Presidential Leadership: Making a Difference

In his highly respected 1984 book, Power of the Presidency, James L. Fisher skillfully explored the theory and practice of effective college university leadership. Now, James V. Koch joins with Fisher to update and expand this discussion of the effective college presidency in Presidential Leadership: Making a Difference. This new work focuses on the transformational theory of leadership, which advocates appointment of a strong charismatic president to lead and transform the university through the power of his or her own vision for the future. The authors argue that this type of leadership is far more effective than the transactionalist leadership style, which they believe has contributed in recent years to a decline in the quality of higher education. The strong, provocative arguments offered throughout the book are based on both empirical studies and the authors' personal experiences as university presidents. Also examined are the effects of such factors as charisma, public presence, race, and gender upon presidential performance. Chapters on total quality management, presidential spouses, and fund raising are new to this edition, as are 11 appendixes offering sample materials for conducting presidential searches. This book will be important reading for university and college presidents, as well as for those who aspire to these positions. …