Presidential Leadership: Making a Difference

Fisher and Koch have written an interesting book on the college and university presidency. Essentially, they have taken the time honored precepts of Machiavelli's The Prince and updated it to pertain to the modern college presidency. Their observations are a must read for any prospective college president as well as an interesting read for anyone who aspires to lead any organization.With that said, there are two concerns that any reader should have about their research. First, while it is true that to be a good leader you must desire power and nuture the power; there is a world of difference between an enlightened dictator and a despot. Fisher and Koch do not make any distinction. Second, their research upon which they base their thoughts has a single perspective flaw. They surveyed higher education leaders, particularly presidents, as to who were the most effective presidents. Then they surveyed these "effective" presidents.There is no assurance that those presidents who win the public relations battle are necessarily the best presidents. Similarly, by only interviewing presidents, they present a skewed picture that relies upon the veracity and ability of the individual to see themselves as who they truly are. Few humans are actually able to see themselves for who they are. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the presidents interviewed all thought that they should have more power.Overall, this is an excellent work that will one day be considered a classic in the field. It is a colorful read that is well written and supplied with appropriate anecdotes. However, the good scholar should balance out his or her reading with other viewpoints.

J. Fisher and J. Koch tell us, instruct us in almost every field and aspect of the presidency of the colleges and universities. I am from Tbilisi, Georgia and the issues are related to every institution. Thanks are due to the authors.