Transcript Making the Connection: Ethical Governance and Student Success
Making the Connection: Ethical Governance and Student Success
Manitoba School Boards Association Trustee Development Nov. 2012
Outcomes for our Day:
Stronger understanding of: the link between board of trustee priorities and student achievement and well-being; governance as a collective leadership act; the strengths each trustee brings to the table; the critical role played by the board’s Superintendent.
Trustees will explore
Key functions and responsibilities of school boards The components of ethical leadership The multiple facets of their role as leaders Effective school board governance principles The match between board decision-making and best practice in governance The link between effective governance and student achievement
Breaking the Ice
Leaving a Legacy
My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair.
So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.
All my very best, Jack Layton August 20, 2011
The Legacy of Leadership
“The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.” T.Hesburgh
Leaving a Legacy
Identify 2 contributions you have made as a Board of School Trustees during your term.
What do you hope will be most strikingly different about your board in 5 years?
What is the biggest gap between what the organization claims it is and what it actually is?
Moral Purpose
Setting the conditions that will provide a high quality education for every student to succeed in school and in life is the absolute first priority of a school board.
An Effective School Board:
knows why it exists and what difference it hopes to make in the community; functions as a team; makes informed decisions; strives for excellent communications with its constituents; has a clear sense of the difference between its role and that of the Superintendent; understands the distinction between policy development and implementation;
An Effective School Board: (continued
) is accountable for its performance; holds the Superintendent accountable for effectively implementing the policies of the board; monitors the effectiveness of policies and implementation plans; ensures that local, provincial and federal politicians understand local issues and needs.
All too often, school board members are like firefighters on the ground, battling the flames when they should be in a helicopter above the fire, able to see how extensive the blaze is, which way the wind is blowing, and where the resources need to be deployed.
Anonymous
Ethical Leadership
Ethics: The decisions, choices and actions we make that reflect and enact our values.
Ethical Decision-Making: Understanding the impact this action or decision will have on others or my relationship with them.
Ethical leadership: Knowing your core values and having the courage to live them in service of the common good.
Ethical Leadership
A reflection of how we respect and nurture relationships for the common good. “I” to “We”? the successful work of the board far exceeds what can be accomplished by any single member of the board acting alone.
Reflection: All Means All
Think of an example of ethical decision-making in your board-one that reflects the values of a public school system.
How do your values contribute to the board’s higher moral purpose?
The Importance of Vision
"If you want to build a ship, don’t herd people together to collect wood and don ’ t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” •
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Start With Why - Simon Sinek
“Very few people or companies can clearly articulate WHY they do WHAT they do. By WHY, I mean what is your purpose, cause or belief? WHY does your company exist? WHY do you get out of bed every morning? And WHY should anyone care”.
The Stone Mason’s Story
How does your sense of purpose inspire people to send their children to your schools?
When a WHY goes fuzzy, it becomes more difficult to maintain the growth, loyalty and inspiration that helped drive the original success.”
Clarity of Why
You have to know WHY you do WHAT you do. If people don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it, so it follows that if you don’t know WHY you do WHAT you do, how will anyone else?
”
The Discipline of How
“ The Discipline to never veer from your cause, to hold yourself accountable for HOW you do things is the hardest part. That’s why we write our values on the wall…as nouns.”
Consistency of What
Everything you say and do has to prove what you believe.
“An organization with a single common purpose that is aligned with its key stakeholder groups will have the greatest opportunity for success.” www.ffpo.org/FourConditions.htm
Governance Defined
Governance is the process by which a school board makes its decisions It is the exercise of authority, direction and control on behalf of the students it serves and its community.
A governance model/structure defines the roles, relationships and behavioral parameters for the board and its staff.
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How Boards Perform Core Functions Will Vary
School Boards are constituency based School Districts can be very different Size, geography and rate of change Demographics and language Local needs of children and families Deciding how to go about performing Core Functions requires thought and dialogue about unique context No one ideal model !
