RunningHead:LEADERSHIPANDMANAGEMENTINDISTANCEEDUCATION

LeadershipandManagementinDistanceEducation:
AnInterviewwithDr.JohnEbersole

StephanieBarbee
JackBoeve
KayVenteicherShulman
UniversityofMarylandUniversityCollege
DEPM604
13July2015

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LeadershipandManagementinDistanceEducation:
AnInterviewwithDr.JohnEbersole
Distanceeducationisafastevolvingenterprisethatdemandsleadersandmanagerswith
specificskillsetsseparatefromtheleadersandmanagersinothertypesoforganizations.The
concernsandissuesinvolvingdistanceeducation,asitrelatestoleadershipandmanagement,are
vastandmultifaceted.AccordingtoBeaudoin(2003),theleadershiproleforthoseindistance
educationhaschangedsubstantially,especiallyastechnologyassistedinstructionhas
proliferatedandchangedthewayteachersandstudentsinteract,aswellasthemannerinwhich
educationalentitiesmustnowdobusinessandmeetthedemandsofadigitizedsociety.Inan
interviewconductedbyBarbee,Boeve,andVenteicher,Dr.JohnEbersoleprovidesinsight
relatingtoissuesleadersareconfrontingintherealmofdistanceeducation.Overall,thispaper
extractsinformationfromEbersoles(2015)interviewandemphasizesthechallenges,
organizationalissues,leadershipstyles,changeimplementation,andorganizationalsurvival
managementprofessionalsfaceinthefieldofdistanceeducation.
AnalysisoftheInterview
CurrentChallengestoDistanceEducationOrganizationsandtheProfession
Distanceeducationorganizationsfaceahostofdynamicchallenges.Theirleadersmust
bealerttotrendsanddevelopments,knowledgeableandskilledtoanalyzeorganizational
positionandenvironment,andagiletoadaptandacttoadvancetheirorganizationsmissionsand
interestsamidrapid,constantchange.Ebersole(2015)highlightsthreesignificantchallenges:
1)thepaceofchangeandquestioningoffundamentalassumptionsaboutthenatureandvalueof
educationandcredentials2)diversifyingrevenuemodels,strategicresourceallocation,andcost

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containmentand3)changingexpectationsofmultipleconstituencieswithinaheightened
regulatoryenvironment.Leadersmustresponsiblyaddressthesechallengeswithinspecific
institutionalcontexts,which,statesEbersole(2015),dependon:institutionalstatus(i.e.,
forprofit/nonprofit,public/private)thecommunityseconomicprofileandscopeof
institutionalgeographicidentitywithrespecttoreputationandpopulationsserved.
Toleadchangeinachallenging,competitivearena,Ebersole(2015)pinpointsthree
currentareasforinstitutionalstrategicresearchandinnovation.First,aninstitutionmust
establishitsdisciplinaryfocusforprogramsExcelsiorsfocusincludestheburgeoningfieldof
cybersecurityandthenicheofsophisticatedgamingandsimulationstopermitdemonstrationof
abilitiesinreallifesettings.Second,Ebersole(2015)tiesdemonstrationofcompetencies(or
mastery)toimprovedinstrumentsandsimulationsforassessmentthatmeasurepractical
applicationofknowledge.Third,institutionsneedtoadoptskills,procedures,andtechnologies
forcollecting,analyzing,andactinguponvastquantitiesofdatarelatedtodelivery,learning,and
outcomes(Ebersole,2015).
OrlikowskiandHofmans(1997)improvisationalmodelforchangemanagementfeatures
threetypesofchangeforwhichorganizationsmustprepare:anticipated(i.e.,plannedand
intended)emergent(notplannedorintended)andopportunitybased(i.e.,notanticipatedbut
purposefulandintentionalinresponsetounexpectedcircumstances).Kanter(2008)namesthree
forcesfororganizationalchange:globalization,informationtechnology,andindustry
consolidation(p.257).Thefirsttwoapplytodistanceeducationasinstitutionsadaptnew
technologiesandexpandtheirreachgeographicallytocompetitivenewmarkets.Educational

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providerswillincrease,andwhilenotconsolidating,theyalsomayfindopportunitiesfor
partnerships,jointventures,andstrategicalliancestoadvancetheirmissions(p.257).

