This is the introduction to the training programme for new heads of department at a research-intensive university. It explores the role, attributes and challenges of being a university head of department.

1. Becoming, being and surviving being
a Head of Department
Training for New HODs, Division Heads,
Associate Deans
Professor Nigel Healey
Interim Provost
25 August 2021

2. 25/08/21
Overview
• 1 September 1996
• What is a HOD for?
• Why become a HOD?
• Styles of HOD-ship
• Basic principles of being a HOD (regardless
of style)
• The levers at your disposal
• What will be your biggest challenges as
HOD?
• How will you know if you are any good as
HOD?
• How can you survive a return to the ranks?

3. 1 September 1996
25/08/21

4. What is a HOD for?
• Socialist Republic of West
Yorkshire
• Ensuring Department
maximises T. R and S
• Ensuring Department meets
revenue targets
• Recruiting, developing and
retaining (maybe?) staff
• Fulfilling statutory obligations
• Ensuring equity and inclusivity
25/08/21

5. Why become a HOD?
13/04/21
Career advancement
– promotion (if fixed-
term) or progression
(if career
appointment)
Personal power
and
aggrandisement
Empire-build
Promote/lead
organisational
change and
development
Mentor and develop
staff
Advance student
interests
Note: motives are not
mutually exclusive

6. Styles of
HOD-ship
• Leading from the front
• Empowering others to lead
• Counting beans
• Bullying, ruling by dividing
• Dithering indecision and insecurity
• Missing in action
• Note: styles change over time

7. Basic principles
of being a HOD
(regardless of your
preferred style of HOD-
ship)
• Authenticity
• Integrity
• Equity
• Empathy and
compassion
• Consistency (but
open to change)
• Humbleness
25/08/21

8. The levers at your disposal
• Authority
• Vision and charisma
• Professional development and review
• Staff workload allocation
• Departmental budget
• Mentor(s)
• Support services – HR, Finance, etc
• Internal networks (eg, HODs’ group)
• External networks (eg, professional
associations)
25/08/21
Sense of humour

9. What will be your biggest challenges as a
HOD?
25/08/21

10. How will you
know if you are
any good as
HOD?
• The Department:
• improves its T, R and S
• is proud – as a Department – that it
has improved its T, R and S
• plays as a team (LCFC 2015/16)
• celebrates individual and group
success
• is a Department in which staff want
to work and students want to study
25/08/21

11. How can you survive a
return to the ranks?
• Remember the basic principles of being a HOD:
• Authenticity
• Integrity
• Equity
• Empathy and compassion
• Consistency (but open to change)
• Humbleness
• Leave the Department better than you found it
• Take a research sabbatical…or just take a low
profile (no-one is less popular than yesterday’s
boss)
25/08/21