From the Field: Performing at Your Best
By Reatha Owen
Practicing good governance is fundamental to the success of a school district. How can boards improve their governance?
An effective board must first determine its level of performance as a governance team. According to the classic work of the late Bruce Tuckman, a pioneer in the study of educational psychology and group dynamics, teams generally progress through four stages of team development: Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing.
Every time — when new members are elected or appointed, or when a new superintendent has been hired — new team members come together to govern, the conversation about team development needs to take place.
Let’s take a look at what Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing are and how a team can get to the performance level as quickly as possible.
Stage 1: Forming
You only get one chance to make a first impression. At this stage of team development, most people “play nice” because they want to be accepted. This is where people get to know each other and learn about the work of the board. Forming raises the questions: What is the board working towards, and why? For the forming stage, keep in mind:
- New board member orientation is key at this stage. What is the role of the board, the board’s relationship with the superintendent, district priorities, etc.
- Define the board’s purpose, processes, and goals that assist with understanding board responsibilities and ground rules. Remember Foundational Principle 1: The Board Clarifies the District Purpose.
- Learning how the education system functions takes time and is more complicated than one would think. Take time with new members to build their knowledge and ask questions.
This stage can be frustrating for many because the focus is on gathering information instead of taking action. It takes time and patience to learn the ropes.
Stage 2: Storming
The storming stage connects with Foundational Principle 6: The Board Takes Responsibility for Itself. All of the stages relate to how the board chooses to do its work, but this is particularly evident in storming. As members begin to get comfortable and the apprehensions from the forming stage have diminished, they will question current practices of the board and voice opinions that may bring conflict to the surface. These clashes occur due to different personalities and work styles that may lead to resentments and/or irritations that can negatively affect the team’s performance. Considerations for the storming phase include:
- Anticipate conflict. The team must have a process to resolve these challenges and misunderstandings in order to move forward.
- Build trust within the team. The Trust Edge by David Horsager is a great resource on building trust.
- Rely on board policies and established board norms/protocols with a commitment to
- enforce them.
- Create an environment that encourages open dialogue that is professional and resolves conflict with a non-judgmental approach.
Storming, too, can be a challenging time. Some teams get stuck in this stage. This is a time for experienced board members to model good teamwork and behaviors.
Stage 3: Norming
Norming is where the team dynamics and a sense of shared purpose develop. Team members settle into their governing role and are willing to collaborate and focus on the greater good and what is needed to promote the success of every student in the district. With sincere collaboration, the individual moves to the team, and everyone moves from “I” and “me” to “we” and “us.” In the norming stage, consider the following:
- Continue to build trust within the team. As trust increases, team effectiveness follows.
- Keep district goals and mission as the primary focus and monitor progress on a regular basis. This is Foundational Principle 5: The Board Monitors Performance.
- Ensure all members are engaged in board work and contribute to team effectiveness.
- Adhere to board protocols/norms and board policies. They are there to guide the work of the board.
Keep in mind that at any time, the team may go back to the storming stage when faced with a challenge, be it from staff, students, the community, or otherwise. Remain open to new ideas and ensure conflicts are addressed and handled in a professional manner.
Stage 4: Performing
The team is stable and considered high-performing when it meets the performing stage. Members are fully committed to the board’s purpose and are competently accomplishing established goals. A process for resolving conflict has been established and implemented when necessary. For the performing stage, keep in mind:
- Continue to encourage collaboration in maintaining a visioning role.
- Encourage creative conflict that can lead to new ideas.
- Take time to celebrate achievements.
- Share your success story with the community.
- Seek professional development opportunities for the team to reflect on effective governance an identify steps for improvement.
In order for the governing team to effectively implement IASB’s Foundational Principles of Effective Governance, functioning at the fourth phase of development, performing, is a must.
As you anticipate changes to your board team, need to move a team out of storming, or even if you are comfortably performing, take time to assess what stage your governance team is at, and what it needs to practice to move to the next stage or improve at its current stage. If you are struggling between the storming and norming stages, consider reaching out to your IASB Field Services Director to set up a board conversation that can be held in closed session — to facilitate group discussion on where the team is and create steps that will lead to consistent performing.