Focusing on the future: understanding faculty intent to lead the land grant system

Many outside influences are altering higher education including a decline in resources, changes in student demographics, the impacts of technology, and the shift to an information age. The need for faculty members to become leaders that can handle swift changes to the culture of Colleges of Agriculture within the land-grant system are needed now more than ever. Recognizing the need, colleges and universities have devoted valuable resources to developing future leaders through leadership training. While administrators who see leadership potential often nominate participants of leadership programs, little is known about why individuals choose to volunteer for leadership roles or emerge as leaders. Using the theory of planned behavior, this research explored how attitudes towards leadership training, subjective norms surrounding leadership, and perceived behavioral control over engaging in leadership related to and predicted intent to volunteer for a leadership role. Control, especially over one’s perceived amount of time to develop leadership skills, was the only significant predictor of intent. Recommendations included organizational assistance in the creation of capacity that will allow the faculty member to focus on developing their leadership skills as well as the creation of a support network for the faculty member once they have completed training.