Laurie Taylor Column

What are you reading this holiday?

We continue our investigation by making another surprise mobile call to a leading university figure.

This week: The vice-chancellor of the University of Poppleton Holiday venue: The Hotel Martinez, Cannes.

Times Higher : Bonjour. Is it possible to speak to the vice-chancellor?

Voice: This is the vice-chancellor's wife. I'll see if he's available. What is it about?

Higher : We'd like to interview him for The Times Higher .

Second voice: Vice-chancellor speaking.

Higher : Ah, vice-chancellor. We're conducting a survey into academic holiday reading. What are you currently reading?

Vice-chancellor: Books on the art of leadership. I've already read How to Be a Great Leader and Five Steps to Creative Leadership , and I'm now about to turn to Secrets of Dynamic Leadership .

Higher : And what do you hope to glean from your reading?

V-c: I will be selecting one definition of leadership as my personal inspiration for leadership at Poppleton going forward.

Higher : It's a difficult process?

V-c: Oh yes. We must, for example, always remember that "the only safe ship in a storm is leadership" and that "if your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader" and that "a real leader faces the music even when he doesn't like the tune" and that "the final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and will to carry on".

Higher : Most inspirational. But your quotations seem somewhat male in orientation. Is there any way women might have some involvement in leadership?

V-c: That's why I'm searching for the briefest inspirational quotation.

Higher : The briefest?

V-c: That's right. No more than 20 words. I mean, how else is my wife going to find the time to do all that embroidery?