Paradoxical Leadership: The Small Wins and Big Victories of Interim Academic Administrators

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Abstract

Abstract
Higher education institutions depend on interim administrators to bridge critical gaps in leadership. Nevertheless, interims receive limited support or training for the role, and they are likely to encounter challenges to their leadership, as others question whether they have the authority to make long-term decisions. Addressing a critical gap in the higher education literature, this study examines how interim administrators enact their leadership roles. Based on interviews with 25 interim academic administrators, study findings reveal three paradoxes associated with interim leadership: the temporary status of the role is both constraining and liberating, the necessity of focusing on small initiatives can generate long-term impact, and authority is both more difficult and easier to enact as an interim.

Authors

• Jay R. Dee, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Anne M. DeFelippo, Salem State University

• Cheryl Daly, Kittery and Marshwood School Districts