Four Pillars of Governance
Leadership:
Setting the long-term strategic direction and empowering management
Stewardship:
Shepherding resources belonging to others
Responsibility:
Evaluating organizational performance and holding management accountable
Accountability:
Reporting to stakeholders
Governance Responsibilities Central to Student Achievement
Setting the Vision
Establishing Goals
Developing Policy
Allocating Resources
Assuring Accountability
Authentic Governance through Ethical Leadership: Education that Connects 9
Core functions of a Board
Covering the Basics: The Board’s Fiduciary Role
Big Picture Thinking: The Board’s Strategic Role
Continuous Improvement: The Board’s Innovative Role
Promoting Community Engagement: The Board’s Societal Role
THE BOARD’S FIDUCIARY ROLE Protect the interests, image and credibility of the board, to ensure its financial viability, and to act in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations and policies.
By constructing your role only around the fiduciary work of oversight, board members are put in a position similar to being a substitute teacher
Strategic Reflection
What do we hold in trust and for whom?
How do we move from fiduciary oversight to fiduciary inquiry?
What are our major vulnerabilities?
What are we doing as a board and as an organization to address them?
THE BOARD’S STRATEGIC ROLE Vision and purposeful planning to ensure that the “Goals” of the organization reflect the aspirations of learners to succeed and the needs of the broader community to have confidence in the institution.
Strategic Reflection
Do the agendas of our board meetings reflect our mission and our stated strategic priorities?
THE BOARD’S GENERATIVE ROLE This board has: meaningful discussions outside of the regulated format of the boardroom; a climate accepting of robust, divergent discussions; clarity about values, beliefs, goals and priorities; a climate characterized by continuous self evaluation.
Generative Reflections
To what extent is the board agenda dominated by routine items?
Does the board purposefully seek out best practices?
Does the board foster a climate of “collaborative competition”?
Is every individual’s contribution valued?
THE BOARD’S CO-CREATIVE ROLE This board demonstrates commitment to collaboration, cooperation and ethics: among board members within the community
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Boards: Multiple Views
Boards are more complex than the legal and strategic views might suggest They are Teams They are Political Contexts They are Learning Systems They are the Guardians of Moral Purpose
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Boards are Teams
Teams have norms or taken-for-granted ways of doing things that impact norms and roles Norms impact: Communication Conflict Leadership Inclusion and Diversity Decision Making
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Effective Teams/Boards
Talk about team dynamics & norms Have processes for managing conflict Are sensitive to diversity and work to be inclusive Have a Chair who can manage group process and make sure everyone can participate
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Boards as Political Contexts
Different interests can lead to conflict and forming of coalitions Elected Trustees who have constituents “ My Schools ” or “ My Principals ” Trustees have more or less personal influence Stakeholders demand to be engaged Government has great influence over activities – Trustees can feel powerless
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Constructive Politics
Trustees know which hat they are wearing (Campaigner for Re-election, Champion of the Mission, Advocate for Change) Policies to create shared understandings Conflict of Interest and Codes of Conduct Roles of Superintendent, Chair and the Board clear Common vision to transcend different interests
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Boards as Learning Systems
Boards must keep adapting to change Regulations and government policies keep changing Expectations of the various publics keep increasing Global trends impact local activities
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Practices to Enhance Learning
Annual Board self assessment Annual performance evaluation of Superintendent Bringing in consultants as needed to help with governance practices On-going education Commitment to self awareness Strategic planning retreats Listening and dialogue processes
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Boards as the Guardians of Moral Purpose
Moral purpose is most powerful when it is embedded in every strategy and action in a way that reminds us every day that what we are doing is important for individuals and for the collective or common good It has transformative potential It involves questions of values and ethics
Boards that are Effective Guardians
30 Set time to talk about mission, values and vision Understand that a shared vision can help unify action and create shared purpose Know the differences between espoused values and values in action – do we “ Walk the Talk ” ?
Aligning all the Roles
Strong link between student success and effective governance How do we keep the main thing the main thing?
The principle of “ Alignment ”
Reflection: Putting it all Together
1.
2.
What hinders Boards from being as successful as possible?
What 2 actions could you take as a board of trustees to enhance your board ’ s governance in all 4 areas?
How Organizations Strangle Themselves
Weak leadership Fuzzy focus Competing divisions Divisive internal politics Lack of trust Rampant personal agendas
In a Nutshell….
The Board’s job is to PROTECT and DIRECT. To do so the board must CONNECT, EXPECT and CORRECT. The Imperfect Board Member Jim Brown
A single arrow is easily broken, but not ten in a bundle.
