Leadership Transition Through the Framework of Appreciative Inquiry

• In Event: 60.084 - Roundtable Session 20
  In Roundtable Session: 60.084-8 - Leadership and Transformational Change in Higher Education

Abstract

Our paper considers a critical juncture in community college leadership as many community college leaders approach retirement. These transitions are inescapable. How will institutional memory (Parker, 2011) be preserved with the passing of the leadership mantel to a new generation? These transitions impact ways in which leaders influence student success, institutional mission and the overall health of the institution (Boggs, 2011). We view these leadership transitions through the lens of Appreciative Inquiry (AI). We ask: How might AI be utilized to successfully navigate community college leadership transitions? Examining two cases where AI has been applied within higher education environments, we discuss the potential for such a model to effectively address pending leadership changes.

Keywords: leadership, transition, appreciative inquiry, community college,

Authors

• Dan W Royer, Ball State University

• Amanda O. Latz, Ball State University