Engaging with their public in a meaningful way has proved to be one of the most daunting challenges for many of the boards we have worked with over the years. We have struggled to understand why that is. It almost defies logic to think that a public board whose members were elected by the public […]
We have found that Board efforts to communicate within the community is bedeviled by angst, fear, and often a lack of skills. Outreach sometimes is dominated by one member and his/her message. Other boards delegate board communications to the administration and fail to activate the board’s unique engagement role.The result? Failure to build public understanding […]
Virtual board meetings. How are they working for you?StiltedUnfocusedEasy to disengageEasier to say inflammatory thingsUnchecked monologuesPoor image or sound projection (so irritating!)Some quick advice that translates to any video conferencing on your schedule, board room or from home.Get the lighting right. Practice with natural lighting and lamps. The inability to see someone hampers the ability […]
Public boards trying to deal with angry constituents is a challenge. All the “what if” moments to consider – while hoping those what-if events won’t happen. Not to you. Not to your board or Superintendent. Not in your community.We know that district leaders are reeling from the acrimonious attacks at board meetings. For some individual […]
One of our books quotes a former client who said: “Implementing this thing isn’t easy.”We acknowledge him to be correct. The basic implementation processes, the commitment to focus on outcomes rather than strategies, the board’s pre-planning of its own work and agenda, the practice of actually governing from the level of policy rather than tinkering […]
“Clarifying the value system and breathing life into it are the greatest contributions a leader can make.”Dr. Randy Quinn and Linda J. Dawson, senior partnersAGI Aspen Group Intl, LLC. July 2021Few of us have lived in times such as those we have shared during the two years just past. The world and nation likely have faced […]
We have been following equity work across the country with former and current clients as well as other schools districts. Really good work is being done! Four existing OE policies updated for focus on equity – Global OE, Personnel Administration, Learning Environment, and Instructional Program.
How do you handle colleagues who resist teamwork? A board is more than a collection of individuals. Every respected authority on the functioning of boards suggests that for a board to be effective as an entity entrusted to govern an organization on behalf of its owners, it must act as a single unit.
The enormously high rate of superintendent turnover in this country is legendary. When a superintendent’s departure is involuntary, both the board and the superintendent usually engage in the blame game. And there usually are no winners at the end of the game.
What is it about governing an organization that makes it such a formidable challenge? by Linda J. Dawson and Dr. Randy Quinn Some organizations seem to govern well. Results show in the form of high achievement, good interpersonal relations, an organization that operates effectively and efficiently, and strong public or member confidence and support. But for […]