1

P

erhaps uniquely in the world, contemporary America has become increas-
ingly captivated by the possibilities and mysteries of leadership. From tiny
human-service agencies to vast multinational corporations, from the halls
of government to the local schoolhouse, there is vital interest in both the theory
and the practice of leadership. Books on leadership flood the shelves of libraries
and bookstores, and every organization searches for ways to develop the leader-
ship skills of its members. Whether as citizens, professionals, or volunteers, people
want to understand the meaning of effective leadership and how to practice it
(Bligh and Mendl 2005).

THE UNCERTAIN PLACE OF LEADERSHIP IN

HIGHER EDUCATION

When it comes to institutions of higher learning, there are several ironies
concerning the phenomenon of leadership—as an area of study, as a goal of
education, and as an organizational process. In one form or another, the theme
has long been a subject of inquiry in both the social sciences and the humani-
ties. Studies in these fields provide various accounts of leaders and leadership as
a part of their intellectual stock in trade. Without doubt, the motif has recently
become much more explicit in many disciplines and cross-disciplines, and the
study of leadership is increasingly the subject of organized curricular and campus
programs (Goethals, Swenson, and Burns 2004). Further, colleges and universi-
ties often turn to the language of leadership to describe how their educational
programs will prepare students to exercise intellectual and social responsibilities
in the future. Yet, at the same time, many academicians resist the endorsement of

CHAPTERCHAPTER

The Phenomenon of Leadership