Japanese proverb
Reflection
Think about a time or a process or a project when you felt you made a real difference as part of a team. Describe that time. Why did you feel so engaged? What made the team effective? What do you think you contributed to the effort?
What could you do as a board to build these kind of opportunities?
Governance Principles
Delegation of Authority The Board delegates authority to its Superintendent and then holds the him/her accountable for successfully performing the delegated duties.
It’s the Superintendent’s responsibility to implement, not the board’s.
Boards do not need to hear how busy the CEO is-they need to hear about results.
One Voice or Not at All Principle
The Board speaks with one voice or not at all The Board will not allow a committee of the Board or an individual on the board to come between the Board and its Superintendent.
“ Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.” Oprah Winfrey
“ The ultimate potential of a board is only realized when everyone works together as one. One board. One voice. One team.” Patrick Lencioni
A Word on Diversity
If everyone thinks alike, we only need one person in the boardroom!
The synergy of bringing different perspectives, insights and opinions together can create solutions that are richer and owned by everyone.
The outcome is a team of board members who are members of the board, not members at the board.
If team members are never pushing one another outside of their emotional comfort zones during discussions, then it is extremely likely that they’re not making the best decisions for the organization. Patrick Lencioni
. The Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Boards should first value diversity of input, then unfalteringly value single-mindedness of output.
Catherine M. Raso
The Essential Partnership: Board and Superintendent
• • • • • • Sole employee and part of the team Clear vision and strategic direction Shared leadership built on trust Clear roles and responsibilities Focus on results Clear reporting and communication processes
Relationship: Chair and Superintendent
Frequent communications for matters such as: • Preparation of meeting agendas and recommendations for board action; • • • Timely and effective reporting processes for effective board decision-making; Handling emergency situations that might arise; Dealings with news media and role of the Chair as spokesperson for the Board
Relationship: Board and its Constituents
Rights of board constituents: • • know what children are learning and how well they are learning. know how their tax dollars are being spent • Know how education resources are allocated in their community. Board’s responsibility: • broad perspective on issues that affect the entire public within the collective board’s jurisdiction.
As an individual board member – know your constituents
Providing evidence-based facts and context on your constituents will assist
you (the
‘
I)
in bringing particular issues to the board.
Once an issue is brought to the table, it becomes a
board matter (the
‘
We
’
).
The board works together as a team to fully understand the matter, to find the best possible solutions and to evolve towards a collective ethical decision.
Boards of Trustees are supposed to be the ultimate guardians of institutional ethos and organizational values.
Governance as Leadership
The Individual Trustee
clarity Structure Behaviour Effective Governance
Clarity
Role of the Board Role of the Superintendent Clear and Relevant Policy Clarity re: Governance and Decision-Making
Structure
Board Agendas reflect the business of the Board Committee Structure is purposeful and effective and used sparingly Delegation is clear
Behaviour
Discipline Purposeful Team Approach Respect for Diverse opinion Respect for Rules of Order as a tool to effective discource.
The only way a board can responsibly do its job without meddling is by monitoring very well.
Jim Brown
The best boards keep their noses in the business and their fingers out!
Jim Brown
Role of Committees
Helps the board do its job and always reinforces the wholeness of the board; Does not interfere with delegation from board to Chief Superintendent; Does not speak or act for the board except when formally given such authority for specific and time-limited purposes; Used sparingly and strategically.
“ Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things that matter least ”.
Goethe
" Where there is no vision, there is no hope.” George Washington Carver
"Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence.” Lin Yutang
“Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.” Raymond Lindquist
The Role Play: Lessons and Givens
Givens
. In every group or organization, something works.
. What we focus on becomes our reality. If we look for problems, we will find them. Search for and amplify solutions that already exist.
. The act of asking questions influences the group.
. If we carry forward parts of the past, they should be what is best about the past.
. Envisioning the future is more clear and possible when grounded in the reality of the past.
Lessons: Building the Foundation for an Effective Board
Assumptions are the termites of relationships.
Henry Winkler
Ben’s Lesson
SUMMARY
To get the job done, to achieve your vision and goals for our learners, we must; Focus on the wildly important Create a compelling scoreboard Translate lofty goals into specific actions Hold each other accountable all of the time S. Covey