A Guide for Leaders in Higher Education: Core Concepts, Competencies, and Tools by B. D. Ruben, R. de Lisi and R. A Gigliotti (review)

A Guide for Leaders of Higher Education: Core Concepts, Competencies, and Tools by Brent D. Ruben, Richard De Lisi, and Ralph A. Gigliotti is both a conceptual piece on the state of higher education and a practical guide for higher education leaders. The premise of the book describes higher education as an ever-changing sector that leaders must navigate. Issues at the forefront of the book are affordability and declining funding, access and diverse student populations, accountability and performance measures, and alignment and college readiness. “It is extremely important for those working in higher education to view these sector-wide issues as highly personal and relevant to their everyday work” (p.6). This text provides rich examples and tangible strategies that higher education leaders can follow to be more effective and successful in their roles.

Far too often, the complexities, gaps, and changing nature of higher education overshadow those doing the work. It is important for leaders to understand themselves, the context in which they lead, and how to lead more effectively for progress and change. This book encompasses two perspectives typically addressed separately, general leadership and the intricacies of and practices in higher education. As an easily digestible read, this book can be used for current leaders in higher education, aspiring leaders in the field, and graduate students in higher education programs. There are many examples and ways to actively engage with the material through questions and activities, as it is both an informational and workbook style text.

Each chapter begins with guiding questions that give a preview of the chapter’s content and can also be used as a reflection supplement as leaders are reading. The authors present realistic and tangible perspectives of the topics discussed (e.g., managing your reputation in the crisis leadership or measuring organizational excellence, which are modeled after accreditation standards). Within the chapters, the authors also offer recommendations for action when addressing issues discussed.

Context setting begins in the foreword by Doug Lederman, as he conducts an analysis of higher education identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Grounding leadership in higher education as a sector, Ruben et al. present critical information for the field of higher education. Beginning the book with higher education context and the addition of the analysis allows for the reader to understand the chapters that proceed with the necessary lens of higher education to better conceptualize leadership in these terms.

Part One: Leadership in Higher Education: A Critical Need in a Complex and Challenging Landscape sets a strong foundation for understanding the context of higher education as chapters in this section were written with the nuances of higher education in mind. “Higher education engages numerous internal and external stakeholders; has nonsingular, complex, and sometimes contradictory missions; and employs an academic work-force that enjoys a unique status in organizational governance…[The] aim of this book is to focus on concepts, competencies, and tools that allow leaders to blend and benefit from these tensions” (p. 4). Chapters in Part One cover topics of leadership in higher education, the higher education landscape--which discusses the scrutiny higher education is currently under with rising costs, changing demographics, and a call for better completion rates, the mission of higher education institutions, and the many stakeholders of higher education. This section of the book grounds leadership in the context of higher education and sets the foundation for future chapters to be read through that lens.

Part Two of the book, Leadership Concepts and Competencies discusses knowledge and skills leaders need in higher education such as, understanding campus cultures, different approaches to leadership, leadership roles, communication as a necessary skill, and how to measure leadership. Part Two expands on defining leadership, how it can be measured through competencies, and highlights the unique opportunity members of the campus community to...