Effective Governance through. Leadership

Transcription

1 1 1 Effective Governance through Ethical Leadership

2 2 In this module, Trustees will explore: The components of ethical leadership The mul3ple facets of their role as leaders Key concepts of school board governance

3 3 Moral purpose and high standards are not something stated up front as a general wish. Moral purpose is powerful when it is embedded in all strategies and ac8ons.in a way that automa8cally and relentlessly reminds people every day that educa8on reform is a ma<er of moral purpose of utmost importance to us individually and collec8vely. Michael Fullan, All Systems Go

4 4 Se=ng the condi3ons that will provide a high quality educa3on for every student to succeed in school and in life is the absolute first priority of a school. It is why trustees, without excep3on, undertake to work effec3vely as a member of a team to support the higher moral purpose of the school board.

5 5 The goals of publically funded educa3on are: Achieving Excellence: Children and students of all ages will achieve high levels of academic performance, acquire valuable skills and demonstrate good ci3zenship. Educators will be supported in learning con3nuously and will be recognized as among the best in the world. Ensuring Equity: All children and students will be inspired to reach their full poten3al, with access to rich learning experiences that begin at birth and con3nue in adulthood. Promo7ng Well- Being: All children and students will develop enhanced mental and physical health, a posi3ve sense of self and belonging, and skills to make posi3ve choices. Enhancing Public Confidence: Ontarians will con3nue to have confidence in a publicly funded educa3on system that helps develop new genera3ons of confident, capable and caring ci3zens.

6 6 As an individual board member it is important to be clear about one s own values and aspira3ons. The place to start is self- assessment.

7 7 This involves asking ourselves ques3ons such as: What values should guide my ac3ons as a leader? How do I best set an example for others? How do I ar3culate a vision of the future when things are so unpredictable? How do I improve my ability to inspire others toward a common purpose? How do I create an environment that promotes innova3on and risk? How do I build a cohesive and spirited team? How do I share power and informa3on and s3ll maintain accountability? How do I put more joy and celebra3on into our efforts? What is the source of self- confidence required to lead others? How do I go about improving my leadership abili3es?

8 8 There are 5 core leadership practices: Se=ng Goals Aligning Resources with Priori3es Promo3ng Collabora3ve Learning Cultures Using Data Engaging in Courageous Conversa3ons

9 9 What is governance? The elected board is responsible for the success of the organiza3on in terms of its purpose. It does this by providing oversight, direc3on se=ng and decision making through a governance process which includes defining roles, rela3onships, structures and processes. Governance embraces the highest levels of effec3veness and, for each trustee, it involves a commitment to ethical leadership, to con3nuous learning and to long- term development.

10 10 Authentic Governance: The Roles of a School Board In order to be effec3ve in focusing the organiza3on to be successful, the elected board plays four broad roles: I. Covering the Basics: The Board s Fiduciary Role II. III. IV. Big Picture Thinking: The Board s Strategic Role Con3nuous Improvement: The Board s Innova3ve Role Promo3ng Community Engagement: The Board s Societal Role

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12 12 I. Covering the Basics: The Board s Fiduciary Role The elected Board of Trustees has the responsibility to competently protect the interests, image and credibility of the school board, to ensure its financial viability, and to act in accordance with all applicable laws, regula3ons and policies governing the board or enacted by the government.

13 13 II. Big Picture Thinking: The Board s Strategic Role Who are we as a governing board? What environment are we opera3ng in? What capacity do we have to create posi3ve change? What are the issues we want to address? What difference do we want to make? How do we know that we are governing effec3vely? What are the cri3cal or priority issues to focus on first? How should we direct our resources?

14 14 III. Continuous Improvement: The Board s Innovative Role Thinking, researching, ques3oning Contextual and authen3c leadership Dialogue and openness Valuing diversity Non- linear, divergent, out- of- the- box and crea3ve thinking Exploring new concepts Developing scenarios Non- rou3ne and sincere conversa3ons

15 15 IV. Promoting Community Engagement: The Board s Societal Role A school board and its schools are not isolated en33es. They are intricately linked to: the lives of families the local community parallel organiza3ons in the community the provincial government structure to the na3on world at large through the dual responsibili3es of ensuring that children graduate from school with competencies to be successful in a global economy, and with the values and character that equip them to contribute to a civil society.

16 16 What collaborative relationships does a board of trustees need to build? Families first and foremost Other levels of local government and community agencies External partners business leaders Poli3cal Leaders

17 17 Educa8on is a human right with immense power to transform. On its founda8on rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development. Statement by Kofi Annan, Former Secretary- General, United Na3ons