Leadership of Schools and the Longevity of Heads

Key Issues Long term heads lead to healthier schools Heads and Trustees turn over too quickly Board structure and behavior affect head tenure Leadership styles of heads affect head tenure Head tenure affects faculty morale and growth, school stability, financial health Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford &Associates

The Sad State of Head Turnover 70% to 80% of all heads are fired today 30 years ago, they left on their own Today’s head faces more pressures Today’s head is a target Heads need a reservoir of political capital Boards need to help build that reservoir Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

The Beginning and Often the End New Heads must “lay low in the weeds” Transitions are crucial and take up to three years In years two and three heads are often fired The third year the head may expect to cross the Rubicon By year 5, the school is beginning to reflect the head’s leadership and vision Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Leadership Styles Drivers are decision makers who may succeed and last long term if they survive the first three years Expressives and amiables last longer, but then may be fired as unresolved issues surface Analyticals tend to be the survivors, the real long term heads Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

The Head’s Impact Begins after 6 to 8 years Fund raising potential gains momentum The head understands the culture and political realities Stronger trustees are attracted to a “winning” school Faculty respond to leadership and vision Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

There is No Recommended Head Tenure Heads can be effective in year 1 and may be effective after 30 to 40 years Head tenure relates to health of the Board, and health and leadership of the head Great legacies are left by long term heads Frank Boyden served 67 years at Deerfield Byron Forbush served 38 years at Baltimore Friends Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Disappearance of Long Term Heads Long term Trustees have disappeared Long serving chairs are rare School bylaws force the turnover of valuable trustees The result: Long term heads have disappeared Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

The Loss of Institutional Memory School mission and stability depend on long serving trustees who hold the mission in “trust” Long serving trustees select long serving chairs Long serving chairs build lasting partnerships with long serving heads Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

The Committee on Trustees is the Most Powerful and Important Committee The Committee on Trustees preserves institutional memory It is the responsibility of the COT to evaluate all trustees and officers regularly The COT creates a healthy board: a mix of parents, alumni, past parents and community leaders Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

The Pendulum has Swung Too Far There should be no term limits for Trustees There should be no term limit for chairs Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Link of Head and Chair The value of long term Chairs Chairs should serve at least three to five years Heads usually cannot survive their fourth board chair Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Trustee Service/Longevity of Heads Schools need stability as well as change Trustee turnover is dangerous as power vacuums develop and are filled by faculty and parents Board members need to think of themselves as “Trustees”, not directors or governors Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Board Members May Be Too Involved Frequent Head turnover creates power vacuums filled by trustees Intrusive Boards occur at times of head transition or weakness Over-extended boards become exhausted and make poor decisions Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

The Frequent Turnover of Heads Creates a Power Vacuum Elementary day schools fire their heads the most Day schools fire their heads more than boarding schools Parent boards fire more than mixed boards Professionals fire more than business people Frequent head turnover creates power vacuums that attract trustees, parents and teachers Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford &Associates

Healthy Schools Cultures are Damaged by Head Turnover Parents and teachers engage in the dangerous practice of skipping channels and crossing boundaries Leadership opportunities are lost Legacies are not created The community becomes suspicious Fund raising declines Admissions suffers Alumni have little pride Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Long Term Heads Know How to Manage the Board Smaller boards are better Fewer subcommittees are better The education and personnel committees are the most dangerous The Board must nurture the head The Head must nurture each board member Heads have as many “bosses” as there are trustees Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

The Power and the Danger of the Head/Chair Partnership 80% of weak boards are due to poor head-chair partnerships 20% of weak boards are due to overly close partnerships Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Institutional Memory Again Chair should stay on the Executive Committee at least one year after serving as Chair Executive Committee members should have the option to be reelected annually Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Long Term Heads are Not “Joiners” Long term heads mind the store Long term heads stay home and know the constituencies Long term heads know the faculty and their families Long term heads try to stay in touch with the key constituencies Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Long Term Heads are Visionaries They are fervent about the mission They speak to their vision frequently Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Long Term Heads Have Stable Families Supportive spouses or partners are crucial Boards need to nurture the head’s family Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Long Term Heads Tend to Hire Number One’s Strong heads hire strong staff Strong heads are not reluctant to lose staff to head other schools Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Long Term Heads Make Their Management Pattern Clear Long term heads are clear to the faculty about their role as heads and management style Long term heads are predictable Long term heads are also mysterious Long term heads consult but ultimately make decisions Long term heads learn not to make decisions too quickly as issues sometimes resolve themselves Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Long Term Heads Do Not Bend in the Wind They focus on the mission and adhere to it They do not drift by bowing to the latest group of disgruntled constituents Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Long Term Heads Hire Faculty Carefully They hire for character and not just skills They hire by balancing the demographics of the faculty to ensure the right “mix” They hire to ensure faculty support the mission Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Long Term Heads Know the Power of the Committee on Trustees The Committee on Trustees does the following: Cultivates, screens, selects, orients, trains, evaluates, warns and removes trustees Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Long Term Heads Usually Know When to Quit Long term heads usually give plenty of notice of their intent to retire or leave Long term heads generally know they have to back off for a year or two after departing Long term heads have enormous political capital and fund raising potential Long term heads are valuable assets, even after retirement Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates

Long Term Heads Are Needed Especially in times of stress, crisis and change Confidential: Intellectual Property of Littleford & Associates