In the wings and backstage: exploring the micropolitics of leadership in higher education

The aim of the research and the focus of this paper are to open micropolitical behaviour in higher education institutions (HEIs) to scrutiny and to address the gap that exists between ‘the organisational world which is presented in theory and research and the organisational world we all experience’. The paper explores a range of literature and the views of HEI leaders on micropolitics in order to understand better current perspectives and methods, and to stimulate discussion of how the sector might collectively reflect on and develop this area of leadership practice.