For years, everyone has heard about the head/chair partnership, and how it is the cornerstone of the health of the board, or that at times it can become too close and the rest of the board becomes distrusting and restless.

As an example, Policy Governance (the John Carver model) is a governance protocol that founders of schools and schools with very long-term heads often recommend. Policy Governance centers the power of decision making, in our experience, mostly in the head and the board chair. That closeness can become dangerous when more parents join the board, or newer members replace long timers who were handpicked by long term and highly trusted heads.

Another reason why controlling long-term heads like Policy Governance is because it is very clear about the separation of policy from management, strategic from operational, etc. In Policy Governance chairs tend to serve long term and have a very close trusting relationship with the Head.

However, heads need a strong relationship with EACH board member and the chair needs a powerful relationship with EACH board member. That along with the head/chair partnership usually leads to a healthy board and safe head/board relationship. The political relationship of all being on the same page about mission, board governance, board business and how the head leads the school is crucial to a head’s success.

Heads need to spend at least 40% of their time working with their chair and board OUTSIDE of the board room. Heads bridle often when they hear this. Is this even possible? Those very relationships, that “political capital” of good will between the head and the board, is based on truly knowing the board members personally, their spouses or partners, and their children.

Heads need to invest time and energy with every board member by regularly asking: “How am I doing?”, “How are you feeling about your board role?” and “How are your children doing?” If a board member’s child is suffering in any way at school, it is politically unwise for the head not to know about it or ignore it, once it is revealed. Like it or not, that is a part of the relationships with parent board members.

The 40% also includes being actively part of the governance/policy/COT/Nominating Committee that helps to ensure that only mission appropriate and carefully vetted candidates join the board. That 40% of investment of time helps to ensure that the head will have support when it is especially needed and can build a lasting legacy.

In those schools where there is a parent-elected board (or partially elected) the COT/Nominating Committee should still be active because it can influence the outcome.

Political and personal relationships between the head and board are both important but the personal side can be “dicey” if the head becomes too close to a board member and vice versa.

Board members are supposed to take off their “parent hat” and put on their “governance hat” to be good trustees/board members but we all know how challenging that can become when the board’s member’s child gets into trouble of any kind.  Under these circumstances, a strong political and personal relationship between the head and board member can assist the head in counseling that child out if necessary, or softening the feel if not the content, of the disciplinary process that may unfold.

Unfortunately, sometimes all the political capital in the world will not save a head from losing the support of an angry board member.

No matter how strong and experienced school leaders are today, they retain their tenure only by their carefully cultivated relationships with the board collectively and the board members individually. That may seem easier to do with smaller boards. However, sometimes those smaller boards can be undone by just one “rogue” member pushing a personal agenda, and larger boards may be able to withstand that pressure better. Either way, spending 40% of your time as a head working with your board is often the main way you will do great things for students, teachers, staff, and parents.

Board governance training annually is a key part of sustaining the alliance of head and board. Littleford & Associates conducts this training throughout the year worldwide, and very often annually for many school clients.