Systematic Planning of Institutional Development Through Decentralisation and Empowering Distributed Leadership

Most engineering institutes face many complex problems which can’t be solved by a top-down approach. Many tenured senior faculty members don’t continue lifelong learning whereas middle-level qualified faculty members who updated their skills and abilities are ready to meet the challenges of disruptive technologies. They need to be updated through various methods of faculty development projects like medium-term content updating, exposure to various industrial development processes, internships in global universities, and training to develop industry-specific curriculum development programs. They are outstanding members and looking for more challenges. They need to be empowered through a distributed leadership process. The usual method of top-down approach will not meet such challenges. In this paper, the advantages of distributed leadership are assessed. This process doesn’t eliminate the existing hierarchy or seniority of tenured faculty members. The distributed leadership model when applied to challenging projects and creating knowledge capital, proves its utility and enables the institute to grow and serve society.