Dealing With Bosses And Boards
Shira Leibowitz 
I was being fired. Or, to be more diplomatic, my position was being eliminated.
The president and vice president of the school board I was then leading entered my office unannounced, wearing black suits and looking quite somber, as if attending a funeral. They told me the school would no longer need a Head of School. The school would no longer need me.
I took a breath and briefly paused, before responding with just seven words: “I’ve cared deeply and acted with integrity.” Unimpressed, the pair got up and left in silence, unknowingly setting into motion my own quest to design schools marked by care and integrity, not only for the students, but also for the adults.
If you’re a school leader perhaps you’ve experienced what I did those years ago . . . and truthfully, numerous times since. Perhaps you too have been bombarded by unrealistic demands and expectations, only to be blamed by your own boss or board for not solving challenges far beyond your control.
It hurts.
So, if this is you . . . or if you want to proactively avoid conflict with your own boss or board . . . here are two steps you can implement right away.
Never Underestimate The Fundamentals
When Things Go Awry, Pause And Ask Why
Step One: Never Underestimate the Fundamentals
Years ago, I practiced taekwondo, even earning my black belt. I would often talk about educational principles with the taekwondo Master, who skillfully led classes with students of all ages . . . from 5 to 50 (or even older) . . . and at all skill levels . . . white belt to black belt and even multiple degrees of black belt. He taught this mixed age, mixed ability group with a focus on fundamentals . . . inviting students at every skill and fitness level to apply the basics in new ways in order to advance.
The fundamentals of schools - and of organizations more generally - are vision, mission, and core values. The problem is most look at vision, mission, and core values as aspirational statements rather than as practical tools to guide both planning and action.
Vision offers clarity, enabling you to confer, communicate, and collaborate on what you’re seeking to accomplish, including the obstacles you must overcome. The opposite of clarity is confusion, and problems arise when people . . . including (or especially) bosses . . . are confused.
So, proactively work to ensure that neither you . . . nor your bosses or boards . . . are confused about what you seek to achieve.
Mission offers focus . . . prioritization . . . a plan to move from where to where you want to be, recognizing the challenges along the way and being responsive and adaptive as new challenges arise. The opposite of focus is overwhelm, and problems arise when people . . . including (or especially) bosses are overwhelmed.
So, proactively determine and agree upon priorities.
Values offer purpose . . . a grounding in why what you’re doing actually matters. Without shared purpose, there will be resistance. Problems arise when people are not able to bring their own values . . . their own sense of what truly matters . . . in complementary ways to the school’s shared vision, mission, and values.
So, proactively identify shared and individual purpose, and confer on ways individuals can bring their own values, and their own sense of purpose, in ways that contribute to shared purpose.
For more information take a look at: Getting Started As A Purpose Inspired Educator.
Step Two: When Things Go Awry, Pause And Ask Why
Often, when people become angry or distressed, what we’re viewing are symptoms, and not the cause. We witness stress and human stress responses: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. That’s true with our bosses and our boards, as well as with those we are responsible for serving . . . other administrators we supervise, teachers, support staff, and families.
When there’s a negative reaction, before responding to the symptom, bring people back to reflect on the cause. This will be easier if you’ve proactively invested time in step one, and are not underestimating the fundamentals. Pause and ask yourself, and others, what’s happening.
Is there confusion? If so, go back and work on vision.
Is there overwhelm? If so, go back and work on mission or rather implementation.
Is there resistance? If so, go back and work on values and purpose.
When leaders can do this work on the fundamentals together, rather than blaming one another, schools are able to make significant progress, even when facing challenges.
Reflecting on the school that eliminated my position so many years ago, I realize that:
I had neglected the fundamentals, and
When things began to go awry, I had not paused to ask why.
There was confusion and in the confusion radically different perspectives on vision.
There was overwhelm, and in the overwhelm radically different priorities.
There was resistance, and in the resistance fundamentally different perspectives on what actually mattered most for the success of the school.
But rather than pausing, and creating the space to ground ourselves in clarity, focus, and both shared and individual purpose, I forged forward. It didn’t work, leading to the board deciding they didn’t need a Head of School.
My leadership is different now, and if you’ve struggled with confusion, overwhelm, and resistance yours can be as well.
To get started, pick up your copy of: A School Leaders Guide To Working With the Grownups Without Losing Your Mind.