Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify and describe, using a Delphi technique, the essential competencies that will be needed by California adult education administrators to successfully lead the transformation of adult education programs currently challenged by internal and external forces. Methodology: This study utilized a 3-round Delphi technique to illicit consensus from a panel of 34 experts on the identification and importance of essential leadership competencies. Eighteen California adult education administrators and 16 policy makers comprised the expert panel. The data were calculated and analyzed using mean, median, interquartile range, and t-tests. Findings: The expert panel identified 56 essential leadership competencies and ranked their importance. The 6 competencies that were ranked most important are (a) personal integrity; (b) respectful of the students served by adult education; (c) respect for staff; (d) passion for adult education, the students, and the system; (e) the ability to leverage, maximize, and allocate resources; and (f) ability to establish networks and strong partnerships at the district, in the community, across the state, and at the national level. Conclusion: The expert panel identified leadership competencies that are consistent with the findings from previous research and literature that suggest that today's challenging times require competent leaders to solve complex problems. There are internal and external forces that are creating new role expectations for adult education administrators that will require increasingly complex solutions to lead the system through a transformation. Recommendations: Further research is advised to determine the effectiveness of the essential leadership competencies that were identified by the expert panel. It is recommended that the study be replicated in 5 years to determine if the leadership competencies identified as essential by the expert panel are the same that will be needed in 2016. This study was conducted in California during a unique time for the adult education system.