Last year my focus was on web governance. This year my attention has turned to the related topic of web leadership. There is a high correlation between the success of an organization’s web efforts and the leadership skills of the person responsible for directing their web operations.  Having great web skills and expertise is no longer enough. Having great management skills is no longer enough. To fully leverage the web, excellent leadership skills are now required.

I am excited about the inaugural HighEdWed Leadership Academy that will run in conjunction with the 2012 HighEdWeb Annual Conference in Milwaukee, WI in October. The goal of this Academy is to develop Web leaders within higher education with an intensive program that offers interactive learning experiences in a small group setting. What differentiates this Leadership Academy from other organizations with leadership programs is a specific focus on the job of a Web director/manager that touches all facets of the job.  This Academy will offer a holistic view of what goes into being a college Web leader. Participants in this academy will learn:

  • What is leadership, the importance of leadership for Web professionals, and how to develop leadership skills.
  • How to communicate effectively with campus administrators and stakeholders.
  • How to articulate the value of the Web to obtain the appropriate staff and resources.
  • An understanding of higher education organization and administration, and the implications for the Web.
  • Resource management, project prioritization, and budget.
  • How to manage people, including the ideal composition of a Web team, hiring practices, evaluating performance, conflict resolution and mediation.
  • How to implement a Web governance structure including a Web governance framework, a comprehensive Web strategy, development of policies and standards, and development of an effective evaluation process.

Registration for the leadership academy is now open.  For more information about the Leadership Academy including a link to register, please visit leadership.highedweb.org.  Be advised that there are only 24 seats available and registration is brisk.  My advice is don’t wait if you are interested in this program. If you have any questions e-mail them to leadership@highedweb.org or contact me directly.  The hashtag for the Leadership Academy and highedweb leadership issues in general is #heweblead.

On a related note, next week I will be traveling to Philadelphia for my 4th J. Boye Conference. As long-time readers know, this is one of my favorite conferences of the year.  It combines the best of large conferences (top-notch speakers and experts) with the best of small conferences (networking and personal interaction). There is a great Higher Education Track and a number of excellent higher ed presenters including Paul Dempsey, Michael Fienen, Bob Johnson, Karine Joly, Deborah Maue, Brian Niles, and Dave Olsen.

I will be giving two talks, one of  which is  the “Seven Habits of Highly Effective Leaders”.  In this presentation I will use the theories developed by Stephen Covey in his numerous books as a framework to understand the role leadership plays in developing web strategy, managing web operations, and aligning the web into the fabric of the organization. I’m looking forward to a lively discussion about the role leadership plays in determining the success of the web team.  I hope to see you there.