Every school board dreams of hiring a great leader—someone who can transform their school from good to great. They believe the right leader will solve all their challenges: fundraising will soar, attrition will drop, enrollment will skyrocket, teachers will thrive and be happier, families will love the school, students will embrace learning, and everyone will rally around athletics and extracurriculars. That new gym, auditorium, or even gymnatorium will finally get built, and the school will return to its mission. These hopes aren’t wrong; great leaders are transformational. But no leader accomplishes a transformation single-handedly, and many boards lack the type of firm foundation that would attract such a leader and give them the support to excel.
So, what does it take to attract a great leader? My work leading Arcadia’s executive search team has shown me a few recurring themes. First, boards must articulate a compelling, inspiring mission. Many imagine that creating and upholding a clear mission is the head of school’s job. It isn’t. It’s the board’s most important responsibility. Transformational leaders, the kind boards dream of, are drawn first and foremost to a mission—not pay, facilities, or location. A board hires a leader to execute that mission, because great leaders don’t just get things done; they inspire those around them to be great, and that only happens by leading toward a unifying, inspiring vision. Unfortunately, many boards struggle to define this vision clearly. When boards take Arcadia’s health assessment and are asked, “How many board members can repeat the school’s mission verbatim?” the answer is almost always “zero.” If you want a great leader, gather your board now and figure this out.
Second, boards must be healthy. This means they know their purpose, are well-organized to carry it forward, are motivated and engaged, and are unified. If a governing board acts like an advisory board, or an advisory board oversteps its role, friction with the head of school often follows, sometimes spilling over to faculty and staff. Even if a board knows its purpose, disorganization—poor meetings, unclear decisions, or lack of support—can frustrate a leader hired to execute the mission. If any board members are disengaged, it signals that greatness is optional, and the best leaders, who would never tolerate disengaged faculty, won’t accept it from a board.
Unity is particularly critical for a board’s health. Boards must do the work outlined in Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team—building trust, embracing healthy conflict, ensuring commitment, upholding accountability, and focusing on results—or they’ll never be unified. A divided board is vulnerable to triangulation from parents or faculty, which undermines leaders. No great leader wants to constantly look over their shoulder, worried an angry parent will ambush them via the board.
Finally, great leaders often ask how boards will support their growth. The best leaders always seek to improve. Boards must invest in the continued development of their head of school and themselves. Make this change now: set aside funds for coaching and education for your current or incoming leader, and insist they use those funds. Great leaders lead through the mission, build healthy organizations, and want to work for boards that share these principles.