Tipping Point Leadership in B-Schools:Exploring Opportunities while Managing Change

Business schools often face challenges on several fronts. Student enrolments are often unpredictable. Due to low pay scales offered, not many are interested in entering the teaching profession. Even among those who have a flair for teaching and a passion for developing the competencies of students, their interest wanes over a period of time due to the absence of a performance-driven culture. Absence of motivation is due to the fact that in most academic institutions, high performers are rarely recognized. To add to this, teachers and students may get involved in bureaucratic issues that only dissipate their energy further. If promoters are only interested in developing education as a business, it compounds the problems further. This stalemate can only be improved by a radical change in the mindset and developing the leadership abilities of those who are at the helm of the affairs in educational institutions. Discipline is essential in an academic institution, but it cannot come in the way of academic progress. This paper highlights the need and relevance of applying the concepts of Tipping Point Leadership in bringing about a turnaround in management education in India. The paper also questions the Americanization of management education in India wherein student feedback is used as the sole means of gauging performance of a faculty member. This being more of an exploratory research, the paper highlights opportunities for future research and recommends the use of Tipping point leadership in instigating a culture of quality in management institutions.