Feedback for Heads of Department

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Abstract
Heads of departments in institutions of higher education grow into their job. Typically, there is no job description, no list of activities heads must perform or decisions they must take. And there is no clarification of the importance of different aspects of their various functions to the department, and no feedback to heads on how they are performing. At the University of Queensland a feedback questionnaire for heads was developed in response to one head's request. Staff views both on the importance of various functions and attributes of heads and on heads' performance were sought; The results of appraisals by academic staff in nine departments are discussed Results showed the importance of the head's interpersonal skills, particularly in dealing with unsatisfactory staff performance; and also of the professional and personal authority required for heads to act effectively as advocates for their departments vis‐a‐vis the university administration. A second means of assistance to heads was through workshops and seminars providing a forum in which problems could be shared and solutions explored. This feedback from peers tended to confirm the results of the feedback questionnaire, particularly with respect to the problems of dealing with unsatisfactory staff performance. This topic receives special attention in the latter part of this paper.