Remove Obstacles for the Next Head of School

It is customary for new leaders joining an organization to embark on a listening tour, getting to know people and building trust. What is revealed in these conversations?

Experienced leaders who have exercised influence in a variety of settings know that stakeholders and employees often see opportunity in transition. Some will argue for a new role, or a new team. An unpopular policy decision of the prior administration may get re-litigated. Internal candidates who did not secure the top job may react emotionally to the experience of having failed to advance within the organization they have committed and sacrificed for. What is the board’s role here?

In our experience, when governance invests in building a shared understanding of the role and the opportunities ahead for the organization, it generates advantages and options. Here’s why.

Sometimes, maintaining a steady course is what the community expects of a new leader. But as one Chief Financial Officer shared recently, the mandate for someone new is often to enact significant changes. “I’m thinking about the changes required here, and wondering how long I can stick around. I don’t mind seeing through the necessary adjustments. But the deeper the pain involved for the staff and community, the shorter my tenure will end up being.” Can obstacles be removed for a permanent leader before a leadership transition is happening?

To illustrate the point: an experienced leader recently joined an established school in the Head of School role. Based on the need for significant re-engineering of the structure and functions he encountered within the organization, he asked us: “The board of directors knew about these issues. But they left them for me to contend with. Why didn’t they use an interim Head?” The implication here is that an interim leader, with the explicit support and oversight of the board, would have been able to take on a focused and directed set of objectives designed to smooth the pathway for someone new.

During times of stability, boards often dig in on defining an organization’s values, mission, and vision. But during your upcoming search process candidates will be asking themselves: “Does the board understand what they are asking someone new in this role to do?” In transitions, advantage redounds to boards who can effectively anticipate and articulate the needed changes ahead. They are more likely to secure leaders who are fit for purpose. who hold a clear remit, and have the opportunity to clear the path for meaningful and lasting change.