In the independent school world there is a myth (and some fact) to the notion that at Head of School is most likely to be dismissed by the third person to serve as board chair during the Head’s tenure.  When I heard this the other day it struck me as funny and then I began to consider the circumstances around the idea and it began to make sense.  If you take into account the following points you begin to see a trend.

• Board members at many independent schools serve term limits, usually ranging from 4-8 years of total service on the board.
• The chair of the board is typically in leadership for 2-4 years.
• Members of the Search Committee that hired the Head of School are typically a mix of board members, faculty and community members.
• The majority of the student body and current parents will graduate from a boarding school in 3-4 or 7 years for a K-12 program.
• Strategic plans at most schools usually range 5-7 years.

If you begin to map out the lifecycle of the board, faculty, students and current parents you discover that majority of the individuals that were at the school when the Head was hired are now onto college, other jobs or other boards.  The most invested group, the people that sat through all the interviews and selected the candidate from among all the applicants and the Board that ultimately hired the Head are usually no longer on scene.  The third Board Chair is usually an individual who came onto the board with the Head already at the helm.  This creates a different dynamic and relationship shift from those that were invested in hiring and supporting their candidate.

It is not necessary that this trend continues.  What strategies can a Head of School and the first two board chairs take to make sure the Head of School continues to succeed?  I propose a couple strategies:

1. Be transparent: As Head of School connect with all members of the board.  Find their talents and help them succeed.  Know what they want to accomplish during their tenure on the board.  Find out what projects keep their passion going.  Determine who you can confide in, who will be a megaphone for you and who is going to ask the tough questions.  The more you develop a one-on-one relationship with each member of the board, the less likely the whole board will allow a few board members to cast doubt on your leadership without strong evidence.
2. Plan ahead: Do not wait until the six days before new officers are elected to consider new leadership.  Think years ahead.  Who will keep the board chemistry at an optimal level?  Who can manage the process of leading the board?  Who is comfortable stepping-back from being involved in the content of each conversations but helps all the voices be heard?  Who has a stable relationship with the Head of School?  I am not always a fan of the Vice-President succeeding the President because a great Vice-President plays a different role than a President but if succession is done this way be intentional, you are committing to your board’s trajectory for the next couple years.
3. Talk with the Head of School:  I am amazed at how many groups elect a new leader of the board without talking to their Head of School.  The Board Chair-Head of School relationship is essential to your school’s success, why not engage the Head of School in the process?  A ten minute uncomfortable discussion about challenging peronalities is much easier than the damage 2 to 4 years of conflict can do in the board room.
4. Mentor: Existing board chairs have a sense for who might manage the duties of board chair most effectively.  In many cases it is a strong individual but not necessarily the most opinionated nor the biggest donor or the most connected.  Who is going to bring out the best in each one of the board members?  Who can handle the peer-to-peer relationship that forms the basis for self-governance?  Who can work the network, making sure everyone is informed and focused on the major issues and challenges?
5. Build criteria:  Have your Governance or Nominating Committee write-out the criteria for future board leadership.  If I want to buy a house in your town and ask for a suggestion you probably would be at a lost as to where to start.  If I say I want a recently constructed home with at least three bedrooms and access to a park in your neighborhood you could probably name a specific home for sale.  Why not paint a picture of what your school needs before you drive aimlessly down the streets?
6. Strategic Plan: If you have a plan (why don’t you), it should provide a very accurate road map about where the school is headed.  This should not be a surprise to anyone.  Use it as guide to determine who can lead the board to meet the goals established by the plan.  The plan should also clearly outline the expectations of the Head of School.  If the plan is expiring it provides a great opportunity for a collaborative planning effort between both the board and administration.

 The third board chair should not be the ghost of Christmas Future.  It can be an orderly and thoughtful evolution of the school’s leadership.  Understanding the potential challenges is fundamental to your school’s success.  What would it feel like if the third board chair for your Head of School was the best one yet?