BEWARE OF THE REVOLVING DOOR
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Transcript of BEWARE OF THE REVOLVING DOOR
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BEWARE OF THE REVOLVING DOOR
Vicki Smith
New Mexico School Boards Association
The relationship of boards and superintendents is more like a
marriage than a business partnership. And as in marriages,
dysfunctional relationships between the (parties) ultimately are
bad for the children.Kathleen Vail, ASBJ
New Mexico School Boards Association
Tensions are built into the existing structure of school boards and
superintendents.
Michael Usdan, Institute for Educational Leadership
New Mexico School Boards Association
A board in conflict with its superintendent is incapable of doing
anything but poisoning the well.
Don Owen, Pennsylvania SBA
New Mexico School Boards Association
Beware of the Revolving Door!Boards should consider the districts
long-term needs.Board expectations play a part
New Mexico School Boards Association
How and where will you advertise the vacancy?Within New
MexicoNationallyNSBAAASANMSBANMCSA
New Mexico School Boards Association
What type of a selection process shall the Board
utilize?BoardCommunity InvolvementCommittee and its
membership
New Mexico School Boards Association
First the Board/Committee must define and prioritize the attributes
which they are seeking in their next Superintendent
New Mexico School Boards Association
First the Board/Committee must define and prioritize the attributes
which they are seeking in their next Superintendent
New Mexico School Boards Association
The first contact any applicant has with the hiring board/committee
is on paper. Look for application materials that are neat and
professional looking.
If invited for an interview, the applicant should be well
prepared having researched the school district.
New Mexico School Boards Association
Develop the questions for the interview based on the identified
attributes
New Mexico School Boards Association
Name of Interviewee:___________Name of Interviewer:___________
Describe your experience and involvement with the public schools within the past five years that qualifies you as a superintendent.
To what extent do you think the superintendent can or should function as an instructional leader?
Explain how you might go about developing a school budget in a school system of our size.
As superintendent how would you improve communications with the
parents and the community?
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Hiring Procedure and Negotiations:BenefitsSalaryMulti-year
contract
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Transition is the psychological process people go through to come
to terms with the new situation.Transition is internal. It is how
the shift from the old to the new occurs.Change refers to the
situation that is altered: the new team, the new boss, new roles or
policies.Change is external. It is what becomes
different.
The interval between the decay of the old and the formation and
establishment of the new, constitutes a period of transition which
must always necessarily be one of uncertainty, confusion, error,
and wild and fierce fanaticism.
John C. Calhoun, U. S. Senator
New Mexico School Boards Association
Illness strikes men when they are exposed to change.
Herodotus,Greek Historian
Why Do a Transition?
New Mexico School Boards Association
New Mexico School Boards Association
Reduce the learning curveReduce tension during board
meetingsConduct more productive meetings soonerRestore the level of
trust among the team/board membersDispel the myths about new team
members
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Brainstorming: Identifying Task Issues
Think about the team or district tasks a new team member should
know and understand.
What are some things new members need to know early about their
new job?
New Mexico School Boards Association
Team operating proceduresCalendar of events for district and
teamUpcoming critical events for team and districtTeam
goalsDistrict plans and goalsRoles and responsibilities for
everyoneSources of information or answersDistrict
policies
New Mexico School Boards Association
Brainstorming: Identifying Relationship Issues
Think back to when you were a new leadership team member. How about
the evening of your first real board meeting?
What are some of the relationship issues that new team members
have to face?
New Mexico School Boards Association
Relationship Issues
What are my expectations for working together?How do we
communicate?Heres what I stand for.Heres what I want to
accomplish.How will I know if Im doing a good job?When are issues
serious enough to bring to the team?
Identify Critical Issues (not solutions) for both the district
and the leadership teamA Critical Issue is a situation that is
serious enough that we must address it within the next 60-180 days
or we may not be able to get our job done
New Mexico School Boards Association
Identify Critical Issues
FORMING
Milling AroundConfusionHigh
AmbiguityPolite/SuperficialImpersonalWatchful/ Guarded"Why are we
here?"
STORMING
Attacking/ConflictFrustrationConfronting People/LeaderOpting
OutDifficultiesFeeling StuckResistanceCliques
NORMING
Developing PatternsCohesion BeginningEstablish ProceduresGiving
FeedbackConfronting IssuesRelevant Questions
PERFORMING
Tightly Knit
GroupResourcefulFlexible/CreativeOpen/TrustingEffectiveClose/SupportiveConfident
New Mexico School Boards Association
New Mexico School Boards Association
Redefine Your Concept of PowerAs a society, we often define
power as control and domination.This concept of power turns
boardrooms into battlegrounds, even when school leaders truly want
to collaborate.
