Blending the Roles Most of us have a preference either for management or for leadership. However, as the administrator of an adult and continuing education program, we are expected to carry out both functions. Therefore, it is helpful to consider strategies for blending two roles which are different, but not dissociated. In both of these instances, there is a balance struck between the leadership and management functions. Those characteristics which describe exemplary adult education processes and programs are applicable to the functions of the administrative leader.
Effective administrators are passionate, authentic, credible, ethical.
Some may think of characteristics as traits with which one is born - you are either creative or not. Others may think of characteristics as attributes which one can acquire through study and practice - you can learn to be charming. However, it is my contention that passion, authenticity, credibility, and ethics are choices to be made. If an administrator exhibits these characteristics, it is because they have elected to behave in such a way as to engender the descriptors. The passionate administrator is one who cares deeply about the adult and continuing education organization, its programs, and the people engaged in the teaching and learning transaction.