Upward influence in academic organizations: a behavioral style perspective

Purpose – To introduce the behavioral style paradigm as a tool for creating effective upward influence within academic organizations. Design/methodology/approach – Concepts of upward influence, behavioral style, communication orientation, back‐up style, and style flexibility are described and analyzed. Findings – Provides information on creating more effective institutions of higher education by using the behavioral style perspective in managing upward influence situations. Research limitations/implications – Suggests a number of questions and ideas that may be examined in future research efforts. Practical implications – Outlines the importance of understanding behavioral style techniques for improving administrator effectiveness and the effects of behavioral style techniques on various outcomes within and outside the academic institution. Originality/value – Fulfills a need as universities face increasingly complex environments and require more effective leadership and administration. Offers practical help to leaders in higher education.