The Imperative of Transformative Academic Leadership at Higher Learning Institutions in Kenya

Several institutions of higher learning in Kenya, i.e., institutes, colleges and universities are facing/have faced challenges regarding leadership and management. Some of these institutions have had crises at one moment or another due to leadership which lacks vision, administrative and managerial skills. The author of this article has worked in collaboration with a few universities in Kenya and has also seen the distress highlighted by the media. Some of these institutions simply lack effective leadership and management personnel. Among the common problems found in these institutions include very rapid staff turnover, discontentment by various staff members, incompetence and mediocracy in the top management within these institutions, lack of vision for the institutions, ignorance about management, etc. This article emerges from different trainings and workshops attended by the author, as well as readings from different authors and leadership experts. The author therefore proposes the transformative leadership model to the institutions which is more involving and vision inspiring so that they may achieve institutional goals and managerial excellence.