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convinced that current leadership trends will not work with tomorrow’s global society. Tomorrow’s global society certainly
future generations. If we agree that education has to be at the will not be our “fathers’ Oldsmobile”, as the saying goes, and
forefront of what is happening in our world to add value, then it neither will our successful visionary leaders. Tey will be the
will be important to change the programs that are producing the individuals like the religious leader who attracts all age groups
education leaders of the future. with unorthodox services but still maintains every element of
I have been researching this hypothesis for a follow-up book to the traditional service in some way. Tey will be the educational
the one I wrote titled Visionary Leadership, A Proven Pathway leader who understands how to leverage public-private
to Visionary Change, and it seems the future will require partnerships to grow and make their institution thrive in spite of
radically new and diferent leadership to create quality higher declining public resources. Tey will be the entrepreneur who is
education institutions equipped to produce graduates to lead our able to identify critical needs in our current world, and by taking
world. Trough this research, I am impressed by avant-garde risks, implement real world solutions for those needs.
leaders in various sectors who are aware of needed leadership In the future, we will be looking to exploit the seemingly innate
changes and are already working to make them happen. Te capability that these leaders seem to have which allows them to
goals of leadership in the future may mimic those of today’s anticipate the future and lead others in that direction before the
world, but certainly the leadership skills needed to teach and path can be clearly seen. Tese are the individuals who will help
implement those goals will be signifcantly diferent. Tere are us to see the world in a diferent way or light. Down through the
those visionaries who are already ahead of curve because they years our world has been infuenced by these unique visionary
understand the changes needed and are using them to attract leaders. Individuals like Edwards Deming, Franklin Roosevelt,
and lead today’s youth. I see them as standing out because they Ronald Regan, John Kennedy, Steven Spielberg, Lee Iacocca, and
are the risk takers who seem almost unorthodox in our current renowned leaders in many professions seemed to enjoy an insight
environment, and that allows them to be the innovators or into what was necessary for us to succeed in the future and, most
visionaries that we see today. importantly, were able to convince others that they were right!
We see religious organizations in a state of decline, but at the Tese individuals were visionary leaders in their time, and even
same time there are those that are thriving and attracting the today they are recognized as such.
ever elusive younger generation in unprecedented numbers, and In the fnal analysis, the future of higher education will be
it is usually the result of a visionary leader who understands dependent on leaders who understand the attributes of the
these future customers. Similarly, entrepreneurship seems to be successful business person, the entrepreneur, the successful
thriving in an environment that is many times disgruntled with marketer, the fnancial wizard, the technology guru, and the
the corporate world. Tese new companies are driven by these partnership-networking expert. Tey will need to be a composite
same types of visionary individuals who lead, many times, in of the religious leader, the entrepreneur, and the successful
what the mainstream considers to be unusual ways. Tere are higher education administrator that I discussed, and through
institutions of higher education that are thriving in terms of those new found and defned leadership skills they must be
student population and fnance while others are struggling just capable of understanding and attracting the next generation of
to keep afoat. Te leaders of these institutions are moving the students and faculty. Tey will need to convince them that our
world toward new forefronts and ideas through partnerships world is a great place to live, work, and do business, and that they
and entrepreneurial attitudes. Studying the tactics and styles of can help to make it even better through higher education.
these emerging leaders who are successful is key because their References
type will lead us into the next decades and beyond, and they will
defne visionary leadership for the future. Iacocca, L. A. (1984). In W. Novak (Ed.), Iacocca:
An Autobiography. New York, NY: Bantam Books.
So, back to the question of the visionary leaders that will catalyze
the higher education institutions of the future. Tey will have a Iacocca, L. A., & Whitney, C. (2008). Where Have All Te
thorough understanding of the sound leadership principles of Leaders Gone? New York, NY: Scribner.
today, but they will be individuals who are willing and capable Spanbauer, S. J. (1987). Quality First In Education: Why Not?
of attracting the attention of the multifaceted population of Appleton, WI: Fox Valley Technical College Foundation.

Bill Ihlenfeldt is President Emeritus of Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Bill spent forty–
two years in higher education leadership, working to change the face of the nation’s community college. During his
tenure he challenged higher education to operate utilizing a data-rich model designed to increase productivity and
innovation and at the same time reduce costs. Utilizing those concepts in his leadership role, he led many innovative
changes at the college. Tose changes included incorporating simulation into healthcare education, a working on-
campus clinic in partnership with a medical and a dental college, one of the nation’s frst nanotechnology programs,
and a nanotechnology innovation center.
Ihlenfeldt modeled concepts like speed-to-market, risk, measurement-based outcomes, and algorithm-based modeling
as a way of life during his career. Tese techniques, more common in the business world, were integrated into higher
education resulting in a college that has received local, state, and national recognition as a visionary college that has
propelled the surrounding region and higher education into the 21st century.
Bill is also the author of Visionary Leadership, A Proven Pathway To Visionary Change and co-hosts
an internet talk radio show that interviews visionary educational leaders from around the country
(www.blogtalkradio.com/visionary4he).

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