Using Structured conversation protocols to network emerging leaders and develop their academic leadership

The need to respond rapidly and strategically, to innovate, predict and shape, are increasingly the everyday imperatives of higher education (Scott, Coates and Anderson, 2008). To be effective in this space requires distributed and skilled leadership. The history of academic leadership is characterised by poor preparation and reliance on character (Southwell, Scoufis and West, 2008). There is limited empirical evidence concerning the development of academic leaders which poses questions about what attributes are needed, how leadership needs to be practised, and critically, how to approach leadership learning. In this presentation we discuss an innovative professional development program for emerging leaders in higher education which used a professional learning conversation protocol methodology. We will address the question, how does a structured, principles-focused program for emerging academic leaders engage and support developing leaders in their academic practice? The Emerging Academic Leaders Professional Development Program was conducted over a 4 month period in 2013. 21 participants took part; each was nominated by their academic manager and then invited by the project team to take part. The program consisted of 6, 2 hour, structured conversations, as well as an individual evaluative interview, conducted 3 months after the last conversation. The conversations were based on a set of principles for Executive Academic Leadership action, which were produced in a nationally funded program resulting in ‘A handbook for executive leadership of learning and teaching in higher education’ (McInnis, Ramsden and Maconachie, 2012). Five principles are articulated; shaping strategic vision, inspiring and enabling excellence, devolving leadership of learning and teaching, rewarding recognising and developing teaching, and involving students. In order to extend the project and apply the principles we developed and used a Professional Learning Conversation Protocol (Earl and Timperlay, 2009). The protocol was underpinned by three conditions- an inquiry habit of mind, the use of relevant data and artefacts and relationships of respect and challenge. The protocol enabled the conversation leaders to facilitate conversations in which evidence about the focal principle could be presented and challenged, and in turn, develop new meanings and direction for action. The conversations functioned as a catalyst for reflection, re-identification with leadership and personal planning within an environment characterised by growing collaboration and a shared and deepening understanding of leadership practice. We will discuss key outcomes; the emergent profile of leadership attributes, the centrality of choice and agency, and the significance of taking action in which personal planning and development is aligned with that of the university community, its priorities, strategies and inherent paradoxes