As long as there is a community of civilized individuals, a leader is required in said community. Generally, a leader’s task is to ‘lead’ the group to a common goal. The same could be said for the community of academia; someone needs to lead these group of talented, multi-disciplinary scholars. Leaders in academic community exist in various levels – from as simple as course coordinator all the way to the higher echelons of Vice Chancellor’s or University President’s seat, if one were to consider a typical university environment. Academic leaders are also generally responsible for people from various backgrounds; such as undergraduate and postgraduate students, administration staffs, and other academic members. So, what makes a good academic leader?

 Personally, I believe a good academic leader who leads by example. Setting a good example is an extremely effective way to gain trust and support from colleagues and subordinates. Rather than barking orders, a good leader would ideally work together with his or her team to finish the job or solve any issues. In a team setting, a good leader would strive to inspire his subordinates by focusing on their individual strengths, forming a well-rounded team, and understanding their team’s needs; which in return results in an engaging and highly-productive work-environment. To do this, the leaders essentially need to be strongly connected to his or her team members – which means that leaders must have a strong interpersonal and communication skills. This help team members to feel empowered, needed, and appreciated in the team.

Another desirable criterion of a good leader is his or her ability to plan ahead. As an academic leader, one is responsible to set the vision and pace of one’s team. To achieve this, proper planning is crucial. Depending on one’s specific responsibilities on the job, you might have several smaller goals to accomplish or a much larger objective to develop and work toward. One might also need to plan these on your own or collaborate with others in order to determine what needs to be done and how to accomplish these goals.

Last but not least, I believe that a good academic leader should be passionate in their job and leading others. These leaders put the skills and expertise they’ve gained over the years into practice to benefit the school or the people they’re responsible for. Being a passionate leader inspires people around him or her to work towards a common goal, usually to achieve the team vision. Whether one works as a dean or a department chair, being passionate about one’s work helps enjoy a challenging yet rewarding career in higher education.

There are numerous other leadership traits also applicable to academic leaders, but personally, I believe the previous few I discussed earlier are among the most important. As an academician, we should strive to learn and possess these qualities regardless whether we are currently holding and managerial or leadership positions.