This is the second article in a three-part series on the relationships between the Board Chair, the Principal and the Business Manager in a school. In this series, Craig D’cruz, National Education Consultant at CompliSpace, explores how the human relationships between these three people are determined by their roles and responsibilities and the governance and leadership structure within the school. In Part Two of this series, Craig examines the relationship between the Board Chair and the Principal.

The appointment of the Chair varies according to the constitution of the school. In many parent or community controlled schools, the Board is elected from within the community - usually at an Annual General Meeting (AGM).  The Chair can be elected at the AGM or may be elected by the governing body. In a school whose constitution uses a Board of Directors Model, the Chair is likely to be appointed to the role and will usually, but not necessarily, have been a member of the governing body.

The Principal of the school is usually appointed by the Board and is, therefore, responsible and accountable to the Board for implementing and fulfilling the school’s mission. Ford argues that the Principal’s employment contract forms the foundation of his or her relationship with the Board and hence, the Chair. The Chair represents the employer and should maintain some professional distance from the Principal. At the same time, the Chair may be the only person who fully understands the complexities and dimensions of the Principal’s role and is, therefore, well-placed to act as a sounding board, confidante and supporter. It has been said that the Chair should be the Principal’s biggest fan!

In addition, the relationship between the Chair and the Principal can vary according to a position on the timeline of the Principal’s appointment. For example, the relationship will vary from the initial appointment phase, where the Chair takes a more guiding role for a neophyte principal, to providing support and professional development through the bulk of the Principal’s tenure and it may change again at the conclusion of the Principal’s tenure. This is particularly obvious if the conclusion of the tenure is for any matter relating to poor performance.

It can be argued that the relationship between a Chair and a Principal is the most important relationship within the school and that it should be one of two people working in tandem. They each should have their own distinctive roles and their own strengths and qualifications, but together they can achieve outcomes that would eventually reflect positively on student success. The Chair and the Principal could not possibly work completely independently without ultimately undermining school life. No matter how it is described, almost all modern research regarding the Principal-Chair relationship indicates that there is no question that the quality of the relationship between the Chair and the Principal is a critical factor in the success of school operations and development. The pursuit of the aims and objectives of the school, the quality of its administration and even the level of student success can be influenced by the strength and the vitality of this team working together.

Regardless of legal and governance requirements to maintain a clear segregation between governance and management, the sharing of some responsibilities between the Principal and the Board include grey areas. Such ambiguity is evident in the event of a crisis or in schools that are in the early stages of development or a major expansion. It can also occur if there is a new and inexperienced Chair or Principal or, unfortunately, if a Principal or the Chair is simply not fulfilling his or her duties to a competent level. Therefore, it is important that the Chair and the Principal have a respectful, open and close relationship.

Where the lines of responsibility are blurred, and this does happen from time-to-time, it is essential that there be clear communication between the Chair and the Principal.

Elements of a successful relationship

There are several strategies and working patterns that can help to create a successful relationship between the Principal and Chair. They include:

• Having a clear understanding of each other’s roles;
• Ensuring a positive, professional, ethical and productive working relationship;
• Accepting that the Chair and the Principal work in tandem and their roles complement each other. The Chair does not run the school and the Principal does not run the Board;
• Being the channel of communication between the Board and the school- this is a crucial matter that, if not followed, results in communication breakdown and conflict regarding lines of accountability;
• Having respect for and confidence in, each person’s ability to fulfil his or her responsibilities and duties;
• Sharing of information regularly and transparently;
• Having mutual trust and respect (ensuring that each does not hold back relevant information -  there should be no surprises);
• Not undermining the other’s authority; and
• Having a clear understanding that the Chair and Principal should act as sounding boards, both supporting and challenging, in order to hold the school to account for achieving the school’s mission and the goals and targets that have been set by the Board.

In order to reduce the likelihood of conflict, which can be a high-risk issue in a school, it is important that the roles, responsibilities, delegations and authority of the Principal and the Chair are clearly defined and understood. One of the most effective ways of minimising the potential for conflict is to establish formal, documented procedures or practices for the key elements of the Chair/Principal relationship.

It is also essential to have formal succession plans for Chairs so that the Principal does not have to spend an inordinate amount of time developing a relationship with a Chair who is possibly not only new to the role but also to the school. This is especially important in parent/community owned schools where the Chair is elected at the AGM. It is possible for the Principal to have a brand-new Chair every year!

In conclusion, to paraphrase only slightly what John Carver wrote over 25 years ago:

It is often said that the most important task of a Board is the choice of Principal.  Although choice is surely important, the establishment of an effective relationship is even more important. Good Principals have been rendered ineffective as a result of poor relationships with their Boards. Poor Principals have been allowed to remain because of inadequate structured relationships with their Boards.

In the next and final article, Craig will examine the relationship between the triumvirate; the Board Chair, the Principal and the Business Manager.