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as having vision and, in fact, many leadership postings call for Lee Iacocca’s book titled Where Have All the Leaders Gone?
a person with vision. Whether it is a Fortune 500 company or a recently caught my attention. It intrigued me because I still have
college or university, leaders are expected to see the future and his frst book, his autobiography. Years later he was still concerned
be capable of leading others toward it. In the future, visionary enough about the future of this country to write another book
leadership for higher education may be even more daunting and his latest emphasizes the need for visionary leaders to once
than any of us realize because our organizations must play a again bring needed innovation and creativity to our shores. It can
pivotal role in eradicating complacency and leading the curve be argued that he utilized his creative, visionary leadership style
to train the new trainers. both at Ford Motor Company and later as he reorganized Chrysler
We have heard about the need for visionary change from our Corporation. Iacocca’s words were poignant in 1984 when he
politicians and motivational speakers, but I am convinced that stated: “I learned about the strength you can get from a close
future change will need to be real change, change that takes family life. I learned to keep going, even in bad times. I learned
intestinal fortitude and not just words. Higher education will need not to despair, even when my world was falling apart. I learned
leaders who are creative, willing to take risks, and stay to see the that there are no free lunches. And I learned about the value of
results. We will need change in our world, especially in higher hard work. In the end, you’ve got to be productive. Tat’s what
education, as dramatic as the change during the 1950s and 1960s. made this country great—and that’s what’s going to make us great
Afer World War II we saw returning veterans who were willing to again.” Tat was in 1984, not 2014! Tose words resonate with
take risks to implement their vision by starting new ventures and what we today defne as visionary leadership.
putting their names and savings on the line to start the businesses Stanley J. Spanbauer, a past community college president, said
that are considered mainstream today. Now the United States has in his book Quality First In Education…Why Not?: “Because the
become complacent - and that includes higher education. Tus, problem is cultural, there needs to be a diferent approach. Te
we have a lot of leaders who know how to talk the talk but are attitude to constantly improve quality and productivity must be
not willing or, perhaps, capable of walking the walk. In higher ingrained in the very culture in which educators work. Tose in
education, or any other sector for that matter, our country can command must realize that additional resources can come only
no longer aford to walk slow and talk fast. Rome is burning, as when more is accomplished per educator this year than last. Tis
the saying goes, and we need to be concerned for our future and can be done by applying business and industry models of quality
concerned about the future of a global economy. and productivity at the very core of education.” Tis was written
It is almost inconceivable that in 2014 higher education is still in 1987. Here we are in 2014, and those same words ring true
following some of the same operational styles that were designed today! How much has higher education truly changed in the last
for a much earlier era. You might question that assertion, but twenty-fve years, or even in the last forty-fve years?
think about it. Higher education, for the most part, still operates Tese examples point out the need for future visionary leaders to
on an agrarian calendar, a calendar that was developed so that understand productivity, quality business procedures, and, most
farm kids could help on the farm! Why should our colleges not importantly, their customers. Too many times leaders want to be
operate year round, or, more importantly, how can we aford not visionary by saying words that were spoken decades before, words
to operate them year round? You can go from there to fnancing that may inspire us. But words alone will not create the new
structures, to speed to market of new curriculum, to the world we need. As a result, visionary leaders for education in the
Carnegie Unit and seat-time learning, to necessary operational future will need to be diferent from even the best we know today.
changes, to the integration of technology, and on to our business Te institutions that will educate and lead our grandchildren
practices. All of these issues need work today and certainly they will need to cultivate new strategies, visions, ideas, and even
will be more pressing for the leaders of tomorrow. operational procedures in order to challenge them and cause
I co-host a blog talk radio show (www.blogtalkradio.com/ them to become the change agents we desire and need.
visionary4he) where visionary leaders from around the country Catalyzing the Future of Higher Education
are interviewed each month, discussing what they see in their While the successful visionary leader of the future may not be
crystal ball. To their credit, they are aware of what needs to be totally defned yet, we do get glimpses of the future by observing
done today, and most are implementing some of their visions. some of today’s visionaries. Whether it is old challenges with
All, however, are quick to underscore the point that we have a new faces or new trends, I am becoming more and more
long way to go.

“We have heard about the need for visionary change from our politicians and
motivational speakers, but I am convinced that future change will need to be real

change, change that takes intestinal fortitude and not just words. Higher education
will need leaders who are creative, willing to take risks, and stay to see the results.”

14 LEADERSHIP Vol. 20.2 Fall 2014

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