The 21st century leadership components for administrators of universities in Taian City under Shandong Province
Keywords:
21st-century leadership, University administrators, Leadership development, Higher education, Shandong ProvinceAbstract
This study aimed to propose guidelines for developing the 21st-century leadership components for university administrators in Taian City, Shandong Province, China. A qualitative approach was used, including document analysis and a focus group discussion with nine purposively selected administrators from Shandong Agricultural University and Taishan University. Data were analyzed through content analysis and thematic synthesis. The findings identified three major leadership components: leadership skills, leadership styles, and leadership behaviors. Leadership skills included social skills, teamwork, innovation, critical thinking, lifelong learning, strategic thinking, cross-cultural adaptability, self-management, decision-making, and digital competency. Leadership styles included autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, situational, paternalistic, transactional, and transformational leadership. Leadership behaviors included goal setting and tracking, employee motivation, teamwork, decision-making, and problem-solving. In total, 49 development guidelines were proposed to strengthen leadership competencies through collaboration among government agencies, universities, society, and administrators. The guidelines provide a practical framework for enhancing leadership capacity and supporting the modernization and sustainable development of higher education institutions in China.
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