VisionforExcelsiorCollegeandtheDistanceEducationProfession
Ebersoles(2015)visionforExcelsioristobeanationalandinternationalinstitution
servingadults(i.e.,posttraditionalstudents)throughinnovativeformatsanddelivery
methodologiesviatechnology.HefurtherenvisionsExcelsiorofferingcomprehensive,
competitivetraininganddevelopmentprogramstothepublicandgovernmentsectorsin
highdemandareas,suchasnursing,publicservice,gamingandsimulations,andentrepreneurial
businessincubators.Moregenerally,Ebersole(2015)viewsdistanceeducationasabsolutely
essentialforprovidingaccesstoqualitydegreecompletionandtraininganddevelopment
programsforposttraditionalstudents,manywhomightotherwiselackopportunities.Offerings
shouldengageandsupportlearnersanddifferentiatethemselvesthroughexcellentinstructional
design.Additionally,distanceeducationinstitutionsmightassisttraditionalinstitutionsto
transitiontoonlinedeliveryandservices.
TheenvironmentEbersole(2015)envisionsrequiresskilledchangeleaders.Pertinent
skillsKanter(2008)identifiesinclude:developingenvironmentalsensitivityquestioning
conventionalorganizationalwisdomcommunicatingcompellingvisionsdevelopingcoalitions
developingteamownershipandrecognizingindividualswhocreatechange.BassandRiggio
(2006)callforauthentictransformationalleaderstoguideinstitutionsonnewpathsandmotivate
peopletoachievegrandoutcomeswhiledevelopingleadershipskills(cf.Yukl,2013).Conger
(2010)andYukl(2013)indicatetheseleadersshouldbecharismatic,assessingsituations

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criticallyandcomprehensively,formulatingvisionsandgoals,anddemonstratingtrustworthiness
andexpertise.Institutionsneedvisionaryleadershipteamscharacterizedbyinspiration,
imagination,foresight,insight,andsagacitythatprovidestrategicmanagementthroughdiverse
processesaccordingtoshiftingcontexts(Westley&Mintzberg,1989).
LeadersPerceivedManagementorLeadershipStyle
HavingcomefromadistinguishedmilitarycareerintheU.S.CoastGuard,Ebersole(2015)

foundthatthetransitionfromanauthoritativestyletothatrequiredintheacademicenvironmentrequired

arelookevenleaningtowardastyleof

Peoplehadan

participatoryleadershipandmanagement.

opportunitytofeelliketheyhadbeenheardparticipation.Thatsmypreferredstyle.Icantalways

doit.Astheysay,ifamanisoverboard,wearenotgoingtogeteverybodytogetherandtakeavote

(Ebersole,2015).

WhileKanter(1979)explainsthevirtuesassociatedwithparticipatoryleadershipand
management,considerationshouldbegiventopowersharing.HowdoesthatfitintheDE
environment?ParticipatoryleadershipandmanagementworkwellintheDEenvironment
accordingtoEbersole(2015).Hisproclivityfordecisivenessandselfprofessedbiasforaction
(2015),Ebersoleadmitshasraisedtheoccasionaleyebrow.Communicationsisakeyfactor
whenputtingparticipatoryleadershipandmanagementintoplace.Whilenotapanacea,
participatoryleadershipandmanagementintherightenvironmentcancreateaneffective

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leadershipthathaspowerorthefeelingofpower.Thisoftenisfollowedbyagreaterdegreeof
flexibilityandfreedomwhereindividualscanwork.Additionalemphasisisplacedon
professionaldevelopmentofthosesupportingtheleaderandashiftinfocusfromproceduresto
results(p.223).
Havingengagedintheparticipativeleadership,Ebersole(2015)embracesBlanchards
situationalleadership.Sims,Farah,andYun(2008)statethatsituationalleadershipoffersan
intuitiveappealtotheindividualtoderiveageneralstrategyofhowaleadercanbestdevelophis
orherownpersonaltheoryofleadershipwhichbestworksforuniquecircumstances.Atthecore
ofthestrategicapproachistheabilitytodefinegoalsforaspecificsituationwhilematchingthe
leadershipstyletothesituationandconditions(pp.149150).
StrategyforImplementingOrganizationalChange
OneofthehardestthingsthatEbersole(2015)hasfoundwhendealingwithchangeinthe
DEenvironmenthasbeenacceptanceofDEbythosenotassociatedwithDE.Theoffhand
commentsregardingthecommitmentofdedicatinghislifeinthepursuitofasecondclass
learningenvironmentthatprovidesnorealvaluetotheacademiccommunitythiswashis
reasontopersevere.Nowheisbeginningtoseewhathefeelsisarolereversal.Hehasseenthe
growingsupportservices,theanalyticsthatbringgreatervalue.Hecontinuestopromotethe
assessmenttestingthatmeasurethesuccessinlearningoutcomesintheDEenvironment.
Ebersole(2015)explainsthatitisjustfindingtherightencouragementtofollowchange.
Thereneededtobeabenefittothem.Theycouldseehowthestudentcouldbenefitthey
couldseehowtheinstitutioncouldbenefit.WhattheycouldntseewashowdoI
benefit,thefaculty.Sowehadtoreallyworktobuildincentivesinthatsaid,youknow,
youareabsolutelyessentialtothesuccessofthiseffort,andweregoingtointeractwith
youasifwereallymeanthat.Sonotonlydidweprovidecompensation,butwealso

