Abstract
Intended for a broad higher education audience that includes the community college sector, Eddy and Kirby (2020) offer approaches and strategies for aspiring and new leaders in their book, Leading for Tomorrow: A Primer for Succeeding in Higher Education Leadership. The book lays out the challenges emergent higher education leaders may encounter as they break into their new roles, along with practical, empirically grounded insights for successfully navigating these challenges across a variety of situations. Focusing on the transition from faculty ranks to administrative leadership but applicable to others newly leading, the book is filled with rich case study vignettes that bring leadership topics to life, thus equipping novice leaders with fundamental knowledge and tools to apply within realistic contexts.
This text is highly accessible owing to its straightforward, consistent structure. Each chapter opens with an introduction to the topic of focus and several learning objectives or main concepts. In addition, key points, resources, and leadership training programs further round out a new leader’s toolbox. Each chapter is then brought full circle with a culminating section to help readers reflect and apply the information to their own leadership development and practices. Researchers and practitioners alike will also appreciate that the chapters contain clear, helpful tables containing essential concepts, definitions, strategies, and so on to guide readers throughout.
Chapter 1 outlines the evolving complexities and changes facing leadership in higher education and the need for leadership development. The authors present various leadership theories over time and the importance of having a framework for effective leadership. Broader leadership frames and orientation also appear in this chapter, as well as understanding and navigating organizational cultures in relation to leadership.
The role of courageous leadership to accomplish effective change comes to light in Chapter 2. Eddy and Kirby describe what makes a courageous leader, including examining their environment, formulating goals, obtaining crucial buy-in, and bringing everyone along the journey toward change. Courageous leaders must ensure accountability and make challenging decisions and actions, so trust is a significant part of enacting change. To help leaders be bold and implement effective change, this chapter delves into building networks and relationships, change theories and models, along with important discussions on resistance to change and strategies to overcome such barriers.
Chapter 3 dives into the complexities and challenges of communication for leaders, particularly interacting as a leader, building communication networks, and framing in communication. Focusing on higher education communication theory, this chapter sheds light on how types of networks, language and context, system and individual influences, and nonverbal communication all shape communication, networking, and interactions within and beyond institutions. With the rise of social media, Eddy and Kirby offer thoughtful insights and tips for leaders in leveraging social media so that this type of communication works for, not against, change. They also note that creating and being mindful of social media presence is important, but how leaders react to issues and attacks are also central to communication and change.
Chapter 4 tackles an extremely important skill—conflict management. Eddy and Kirby posit that conflict is dynamic and can lead to positive or negative results, which is why leaders must understand types of conflict, how to handle it, and effective practices for resolving conflict toward a positive campus and work environment. This chapter also covers emotional and cultural intelligence for effective leadership and conflict management. The authors present several conflict management supports and processes that leaders should consider to help address and mediate the complexities of conflict, such as ombudsman, faculty personnel services, legal counsel, and mediation.
Leadership is not without constant strategic thinking, planning, and decision-making, all of which come into the picture in Chapter 5. Eddy and Kirby go over the strategic planning process and strategic thinking, and scenario building is highlighted to assist leaders with anticipating the unexpected related to effective and proactive leadership. Environmental scanning for internal and external forces that affect the institution, data-informed decision-making, and shared leadership are also presented as crucial elements to aid leaders and institutions in navigating challenges, changes, and priorities associated with planning efforts.
One of the top issues for higher education and community college leadership is student success, which Eddy and Kirby review in Chapter 6, along with tools to help leaders improve teaching and learning and student supports and services. To move the needle on student success, this chapter encourages leaders to plan by mapping backward to build academic plans for degree programs, as well as advocating for integrated learning; in other words, students incorporating and connecting what they learn toward overall knowledge and understanding. Other important tools for student success in this chapter include building an equity mindset and culture, implementing high-impact practices for student engagement, promoting faculty development, and using institutional data to determine achievement gaps and needed improvements.
An essential part of leadership is partnering with others. In Chapter 7, Eddy and Kirby discuss partnerships and networked leadership, including types of partnerships (i.e., traditional and strategic), motivation for partnerships, and networked leadership. Networked leadership involves a fluid, transient, and collaborative process of resolving a range of challenges and issues. Because of the intricacies of higher education, organizational structures, roles, and practices, this chapter drives home the importance of intentionally working together over working alone for support and change.
The final chapter looks to a variety of higher education trends and what leadership skills are needed to adapt and adjust moving into the future. Eddy and Kirby highlight three trends: changing student demographics and growing diversity, technological advancements shifting the nature of learning, and alternative and competency-based credentials toward lifelong learning. In facing these fluctuations down the road, adaptive leadership and anticipatory leaders look at the past to plan for the future, communicate and collaborate with stakeholders, and bring individuals together to motivate action and respond to change. Further preparing for what lies ahead for higher education, the importance of culture is brought full circle as leaders are called to recognize and build a culture of innovation to successfully drive and support change.
The authors engage pertinent community college work throughout, including reports and data by the American Association of Community Colleges, the Aspen Institute, the Office of Community College Research and Leadership, along with books like Redesigning America’s Community Colleges by Bailey et al. (2015), among others. Although the included case studies do not center community colleges given the book’s broad scope, the range of topics, concepts, and implications explicated in the cases are applicable to the community college sector. For example, the case study in Chapter 7 demonstrates the benefits and challenges of faculty developing partnerships across an institution and with local business. Deeply relevant for community colleges given their workforce preparation mission and close collaboration with industry, this case presents tangible guidance for facilitating new partnerships with businesses and incorporating relevant learning opportunities across courses, programs, and departments. Practitioners reading this book can make connections across community college-specific information, the advice in the book, and their own institutional roles and contexts. In addition, the authors’ thoughtful integration of leadership, change, and communication theories, as well as a rich pool of community college scholarship on leadership, faculty, initiatives, policies, and more will appeal to researchers interested in leadership, change, and organizations.
Taken together, Leading for Tomorrow is an accessible resource for faculty and other administrative staff making the leap into a leadership role. It is also a compelling source for scholars and graduate courses that focus on higher education leadership and organizations. The book brings together research and practice as Eddy and Kirby incorporate a variety of informative theoretical frameworks, real-life examples, and useful tips to prepare emergent leaders for current and future higher education challenges. Leadership can be demanding, evolving, and complex, but it should not have to be any more difficult than it must be, particularly for new leaders. Eddy and Kirby’s book breaks everything down in a digestible way so that those entering the leadership ranks have the skills and tools to lead with open eyes, confidence, thoughtfulness, and success.
