The leadership orientations of public college and university chief financial officers: A frame analysis

The role of the chief financial officer (CFO) is critical to the effective leadership of U.S. four-year public colleges and universities. Self-awareness and the capacity to view situations simultaneously in multiple ways and from different perspectives are essential elements of CFO effectiveness and success in the higher education environment. The relationship of the chief financial officer and the chief academic officer (CAO) is a key component of effective higher education leadership and a critical element of CFO success. Information about the self-perceptions of chief financial officers and perceptions of chief financial officers by chief academic officers will: (1) enhance CFO self-awareness and effectiveness, (2) broaden their ability to apply multi-frame thinking and formulate adaptive approaches, and (3) deepen their understanding of and appreciation for the CFO/CAO relationship. The purpose of this study was to examine the predominant leadership orientations of CFOs at U.S. four-year public colleges and universities as self-perceived and as perceived by CAOs. The study employed survey methodology to gather information about CFOs’ self-perception of their leadership orientations and the perception of CFOs’ leadership orientations by CAOs. Information on demographic characteristics was gathered to determine if they explained variations in the responses. The Bolman and Deal Leadership Orientation Questionnaires for SELF and OTHERS were employed to gather the information. Three general findings emerged from the study. First, both CFOs and their CAO colleagues perceive that CFOs employ the structural frame as their predominant leadership orientation. Second, the demographic characteristics considered did not account for any significant difference in the responses received from either group. Third, there is no significant difference in how CFOs and CAOs perceive the CFO’s predominant leadership orientation, the structural frame.