.The role of university leaders is not merely to manage but also to inspire their team to drive their institutions forward. Leaders of today must be in touch with rapidly changing we live in, be outward facing to respond to societal and environmental changes around us.

Professor Bill George of Harvard Business School lists five qualities required of what he calls “authentic leadership”. The first is leaders must know their purpose and they must have the passion to drive their decisions. Second, authentic leaders are those with values and integrity, in simpler words, must demonstrate good behaviour. Thirdly, good leaders are “people-persons”, they maintain respectful relationships with everyone, they respect the vulnerabilities of others and are not pretentious, snobbish or boastful. Fourth, good leaders are disciplined and focussed, they resist impulses and they never abandon their projects halfway. Finally, good authentic leaders are compassionate, they inspire through kindness, understanding, flexibility, empowerment and empathy.

Effective leaders are humble, they understand their limitations and accept advice on overcoming them. Making tough decisions are difficult but being transparent would not only ease communication but makes the leader accountable which in turn leads to a culture of responsibility where mistakes become platforms for learning and improvement.

Academic leaders are in a challenging position because they are leading peers. In some cases, they lead experienced scholars who were probably once their mentors. In addition to leading their peers, academic leaders also lead their students, lead the development of their modules, and research projects. Each of these roles require different aptitudes but adhering to George’s five tenets would make the task effective and efficient. Academic leaders need to be constantly updated with the latest industry and social developments> This is crucial to ensure programmes introduced meet the requirements of stakeholders.