LEADERSHIP FOR IMPROVED INSTITUTIONAL PERFORMANCE

During challenging economics times educational institutions become increasingly under fire for not doing enough in the past to prepare for future challenges. At the same time, internal constitutes, university culture, and external constitutes, the community at large, become even more critical of the institutions vision and direction. While the focus remains on what the “institution” is not doing, often overlooked are the persons that make up the institution –senior management, faculty, students, and administrative staff; as persons have separated themselves from the criticism where a top-down decision may have led to the current impact on resources.

Often times senior level management decision are made in isolation without consultation as it relates to internal motivation, satisfaction, reward, or inclusion of the persons on the ground that makes the process work.

As leaders at Tertiary Level Institutions of higher learning (TLIs) are faced with the criticisms of internal and external constitutes who are critical of their institution, one would draw upon human motivational and the psychological foundations of education; and recommend the following steps, which, if followed, would lead to the “vision” and “direction” in which the institution should be headed and create the buy-in and commitment from both internal and external stakeholders to create the inclusiveness necessary for sustainability.