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gavetheirdepartmentsthecreditaccumulationthatwentwiththat.theywereableto
compensatetheirfacultyaccordingly.Wellfacultydidnthaveaproblemwiththat.
Ebersolepreferstoencourageandmotivateothersbyshowingthemthebenefitassociatedwith
thechange.Herzberg(1987)statesthatmotivatingfactorsprovidepositiveKITA.Thesecanbe
seeninEbersolesexamplewiththefacultyreceivingachievementandrecognition,whichwas
achievedthroughadditionalresponsibility,work,andgrowthand/oradvancement(p.113).
Whilepastpracticewasoneinitiativeatatimebeforestartingthenext,theDE
environmentnowrequiresprojectmanagementskillstobepartoftheDEproviderskillstoolkit.
Ebersolepromotestheconcurrentinitiativeswiththiscomesasenseofmovingforwardwhich
createsasenseofwantingtobeapartofit.Thisrequirescommunications,accurateinformation,
andbeingproactivewithinformingeveryoneoftheprioritiesandendgoaltoensureeveryoneis
onboard.Stanley(2012)addsthatmanagementisamultidisciplinedprofessionandthatnotwo
workdaysarethesame.Changesareconstantinpersonnelandresourcesaddingtothe
complexitywithintheorganization.WithDEparticipatingintheglobalmarketplace,the
managermustmaximizeorganizationalresources,andunderstandboththeemployeesandwhat
motivatesthem(p.21).Thiscreatestheadditionaldimensionstothemanagerresponsibilities.
StrategyforOrganizationalSurvivalinaDynamicEnvironment
GiventheconstantchangewithintheDEenvironment,Ebersole(2015)stressesthatthere
shouldbeoneconstantmovingforwardandthatisquality.Hefeelsthat:
Ifwedontpayattentiontoquality,wewillberesponsibleforourowndemiseOneof
thethingsthatIvesaidandIllbeabitofaprovocateurherebutdoyouknowofany
otherprofessionwherethemanufacturergetstodeterminesolelythemselvesasto
whethertheendproductisanygoodornot.Yet,thatisexactlywhatwedo(Ebersole,
2015).

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Leadershipshouldstrivetocontinuouslygaininimprovementofemployeesandthe
organizationalworkings.Deming(2007)addsthatqualityimprovementswhichwilladdto
increaseoutput,andsimultaneouslytobringprideofworkmanshiptopeople(p.5).Less
effortisexpendedwithemployeesachievinganimprovedjobperformancelevel.Sowhenan
organizationhasagoodproduct,astaffthatcaresforthestudentsandtheirwork,andyouadda
goodmarketingandrecruitment,youhavethebestprogramintheworld,right?Notanymore.
Ebersole(2015)remindsusthatweveallbeeninthatpositionoftheadultlearner.Thecurrent
adultlearnerhasneedsandthoseneedscenterontime.Distancewasyesteryearsproblem
withintheDEenvironment.EbersolepromptsusthatWeareusingtechnologytomovetime
aroundButIreallyfeellikewevegottomapouttheprocessandbeconcernedabout
standards,highstandardswewantrigorintheprogram.Wewantqualityintheprogram,and
wehavetolookatitfromstarttofinish.Ebersoleadvocatesforaqualityprogramfromstartto
finish,whichrequiresathoroughprocessbeinplace.Deming(2007)recommendscontinuous
improvementinqualityandproductivitytoensurethatcostcontinuestodecreaseprovidingfora
greaterlevelofsuccessforanorganization(p.4).
AdvicetoAspiringProfessionalsintheDECommunity
Inorderforfutureleadersindistanceeducationtoprepareforleadershipand
managementpositionsEbersole(2015)offersadvicethatemphasizestheimportanceofbeing
abletodifferentiatebetweenmanagementandleadership,asleadershipisuniquelyaboutthe
humanexperienceandmanagementismoreaboutdealingwithallkindsofresources.Kotter
(2012)agreesandstatesthatthetwentyfirstcenturyemployeewillneedtoknowmoreabout

