Board Leadership PD

School districts and nonprofits spend millions of dollars on professional development (PD) for teachers and/or staff. However, they spend very little on PD for the school or nonprofit’s “Leadership Team” (the superintendent/executive director and the board). This lack of investment in the education of the Leadership Team often leads to major conflicts between board members and the superintendent/executive director that negatively impacts the quality of the services provided to students/clients. The Board Leadership PD program utilizes the proprietary Intelligent Influence Framework^TM to ensure that the Leadership Team works together as effectively as they possibly can.

Boards and senior staff should go through this leadership training at least once a year to ensure that they are working together as effectively and efficiently as possible. The Board Leadership PD training is essential because it:

1)     Enhances the Collaboration between the Leadership Team

2)     Develops Common Goals and Objectives

3)     Clarifies Roles and Responsibilities

4)     Reviews the Mission Statement

5)     Reviews the Vision Statement

6)     Completes an annual Strategic SWOT Analysis

7)     Identifies and Prioritizes Key Issues

8)     Sets Clear Goals and Objectives

9)     Develops a Common District/Nonprofit Action Plan

10) Creates an Ongoing Monitoring and Communication Plan

Developing a Collaboration Plan

I have been on the New Brunswick Board of Education for 20 years and the Educational Services Commission of New Jersey for 19 years. I had the honor of being the New Jersey School Board Member of the Year in 2009. In addition, I have been the chair of the Asbury Park and New Brunswick Housing Authorities and the president of several different nonprofit boards. I therefore have several decades of experience as a school district and nonprofit board member. In addition, as the executive director of the Newark Alliance and the chief administrative officer of a public school, I know how to enhance the relationship between senior staff and the board in both schools and nonprofits. I have therefore learned how essential it is for boards to develop a “Collaboration Plan” with the superintendent/executive director to ensure that they are all on the “same page” when it comes to goals, objectives and communication. When this plan does not exist there is a much greater chance for conflict between the board and senior staff.

Many board training programs have limited effectiveness because they utilize a predetermined structure that is not customized to the specific needs of the participants. In contrast, our Board Leadership PD is specially designed to allow participants to work on their unique developmental needs in the way that is most effective for the long-term success of the district/nonprofit. Our objective in this training is to develop a “Leadership Team Collaboration Plan” that:

·       Leads to action

·       Builds a shared Leadership Team vision

·       Utilizes an inclusive process

·       Accepts accountability to the community and students

·       Is sensitive to the district/nonprofit’s operating environment

·       Can potentially lead to additional financial or other resources

·       Is based on quality data

·       Questions the status quo

·       Becomes a key part of the Leadership Team’s actions

·       Leads to effective monitoring of plan action steps

·       Establishes mutually beneficial relationships

Intelligent Influence^®

Our proprietary Board Leadership PD program provides high quality professional development custom designed to help both board members and senior staff through a four-step process that reintroduces them to themselves and each other. The program is built around the proprietary Intelligent Influence^® framework that I created that is defined as “a learned competency that leads to extraordinary results-driven by effective human interaction.”  

As human beings we all think the way we think, do what we do and accomplish what we accomplish because of influence. Influence is embedded in our notion of leadership, intrinsically understood by exceptional board members and senior executives to be the basis for organizational excellence, fundamental to the ability to manage staff effectively and inspire client engagement. Yet the importance of influence to organizational effectiveness and client services remains hidden even as it represents the key to success across all functions of a district/nonprofit. In my book, Intelligent Influence: The 4 Steps of Highly Successful Leaders and Organizations, I uncover the secrets of influence and present a unique approach to leadership and organizational success that provides insight into board and senior staff effectiveness.

Board Leadership PD

The Board Leadership PD is a hands-on training for board members and the superintendent/executive director. The training is typically three (3) to six (6) hours. The workshop is effective because it is structured in a way that ensures the maximum participation of participants regardless of their title or experience. The discussion is customized to the specific training needs of every person in the workshop. The first four segments provide the Intelligent Influence^® foundation needed to initiate an effective Collaboration Planning Process. The fifth and final segment is focused on the development of the Collaboration Plan. Each workshop retreat is divided into the following distinct segments:

Segment 1 is focused on enhancing workshop participant’s Influence Awareness^TM. In this segment, participants identify the most significant personal, business and education influences throughout their lives. This helps participants understand the foundation of their attitudes, perspectives and beliefs. It is an essential first step in enhancing collaboration.

Segment 2 is focused on Influence Impact^TM. Participants develop a detailed understanding of the six types of influence as well as their influence strengths and weaknesses.

Segment 3 is focused on Influence Management^TM. Participants identify the influence interventions they need to overcome their influence weaknesses.

Segment 4 is focused on Influence Maximization^TM. Participants develop strategic influence maximization plans that will help them excel in their role and help the district/nonprofit achieve its overall objectives.

Segment 5 consists of the development of a Leadership Team Collaboration Plan focused on the following:

Ø  Enhancing the Collaboration between the Leadership Team

Ø  Developing Common Goals and Objectives

Ø  Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities

Ø  Reviewing the Mission Statement

Ø  Reviewing the Vision Statement

Ø  Completing a Strategic SWOT Analysis

Ø  Identifying and Prioritizing Key Issues

Ø  Setting Clear Goals and Objectives

Ø  Developing a Common District/Nonprofit Action Plan

Ø  Creating an Ongoing Monitoring and Communication Plan

The cost of the training is based on the length of the session. We will work with your district or nonprofit to agree on a price that fits within your budget. Our objective is to use this groundbreaking proprietary workshop to increase the effectiveness of your unique Leadership Team. This program has been extremely effective with both school districts and nonprofit organizations. If you would like more information about the Board Leadership PD program, please contact me at DrDGCaldwell@gmail.com.