What does leadership look like in an academic environment built around autonomy, collaboration, and shared responsibility?
In Part 1 of Episode 7, I sit down with Dr. Michael Bender – Associate Professor at Tilburg University – to explore leadership within the context of higher education in the Netherlands – and the concept of “connected leadership” at Tilburg University.
Rather than relying on highly hierarchical structures, this approach emphasizes solving problems at the level where they emerge, while giving employees the ownership, autonomy, and support needed to navigate challenges effectively.
We discuss what this looks like in practice – from handling relational and task-related issues, to supporting students with different needs, to navigating the complexities of organizational leadership within academia.
The conversation also explores several major challenges universities have faced in recent years, including COVID-19, the emergence of large language models, and the political climate surrounding internationalization in the Netherlands.
Throughout these challenges, one theme consistently emerged:
The importance of transparency.
Not only in communicating decisions, but also in openly acknowledging uncertainty and limitations when clear answers are not yet available.
Because leadership is not only about direction.
It is also about creating trust, clarity, and stability during periods of change and uncertainty.
If you’re interested in leadership effectiveness, organizational culture, and how leadership operates within academic institutions, this conversation is for you.