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bothleadershipandmanagementthandidhisorhertwentiethcenturycounterpart(p.183).
Interestingly,leadershipindistanceeducationisquitedifferentfromtraditionaleducation
leadership,ascreatingandconveyingtechnologicalvisionspowerfulenoughtodisplace
traditionaleducationalmodelsisoneofthemostchallengingaspectsofleadership(Marcus,
2004).Distanceeducationmanagersarerequiredtobeboldandcreativewiththeirleadership
skillsinordertobesuccessfulwithnewemergingstructuresandrapidlychangingtechnologies.
Ultimately,Ebersole(2015)believesadisserviceisbeingdonewhenleadershipisputona
pedestalmakingmanagementsecondaryandthosepursuingmanagementorleadershippositions
indistanceeducationmustbegoodatbothinordertobesuccessful.
Forthoseenteringorarenewtothefieldofdistanceeducation,Ebersole(2015)states
thatnewleadersbeprofessionallypluggedintovariousdistanceeducationorganizationslike
SloanC,UCEA,UPCAorWCET,aswellasthevariousLMSscurrentlyavailable.Onemust
beabletoresearchthedifferentplatformsandtechnologiescurrentlyusedindistanceeducation,
creatingamultifacetedrepertoirethathelpstoremaincurrentinthisfluidandvastlychanging
field.Malhotra,Majchrzak,andRosen(2007)alsoemphasizetheimportanceofbeing
knowledgeable,aswellasabletomotivateteammemberstomakeamajorcommitmenttothe
teamsmission.Raven(2008)pointsouttheimportanceofinformationalpower,statingthatthe
managershouldbeabletocarefullyexplaintothesubordinatehowthejobshouldbedone,
providingasmuchexpertiseandexperienceaspossible.Preparingforbetterleadershipand
managementindistanceeducationbyobtainingwellroundedcredentialsisonlythefirststepin
becomingasuccessfulleader/manager.Leadersmustknowboththeirstrengthsandweaknesses,

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andtheymustconstantlystrivetoacquireallofthetrainingnecessarytobesuccessfulintheir
role(Ebersole,2015).
Conclusion
Theanalysisoftopicsrelatingtothiscoursewasemphasizedwiththeinterview
conductedwithDr.JohnEbersole.Thoseinpositionsofleadershipandmanagementface
challengesmuchdifferentfromthoseinvolvedintraditionalinstitutionsandothertypesof
organizations.Ebersoles(2015)visionfordistanceeducation,bothgenerallyandatExcelsior,
reiteratestheimportanceofaleadersabilitytoadjusttothepaceofchange,managethe
institutionsstructure,andremainflexibleinarapidlychanging,regulatoryenvironment.Within
thelargersphereofeducation,thebarriersdistanceeducationencountersremainamongthe
hardestthingswhendealingwithchangeinthistypeoflearningenvironment.Leadersand
managersareabsolutelyessentialtothesuccessofthisfield,andmustbeabletoencourageand
motivatesubordinatesinthefaceofsuchdifficulty.Inordertobesuccessfulinthisincreasingly
complexfield,aspiringprofessionalsmustbeabletoadaptandadjustwithcalculatedstrategies,
acquireandsharetheirexpertise,andmaintainalevelofcredibilitythatoffersstudentssuperior
educationalopportunities.Ultimately,itisessentialthatveteranandemergingleadersbe
preparedforthesenewroles,notjustbyrelyingoninstinctderivedfrompastexperience,but
alsofromnewinsightsacquiredthroughgreaterattentiontoleadershipasadiscreteareaofstudy
andpracticefortheimportantworkahead(Beaudoin,2003).

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