As Head of School, I sometimes felt overwhelmed by the complexities of managing my Board and the attendant relationships. While I enjoyed the support of my Board, Board relationships, development and management were ongoing challenges. I quickly discovered I was not alone. School governance and the challenges of managing boards were regular topics at gatherings of school leaders.
Once I got squeezed between my Board Chair and my Facilities Committee Chair in their disagreement related to the choice of an architect for school expansion. In the end, the Board Chair convinced the Board to choose his preferred architectural firm and the architect withdrew his children from the school. I confess, I didn’t know how to manage the situation, which contributed to a bad outcome.
On another occasion, I discovered that a Board member was having inappropriate discussions with parents about one of my teachers. Although perhaps well intentioned, the Board member’s involvement in a staff matter made the situation very difficult. It is not uncommon for board members to cross the line between governance and management. Nonetheless, when they do, the resulting problems can be significant. In my experience, it’s very difficult to know how to handle potentially destructive situations when one’s board member is part of the problem.
I could provide many more examples of the challenges we sometimes face as leaders, as could you, in working with our boards.
With most of the challenges I faced as a school leader, I had someone to turn to for help and advice – my Board, my Board Chair, a consultant, colleague, my wife, etc. A problem, I began to realize, was that I didn’t have someone who could help me consistently with some of the most sensitive and complex problems I faced as a school leader, namely those that involved my boss, the Board.
So, one day I sought help from a leadership coach. Getting leadership coaching was the best decision I made in my 20 year career as a school leader.
My coach provided leadership coaching to help me gain new insights into the dynamics and relationships among and with my board members by helping me look at complex situations from different perspectives. She was a sounding board and confidant with whom I could discuss very sensitive and difficult situations. She helped me develop new strategies and held me accountable for carrying through.
My coach also helped me look at my own fears, shortcomings and contributions to difficult relationships. She helped me analyze and improve my emotional intelligence. I learned an enormous amount about myself and became a much better leader as a result.
It’s amazing how often we cannot see the forest for the trees. We’re so focused on urgent daily operational matters that we fail to seek the help we need to address important issues until they become urgent, which is often too late. Sometimes we need assistance from someone who understands the challenges of school leadership and working with boards, someone who can consistently and confidentially help us figure out solutions to very complex and sensitive problems.
That’s what I do. If you would like help managing and developing your board, please contact me for a free consultation. I guarantee it will be one of the best decisions you will make as a school leader.