Learning leadership in higher education: Communicative implications for graduate education

The training and development of aspiring and future leaders in higher education remains a critical challenge for graduate programs across the country. One example of an "early intervention" program that seeks to bridge communication and leadership competencies is the PreDoctoral Leadership Development Academy, or PLDA - the focal case for this research article. This program was created for individuals from across disciplines with potential interest in leadership in higher education. Through the use of semi-structured interviews with former students of the program, this article highlights several communication-oriented teaching-learning strategies that can help to prepare doctoral students for formal and informal leadership opportunities in higher education. Overall, students viewed their involvement in PLDA as a process through which they could better understand the dynamics of leadership in higher education. Additional themes to emerge from the analysis included a deeper awareness of and appreciation for communication, a more nuanced understanding of the challenges facing institutions of higher education and the competencies and capabilities needed to lead these institutions, and the ability to learn about leadership and communication through interactive group exercises and mentorship offered within the program. The article concludes with recommendations for graduate program faculty and administrators based on a summary of the relevant findings from this exploratory project.