Of the many topics that exist related to organizational leadership, the ones that will be further discussed in this post will address leadership approaches and theories being applied in higher education settings. The first possible dissertation research topic related to organizational leadership is: Ethical implications of leader-member exchange theory among higher education Student Affairs professionals: Setting the example for the students they lead. This dissertation topic would further analyze the ethical factors that have the potential to adversely impact the scholars that student affairs professional’s lead. According to Power (2013), “what is needed is a shift away from a preoccupation with the characteristics of effective leaders, and a focus on the behaviors of those leaders that will inspire others to follow them towards the transformation of higher education” (p. 278). Students look to their mentors and leaders for guidance and support. They observe the way student affairs professionals address and resolve issues and use it as a baseline to develop their own leadership styles.
The second possible dissertation research topic is: the use Transformational Leadership in the training and development of New Admissions Counselors: Sealing the deal in recruitment. New admissions counselors possess the potential to be successful in their roles. With the right type of leadership, support and guidance, they are able to establish a solid foundation for effectively recruiting and enrolling the right fit student. Further exploration of the effectiveness of transformational leadership and its impact on Admissions Counselors and their ability to become proficient in their roles will be conducted.
The third possible dissertation research topic is: Style vs. Situational Approaches to Leadership: Which approach is most effective in preparing faculty to support the needs of students on their journey to graduation? Retention is very important for institutions of higher education to monitor. Faculty members in many settings dually serve as advisors and professors. Serving in these capacities provide them with more interactions with students, thus affording them the opportunity to effectively support them based upon their individualized needs. Each semester students encounter issues that that have the potential to interfere with their educational endeavors.
According to Myers, Mixer, Wyatt, Paulus, & Lee (2011) “situational leadership theories extend the historical understanding of leadership by considering how situations impact leadership effectiveness and looking at what type of leadership is needed in different situations” (p. 2). Without the proper support, students who experience challenges are faced with possibly having to withdraw if they are not able to navigate through them. Faculty, with the use of leadership approaches are able to problem-solve with the student and explore solutions that do not require them to have to leave school.
References
Myers, C.R., Mixer, S.J., Wyatt, T.H., Paulus, T.M., & Lee, D. S. (2011). Making the move to blended
learning: Reflections on faculty development program. International Journal of Nursing
Education Scholarship, 8(1), 1-17. doi:10.2202/1548-923X.2243
Power, R. L. (2013). Leader-member exchange theory in higher education and distance education.
International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning. 14(4), 277-284.