Chapter 14: Success and Flourishing of Academic Leaders in Higher Education Settings

Research shows that most faculty do not receive training before being promoted into administrative and leadership roles. This lack of training and awareness of what their new role entails can lead to feelings of anxiety and reduced confidence, which can also negatively affect their wellbeing. The chapter details findings from a case study in one Canadian university setting regarding the factors and practices that contribute to success and flourishing of academic leaders in the higher education (HE) contexts. Data analysis demonstrated that having positive perceptions of the academic leadership role and experiencing mentorship and positive role modeling were crucial factors to the effectiveness of leadership development and a sense of academic leaders’ flourishing in their work. Upon describing the pertinent literature on academic leadership development, the authors detail the case study methodology, discuss the findings, and offer implications for further research.