In Search of Leadership: Practical Perspectives on Leading Distance Education Organisations

Abstract

A major leader shift is needed in open and distance learning. Leaders must think differently about their approaches to leadership. This paper discussed five major leadership challenges, provided mini-cases for each challenge and targeted key strategies and lessons from these cases. They are based on actual situations; identification of the institution and leader is anonymous in all cases. Do you have the right staff around you and do they create the optimum fit? Is your vision viable for growth and agility? Are you willing to accept the leadership deal – all successes to your followers; the leader takes responsibility for all failures? Can you change the way you think about leadership, the organisation and the world? This aligns with Maxwell’s (2019) leadershift framework as well as one of Peter Senge’s (1992) disciplines – mental models. Finally, with all your talents and abilities can you operationalise your vision? Can you design, lead and implement change? More succinctly, can you go the distance and stay the course for your vision and your organisation? The author suggests that intangible value-added attributes of effective leadership may need more focus in the future. The paper concludes with a summary discussion of a few observations about leadership in open and distance learning organisations post-pandemic and future research. The author argues that leaders that display empathy, common sense, sound judgment, calm under fire, cultural agility and the capacity to lead and implement effective change can use these value-added attributes to assist in executing and leading effective organisational transformation.