Relational Leadership in Higher Education: Leading Across Academic Borders and Generations

Session Submission Type: Panel Discussion

Short Description

The relational leadership model recognizes that relationships are central to doing leadership and posits that leadership is inclusive, empowering, purposeful, ethical, and process-oriented (Komives, Lucas, & McMahon, 2013). Through these five relational leadership components, the four panelists will discuss how the relational leadership model has been used to break down silos across disparate borders and generations in higher education. This panel will share insights into the ways we can create relationships that will facilitate new ways of leading in academic advising, teaching through experiential learning, cross-generational mentoring, and collaborating during times of crisis.

Detailed Abstract

Regardless of the scope, student affairs, academic affairs and other campus partners must move beyond the traditional classroom and university walls and create relationships that will facilitate new ways of leading that involve campus-wide collaborations across borders and generations. Margaret Wheatley (1992) explains, “Leadership is always dependent on the context but the context is dependent on the relationships we value” (p. 144). The relational leadership model recognizes that relationships are central to doing leadership and posits that leadership is inclusive, empowering, purposeful, ethical, and process-oriented (Komives, Lucas, & McMahon, 2013). Through these five relational leadership components, the four panelists will discuss how the relational leadership model has been used to break down silos across disparate borders and generations in higher education.

The first presentation of this panel will discuss how the relational leadership model can mutually benefit advisors, advisees, and the academic community. Advisors take time to understand what drives students towards certain goals – and just as students benefit from interactions, so do advisors. Through relational leadership, pairings become interdependent and members thrive on dynamic exchanges (Uhl-Bien, 2011). The relational structure is nonhierarchical and participants are primarily equally dependent partners (Cunliffe, & Eriksen, 2011). While advisees might learn how to navigate systems, make academic decisions, and identify career paths, advisors will learn about student behavior, identify student preferences and needs, and understand social shifts. Thus, students become better prepared to succeed in school, and advisors become more effective and engaging advisors. An academic advising model that is rooted in Relational Leadership will help students develop skills to support their social and personal success. Examples of advisor training approaches, advisor-advisee interactions, and survey results will be shared with attendees.

The second presentation of this panel provides a unique perspective to a common challenge facing many global leadership educators and institutions: the ease with which they can limit the structure of a course to traditional textbooks, case-studies, and media (while excluding the wealth of leadership knowledge and experience just beyond the classroom and university walls). The instructor of a non-traditional course entitled “Lessons in Leadership” was able to address this problem by supplementing the written material in class with two sets of activities (interview a chosen leader & invite guest leaders to class) designed to heighten the students’ awareness of the importance that relationships play in the leadership experience [leadership being “a process where one individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2013, p.462)]. It was the common theme of relationship leadership [which is characterized by three components: 1) treating followers with dignity and respect; 2) building relationships and helping people get along; and 2) making the work setting a pleasant place to be (Northouse, 2012, p.74)] that tied these class activities together with the leadership themes covered in the course (i.e. Skills Approach to Leadership, Behavioral Theories, Contingency Theories, Relationship Leadership, etc.).

The third panelist will discuss how mentors are developed through the relational leadership model (Komives, Lucas, & McMahon , 2013) for a cross-generational mentorship program. The relational leadership model recognizes that relationships are central to doing leadership and posits that leadership is inclusive, empowering, purposeful, ethical, and process-oriented (Komives, Lucas, & McMahon, 2013). Through the five relational leadership components, leaders and group members work collectively to accomplish group goals. The “Leadership Ambassadors” mentorship program offers students the opportunity to build meaningful, cross-generational relationships that leverage generational experience and foster personal leadership development through the relational leadership model (Komives, et al., 2013). Majors include non-traditional, working adults as well as traditional-aged students, most of whom are commuter and first generation college students. In addition, some students are less connected to campus if completing coursework in non-traditional delivery methods, such as online or hybrid.The mentorship program provides a mutually beneficial opportunity to build cross-generational relationships that foster leadership development and campus engagement. The panelist will discuss the structure of the mentorship program, including mentor-development through the relational leadership model, and share early program-assessment data regarding the program’s early impact on individual learning, mentor connection activity, and persistence toward degree completion.

Our final panelist discusses how relational leadership is integral in successful crisis management and response. Regardless of the scope, in times of crisis, student affairs, academic affairs and other campus partners must move beyond organizational charts and create relationships that will facilitate new ways of leading that involve campus-wide collaboration. As Allen and Cherrey (2000) recommend, “leadership strategies that facilitate the development of shared learning, influence change in different ways, relate ideas and people in ways that cross boundaries, and use new forms of cohesion that help organizations retain direction” (p. 21). To respond to crisis situations, institutions must break down silos, cross disparate borders and value the relationships in a connective system. They must leverage their informal organizational networks, avoid network insularity, and facilitate organizational communication (Willlburn & Campbell, 2012, p. 44). Utilizing the foundational components of a relational leadership model, attendees of this session will learn about managing and responding to campus crisis incidents. The presentation will include examples of proactive interventions and collaborative response as a result of crossing borders to respond to a diverse constituency.

Sub Unit

• Conference Theme – Leading Across Borders and Generations

Chair

• Cynthia A. Martinez, University of Southern California

Presenters

• Tatum Soo Kim, New York University/School of Professional Studies

• Jeffrey M. Zimmerman, Northern Kentucky University

• Megan S. Downing, Northern Kentucky University

• Lynette S. Merriman, University of Southern California