Tips for finding and developing a great "next generation" of board leadership...
(numbers for reference only)
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PRE-CANDIDACY SEASON
1. Encourage key volunteers/leaders in your system and community – “Have you ever considered being a board member…?”
2. Invite "interested leaders" to three board meetings in a row, each with an early greeting time just prior to the official meeting
3. Invite “interested leaders” to a process similar to a series of sessions, specifically designed to envision and equip potential members for the challenges facing the district and the teamWORK needed for great governing
4. News release/coverage of the election cycle, qualities of excellent boards…
5. Begin using CASB assets for the cycle (letter to editor, news release concepts, online resources, critical issues sheet, special session at fall regionals…)
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CANDIDACY SEASON
6. Encourage/host a local candidates night, coffee, breakfast…
7. Join together with area boards to host a regional candidates night featuring a wisdom panel of veterans, presentations by CASB staffers and open discussion
8. Provide candidates with documents from your work to be a highly-effective governance team
9. Specifically invite candidates to all governance meetings or major opportunities with constituents
10. Have “focus sessions,” hosted by a board member and a key administrator, to help candidates develop depth with the team’s top priorities (increasing student achievement, financial stability, staff support and development, community engagement, governance effectiveness…)
11. Add candidates to your “announcement of meetings”
12. Deliver a candidate’s version of each board packet
13. Veteran-candidate “buddy” process of coffees, phone calls or pre/post meeting chats
14. Invest in each candidate to attend the CASB regional and fall conference (cover registration, ride together, debrief, discuss at next regular meeting…)
15. Send candidates copies of CASB communications
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JUST-ELECTED SEASON
16. Celebrate the “swearing in moment” with special reception, stories and mementos involving veterans and retirees
17. Have a new team discussion of hopes and priorities within a month of the election
18. Veteran-rookie “buddy” process for first three months
19. Clarify the new team’s framework of excellence by the end of January [mission, goals, roles, core values/norms…]
20. Whole team travel and participation in the CASB convention (road-trip stories, pre-convention track for new members, team “attack” plan for the convention, what-are-we-discovering team coffees every day, learning discussion at first meeting upon return…)
21. Develop a quarterly “learning community” with area teams or area new members
22. Use CASB's Leadership WORKbook, website resources and GreatGoverning blog as constant support s for advancing your individual and team effectiveness
23. Contact your CASB staff – confidential counsel, research and direct services are as close as 800-530-8430, 303-832-1000, 303-832-1086 (fax)
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CONSTANT MODELING
24. Clarify, declare and “live well” the governance team’s mission, roles, goals, operating norms, and values
25. Work to be supportive and healthily challenging of each member of the governance team (elected and paid members) and the team in general
26. Align the agenda (the map of the team’s time and energy) to the mission, roles, goals and values
27. Emphasize listening and learning, constantly
28. “Majoring in the majors, not the minors” a key habit
29. Develop an ongoing strategy to encourage and develop the “next generation” of governance
30. Ensure the development of members and the team is a planned and ongoing investment by all
For more information, contact CASB’s Randy Black, 800.530.8430, 303.832.1000, rblack@casb.org
