| The college president has been challenged by dramatic societal changes over the last thirty years. An abundance of leadership models have not illustrated how contemporary college presidents perceive their cognitive functions aid their work. This qualitative study interviewed eight college presidents from Colleges That Change Lives (Pope, 2006) to examine how they perceived their disciplined, synthesizing, creating, respectful, and ethical minds aided their good work on campus (Gardner et al., 2001; Gardner, 2006).; This study examined areas of convergence and synergy regarding the five cognitive minds. Analysis of 17 findings yielded that a majority of college presidents perceived their disciplined mind provided them with appropriate scholarly preparation to propel them through the academic ranks to the presidency; that their synthesizing mind helped them convey institutional meaning and cultivate team trust through grasping multiple perspectives, and that their creating mind helped them value creativity in others. It was also found that their respectful mind helped them espouse a culture of integrity and empowerment, and that their ethical mind helped them set up a climate of good will, based upon what they learned from mentors. A strong work ethic was founded on early family influences.; Four conclusions generated from the findings illustrated how cognitive capabilities aided college presidents in fostering an institutional culture of respect, assisted them in early learning and skill development, helped in their embodying the mission of the institution, and in facilitating others to do good work. Conclusions echoed cognitive research and suggested that positive human potentials should work synergistically for leadership to create a "common cause with our fellow human beings" (Gardner, 2006, p. 167). It is hoped that these findings and recommendations are applicable to a larger population and will serve to close a gap in the literature. |
