Leadership in academia: Key leadership behaviours and roles of formal and peer leaders

Abstract

The university setting presents unique leadership challenges and opportunities that existing organisational theories often overlook. This research explored effective academic leadership across different university team types, including board, research, administrative, and technical staff teams. Acknowledging that leadership extends beyond formal leaders, the study examined key leadership behaviours of both formal and peer leaders. Using a mixed-methods approach, Study 1 involved qualitative interviews with 36 employees from various university levels. Thematic analysis identified 52 leadership behaviours for formal leaders and 40 for peer leaders. In Study 2, three focus groups – each with three HR professionals – clustered these behaviours into 16 leadership roles for formal leaders and 14 for peer leaders. The variety and context-specific nature of these roles highlight the need for a tailored leadership model in academia. By identifying both formal and peer leadership roles, this research provides a foundation for developing shared leadership structures within academic teams. Moreover, the findings demonstrate the broader applicability of this classification across different team types. Ultimately, this work offers a foundation for academic teams to reflect on and discuss diverse leadership practices, inspiring both academic leaders and team members to engage in leadership more consciously and collaboratively.