All too frequently, the Board urges the School Head to root out weakness and develop an “ideal” faculty, and then drift away when the Head makes a difficult, unpopular, but necessary decision. Without Board support, the Head fights a lonely battle.
To prevent this problem, the Board must first understand that the parameters of governance and operations management must be distinctly defined, with a clear separation of power and responsibilities. The position of the Head is too easily compromised if there is second-guessing by a Board committee vote or if a Head’s eventual action is overly influenced by Board pressure. The Board hires the Head to operate the school; this includes hiring and firing decisions. Individual Trustees have no business in these personnel matters. The Head should have full power to make all personnel decisions.
To help the Head handle these decisions, the Board can, however, become involved in the following two major ways.
1. The whole Board must accept, respect, and outspokenly and openly support the endorsed administration—including the Head’s personnel decisions. Inevitably, a Board member’s friend or favorite teacher may be subject to administrative action. Even in such cases, Trustees must resolve to perform their Board duties first and place their friendship roles or preferences second.
2. Trustees should view themselves as individual advisers, available to the Head for comment and assistance when requested. Depending on experience and management style, the Head may seek the advice of a few Trustees in tough decisions. Board members should offer honest advice, and then step back and allow the Head to make the final decisions.
Keep in mind that, when supporting the Head in personnel matters, the Board and the Head have clearly defined and separate agendas. Trustees must focus on Board responsibilities and refrain from operational “meddling.”
Additional ISM resources of interest
ISM Monthly Update for Human Resources Vol. 10 No. 5 Ask Michael
ISM Monthly Update for Trustees Vol. 9 No. 4 Inappropriate Trustee/Faculty Interaction
ISM Monthly Update for Trustees Vol. 9 No. 5 Your Due Diligence Roles as a Trustee
Additional ISM resources for Consortium Gold members
To The Point Vol. 13 No. 6 Board Support for the Head's Difficult Personnel Decisions
