By Anne-Marie Balzano and Amada Torres
In the nonprofit world, it is widely accepted that a solid relationship between the CEO of an organization and the board—and particularly between the CEO and the board chair—is critical to long-term viability. Research in corporate governance also suggests that a solid relationship allows both the board and the CEO to focus on their unique roles; encourages information-sharing that helps identify problems more quickly; and develops trust that enables positive risk-taking, which can lead to innovation. Positive relationships can also limit unnecessary leadership turnover and the resulting strain on the organization.
As the education landscape continues to become more complex, an effective head of school-board chair partnership is necessary to ensure the long-term viability of the school. While there is no NAIS research on the impact of that relationship on head turnover, board chairs must remember that sustained leadership is essential for school success, making the chair’s relationship with the head all the more critical.
A recent NAIS study* found that 83 percent of heads rated their relationship with the board chair as very or extremely strong. Eighty-nine percent of board chairs shared a similar view of their relationship with their head of school. Eighty-six percent of heads said that their board chairs work to cultivate a constructive partnership with them.
Both groups agreed in general on the relative importance of several board responsibilities. However, there were some misalignments. For example, “guiding and supporting the school head” was ranked by board chairs as the third most important role for boards, but it was ranked much lower by heads ….
There was also some misalignment between how board chairs and heads ranked the head of school’s major responsibilities. Chairs identified “recruiting and hiring high-quality staff and faculty” as the head’s No. 1 priority, but heads identified “long-range and strategic planning” as their most critical task.
Recent anecdotal information on head attrition raises concerns about the strength and effectiveness of the head-board chair partnership at independent schools. In a brief survey of 12 executive directors of state and regional independent school associations, 11 out of 12 indicated that the head-board chair relationship was a factor in unexpected head turnover during the past five years. In addition, a brief survey of current heads identified board management as a clear challenge to their long-term tenure …. However, additional research is needed to understand these dynamics.
*Source: “The 2018 NAIS Governance Survey,” scheduled for publication in fall 2019.
Strategic Questions
- In what ways does your board chair work collaboratively with the head of school to develop the head’s annual goals and make sure they align with the school’s vision and mission?
- How might the board chair and head design a process for both formative and summative evaluation of the head’s goals?
The Trendbook, NAIS’s annual guide to issues affecting independent schools, includes research, data, strategic questions, action steps, and resources. Read about trends in enrollment, financial aid, student wellness, and more in the 2019-2020 Trendbook, available in the NAIS Bookstore.