leadership, as the horizontal models are often referred to, may overcome some of these cultural clashes of management frameworks mentioned above. Considering shared leadership as part of their strategy, institutions may find that is does not need to replace the traditional delegated management style but instead has the potential to be mutual supportive (Abuodha et.al., 2012). This type of leadership enhances the abilities of individuals and implies that several members of a team, together or at different times, may take the lead. It may provide the autonomy some traditionalist academics still seek whilst enabling the higher education institution to survive and even prosper in the ever increasing competitive environment they are facing (Ameijde et. al., 2009). This workshop will first present shared leadership in practice following a small scale study at a London based University. It will then encourage discussion with the audience on the possible advantages and disadvantages of such an approach in different courses in the academy