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The academic deanship is a unique position within a university and is one of the most difficult and misunderstood positions in higher education (Mc Daniel, Peabody J Educ 55(4):358–363, 1978; Gmelch et al., Res High Educ 40(6):717–740, 1999; Bray, J High Educ, 81(3):284–316, 2010). Cognizant of the challenging and difficult position occupied by these academic leaders, this phenomenological study has eidetically captured the collective experiences of 12 Filipino medical technology deans as they manage relationships in their organization. Driven by the central question, “What typifies Filipino medical technology deans’ portrayal of their roles as relationship managers in their institution?, a series of in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Field texts were transcribed and subjected to phenomenological reduction via thematic analysis. Through constant comparison method, four relational roles portrayed by Filipino medical technology deans were surfaced, namely: the persona of a truth-seeker, the persona of an opportunity provider, the persona of an authoritative leader, and the persona of a reflective practitioner. The emerged role typologies which are products of the individual and collective experiences of the respondent deans provide valuable lenses in understanding the decanal role as relationship managers. On the whole, an analysis and understanding of these relational roles offer a vibrant perspective through which deanship in terms of relationship management could be viewed, thus, transcending one’s experience to meaning-making.

Capitalizing on the power of qualitative approach in drawing out the multiple layers of meaning entrenched in subjective realities, this phenomenological inquiry described the lived experiences of 12 Filipino medical technology deans, as they face their struggles in managing their organization. An in-depth, semi-structured one-on-one interview which lasted for 1–2 h was conducted. Field texts were transcribed and analyzed using a repertory grid and through constant comparative analyses, an interesting model and a set of conceptual themes about deanship struggles were emerged. The 3-D model of deanship struggles, which is a product of the sharing of the respondents, provides a panorama of how Filipino medical technology deans balance (i) superiority and relationality; (ii) rule and role; (iii) obligation and allocation; (iv) personal and professional life; and (v) scholarship and leadership in an educational milieu of (i) prudence; (ii) transparency; (iii) justice; (iv) productivity; and (v) excellence using the gifts of (i) understanding; (ii) flexibility; (iii) bargaining; (iv) hard work; and (v) risk taking. Findings in this paper provide a valuable lens through which the Filipino medical technology deans’ mindset as organizational managers could be viewed and understood