Abstract
Since the existence of mankind, leader and leadership have always been remarkable subjects and still continue to be. Leader is a source of inspiration for believers with the leadership he demonstrates and takes them from where they are and carries beyond their dreams. Thus, there is need for the knowledge of what kind of leadership the leaders that shape the future of mankind have done, have been doing, and will do. Of course, this need leads researchers to study leadership. The phenomenon of leadership, which resembles a huge plane tree whose root is far deeper, owes this depth under its trunk to the sprouts it extends up into the sky. Every sprout may have led the roots to go much deeper. Hence, one of these sprouts is academic leadership. Indeed, the aim of this study is to grow this sprout.
TopIntroduction
In spite of the fact that the concepts of leader and leadership are as old as human history, scientific studies continue to increase especially in the last century. The main reason why there is so much interest in leadership may be the need for the knowledge of what kind of leadership the leaders that shape the future of mankind had done, has been doing, and will do. In general, it can be said that as mankind exists, this will continue as it is. The need for a leader is not just peculiar to people but valid for many living things as well. Especially in the recent years, the fact that the world is becoming an awful place to live in because of the people who are recognized as leaders in the world shows that new positive leaders are much more needed than ever.
When the literature on leadership is examined, it seems that the concept has a wide range of uses in different disciplines. However, despite this wide range of uses, the concept of leadership is not fully agreed on. Perhaps, having such a wide range of uses may have led to having so many different definitions. In fact, the number of views on leadership is as much as the number of people who want to define it. Hence, every person can reveal his point of view on leadership from his own lens. It is necessary to evaluate the definitions of leadership according to the situation and time in its own context, in accordance with the emotional, sociological, physical, cognitive, and biological characteristics of the person who demonstrates leadership behaviors and who makes this definition as well. It is also necessary to examine the personality traits of the person who shows such behaviors. As known, every behavior gains meaning with personality and forms the reflected part of personality. For this reason, while dealing with the definitions on leadership, setting off from this fact will help the definitions on leadership to fall into place.
Together with this, when the researchers get to the core of the definitions on leadership, it appears that they have things in common. First of all, the leader is supposed to lead a group, the group is supposed to accept the leader's leadership, and finally they all need to direct towards the common goal together. In that case, a common goal, a group and a leader of this group are the essential keystones of leadership. If this trivet does not come together, leadership cannot be mentioned. At the core of leadership phenomenon is the leader prompting the group in accordance with the common goal with his behaviors and his personality traits. This form of interaction should be on behalf of the leader, that is to say, the leader should influence the group more than the group influences him, interact with the group, prompt and direct them towards the goal. Otherwise, leadership cannot be mentioned. As a matter of fact, the core of leadership is to influence individual or group behaviors and direct them to goals.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Development: Development is the process through which organizations equip employees with knowledge, attitudes and skills to the extent they can have steady growth.
Leadership: Leadership is a process in which one person influences others to achieve a common goal. The core of leadership is to influence individual or group behaviors and direct them to goals.
Administrator: Administrator is person who manages routine activities and provides instructional leadership at universities, colleges, and schools.
Academic Leadership: Academic leadership is the name given to leadership in an academic setting or organization as a special subdivision of overall leadership. Academic leadership is a leadership that includes such roles as creating vision and mission based on science and research data for the organization, setting up creative ideas, doing and providing teamwork.
Interaction: Interaction is an occasion when two or more people communicate with each other in organizations.
Leader: The person who leads or influences the group. The leader influences the group more than the group influences him, interacts with the group, prompts and directs them towards the goal.
Higher Education: Universities are defined as the higher education institutions in Turkey with scientific autonomy and public legal entity performing high level of education and doing scientific research, consisting of faculties, institutes, schools, departments, art majors, art branches, research and application centers.
Academic Leader: The academic leader is the one who has a broad vision in his field and the power to initiate the necessary change by implementing it.
Quality: Quality is the degree to which the product or service is introduced to meet the needs of the students.