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What negative people depend upon to get what they
want:AttentionSense of PowerFearResponseGuiltIntimidationElicit
sympathyMomentary high
New Mexico School Boards Association
What negative people depend upon to get what they
want:AttentionSense of PowerFearResponseGuiltIntimidationElicit
sympathyMomentary high
New Mexico School Boards Association
Build TrustWithout trust its a balancing act, dealing with
different personalities.Leads to misunderstandings, sore feelings
and grudgesProfessionals dont like to admit that we let personal
feelings and immature motives color our actions.
New Mexico School Boards Association
Know Where Youre GoingDuring times of reform, tensions between the
board and the superintendent can be avoided if theres a clear plan
of action.It lessens the chance for hidden agendas and personal
prejudices.
New Mexico School Boards Association
The relationship of boards and superintendents is like a trapeze
act, both partners must have considerable skill, impeccable timing,
nerves of steel, and unwavering trust in each other.Castillo,
Greco, and McGowan
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Are you providing a three-ring circus for the entire community?When
boards and superintendents do not have their act together, they
exhibit the following problems:
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Bickering and nitpicking over minor issues;Scapegoating and blaming
each other for things that go wrong;Stepping on each others
toes--forgetting, or not honoring, who is supposed to lead on
what;Making poor decisions, due to poor communication and
individuals pursuing their own special interests.
New Mexico School Boards Association
Second-guessing each others motives and decisions;Experiencing lots
of personal frustration;Suffering from a lack of community support,
andBeing unable to meet district goals
New Mexico School Boards Association
Avoid SurprisesAgree on the job description, contract, and
evaluation planDevelop a strategic planDevise a 12-month
calendarProvide information in a timely mannerHave an
agenda-building process that eliminates surprises or secretsHave a
good citizen-speak policy
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Learn to Deal With ConflictRecognize destructive conflictIdentify
the issue causing disagreementListen to all information relating to
the conflictBrainstorm possible solutionsFind a mutually acceptable
resolution
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Regularly Check How Your Team Is Doing
Ask: Whats working well and what needs to be worked on?Candid
discussion of how the Board and Superintendent function as
partnersAssess your working relationship once every three to four
months
New Mexico School Boards Association
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Building and sustaining any relationship is hard work.Taking the
time to discuss these suggestions together can be a worthwhile
investment for new superintendents and their boards as well as
long-time board-superintendent partnerships that are continuously
looking for ways to improve.
New Mexico School Boards Association
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT VICKI SMITH 575-536-9453
Youd be surprised to see an episode of Dr. Phil devoted to the care and feeding of a school boards relationship with its superintendent.
We think that professional dealings dont belong in the realm of daytime talk shows. But . . ... (Read slide -- first sentence only)
Like a marriage it weathers power plays and power struggles,
misunderstandings and hidden motives. Even the strongest
relationships are tested. Sometimes irreconcilable differences make
divorce inevitable.(Read slide -- second sentence)
(Read slide)After all, you can hardly expect a diverse group of
community members and a strong professional educator to manage a
complex school system without some friction along the way.A small
amount of tension among school leaders is even desirable. It keeps
everyone alert and focused.But when this tension escalates among
the board members and the superintendent -- schools and students
alike suffer.Prince Georges County -- friction became so severe
that state education officials threatened to intervene.Dallas --
fired superintendent because of the poor rapport he had with board
members.Portland, Ore.--Superintendent resigned last year after he
lost the support of a board majority.Miami-Dade, Florida--cited
lack of leadership when they fired their superintendent.
None of these headlines were from New Mexico, but did you think
that they were from our local newspapers or TV. We can each attach
a New Mexico school district to these situations.When boards and
superintendents are embroiled in disputes, theyre likely to spend
their energy on backbiting, sniping, and outright hostility rather
than whats going on with their students.(Read slide)
Growing shortage of qualified superintendent candidates Demand high
and supply lowBoard member turnover is faster today, too, which
affects how long superintendents stay on the jobPeople want
sustained reform, but theres turnover every two yearsTheres no time
for the flowers to grow. People are picking them up by the
rootsBoards should consider the districts long-term needs, but this
is not always the case.Boards often want a reforming supt.--
Sometimes supt. are hired to clean up a disaster--who makes too
many changes and alienates their board or a superintendent is hired
to head a rapidly growing district because of his expertise in
construction projects and once the building program is complete,
the board might find that the supt. Isnt as good at other
management tasks.Be sure your expectations match up!! What youre
looking for is it the same as the candidates strengths?
BEFORE THE SLIDE:So your district is in the market for a new
superintendent. Will you utilize a national company or Head Hunters
or will you do your own superintendent hunt. Then the question
becomes where and how to advertise.
SLIDE:
REFER TO SUPERINTENDENT SEARCH COMMITTEE:Be sure that the
individuals involved understand their roles as committee
members.
