Miller Boundary Spanners in Community Contexts

Miller, P. (2008, October). Examining the work of boundary spanner leaders in community contexts. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 11(4), pp. 353-377.

• Characteristics of Boundary Spanners:
  • Boundary spanners have social capital. They have social relationships across institutions that help them facilitate the work that they need to accomplish.
  • Boundary spanners are collectors and disseminators. They gather important information from both institutions and ensure that the information gets disseminated appropriately.
  • Boundary spanners are recognized as leaders in that they are trusted and respected in both institutions.
  • Boundary spanners have intimate knowledge of both institutions and the work necessary in school-university partnerships. They are able to use that knowledge productively to accomplish tasks.
  • They have exceptional interpersonal skills.
  • Boundary spanners unite fractious groups between the institutions.

• Boundary Spanner Leadership - Personal characteristics
  • They are community activists.
  • Social capital through multiple connections in both institutions.
  • They are "real, true, loved, and respected (p. 365)."

• Boundary Spanner Leadership - Practice characteristics
  • Advocacy for disadvantaged
  • Practice what they preach - commitment to accomplishing tasks