READ:School board members are, by definition, amateurs at selecting
school superintendents and often make hiring decisions based on gut
feelings in the interview. They may like the looks of the
successful candidate, his or her prior work experience or
geographic availability. Most often, however, it is the candidates
presence and demeanor in the interview that influence the school
boards selection. SLIDE:DISCUSSION: SEE NEXT PAGE
DUPLICATE SLIDE:Discuss:What kind of working relationship you would
like to see between the superintendent and the board? What
administrative structure would you provide to work with fellow
administrators in the school system?Budget
development?Instructional Leadership?Facilities-construction
projects?Community Involvement?Collective Bargaining?
Has the interviewee learned the name of each school board member,
his or her profession and whether the member has school-age
children?
Is the applicant aware of any current political issues, school
district demographics and even local intergovernmental
relationships or lack thereof?
Examples: Refer to Questions for Superintendents
Examples: Refer to Questions for Superintendents
Contract negotiated signed and the Superintendent knows everything
he/she needs to know about you and the district.Not so Now you, the
superintendent, and the district will go through change and a
transitional time.REFER TO SLIDE:
Because of the uncertainty and the confusion the best thing a board
can do is to have a transitional meeting or better still a
retreat
There are over 30 scientific studies that show that positivity
increases the life span of terminally ill patients by 5 to 10
years.
There are over 30 scientific studies that show that positivity
increases the life span of terminally ill patients by 5 to 10
years.Positivity alters your brain and changes how you think. It
increases the ability fo solve problems and increases
creativity.
SOME CAUTIONS TO BEWARE OF:Some people believe they have lost power
if they collaborate.People who equate power with control simply
cant reconcile that image of power with trying to build
consensus.Just because no one speaks updoesnt mean there is
consensus!Internal work takes time. Change is difficult!! Dont
expect the Board or the Superintendent to readily accept every new
idea.
SEE ATTACHED
Most negative people do not realize they are negative.Negative
people are not at peace, have poor self-esteem, and are in
agony.
Maybe you need to do a self-check. Perhaps you are the one that is
negative.Are you an energizer for others, or just the opposite? In
other words, are people better off because of their interactions
with you? Do they feel better just being around you?
AS PRESIDENT OF YOUR BOARD BEWARE OF TROUBLE SPOTS:One common
recipe for trouble is the superintendent who plays
favorites.Trouble boils over when supts align themselves with
certain factions on the board or show preferential treatment by
releasing information to only a few board members or only one.Run
it by the President of the Board then release it to all.Board
members can generate tension, too. They might take a dislike to the
supt for reasons no one can predict or control. They might hold
grudges after a supt nixes a pet project.Being open to the
possibility that these things do happen and vigilantly guarding
against it when it does--boards and supts can help keep school
business running smoothly.Dont play games these jobs are tough
enough when people play it straight.
The plan sends a message to the district that the board and supt
are on the same page.
The very first action for a new supt. Is to have a retreat with
the Board to define those goals and the plan AND TO HAVE AN ANNUAL
RETREAT TO REVIEW AND SEE WHATS WORKING AND WHATS NOT.If boards and
supts put together a plan, then everyone knows where everything
is--you have a better chance of relationships not breaking
down.Some disagreement may be healthy. Theres often more than one
way to achieve the same goal.
Surprises are good for birthdays, but not for board-superintendent
relationships. Superintendents dont want to be caught off guard,
nor do board members who have a clear need to demonstrate to their
publics that they are providing effective leadership for the
district.Determine whether youre satisfied with this job. Or is the
Board satisfied with you?Retreat to clarify all expectations.
Prioritize the issues to be addressed over the next 3 months, 6
months, 12 months.A month-to-month calendar of school board
business ensures that everyone knows and remembers what issues the
board will be considering, and when.Remember when the board hears
information about the district from another source, it makes them
look bad and can undermine their trust.If an item is added to a
Board Agenda at the last minute, give all board members a heads up
warning. Dont ambush the board with items under other
business.Discuss our public forum.
Warning signs of destructive conflict: disagreements, regardless of
the issue; withholding of bad news; surprises; strong public
statements;airing disagreements through the news media;conflicts in
value systems;desire for power;increased lack of respect;open
disagreements;lack of candor on sensitive issues;unclear goals;no
discussion of progress/failure to achieve goals;failure to evaluate
the superintendent fairly, thoroughly, or not at all
Can use a team review instrument:Communication: (Listening and
speaking honestly, showing consideration for others.)Trust: (Being
willing to discuss concerns with the total group without fear, not
taking disagreement personally.)Decision making: (Discussing items
independently and objectively, voting as individuals, not as
blocks.)Support: (Supporting or at least not subverting board
decisions, even in the event of disagreements.Roles: (Adhering to
the boards role in adopting policy and the superintendent
implementing that policy.)Goals: (Undertaking activities and
decisions that are consistent with the districts
goals.)Responsibility: (Putting in the time and effort required to
complete the job.)
As I said when we started, Its just like a marriage.