So what do we do with this?
This week I've been writing (see here and here) about Greenleaf's concern with the role of both trustees and the chief executive/internal leadership within organizations.
Regarding trustees the problem lies: in a board that is often formed merely to satisfy legal requirements; and in a board that is not asked to actually lead and question the assumptions that administrators make, but only intervene when necessary. One needs to look no further than yesterday's post about American University to see what happens when a board is not taking on the responsibility of leading and serving the institution.
So what, then, does Greenleaf propose? Well, to start, institutions need to have a board that does not include the administrators of the institution. Second, boards need to initiate and shape the character of the institution and be willing to examine the wisdom and decisions of the administration. Third, trustees need a new view of people in their institutional roles. The view is simply "No person is complete; no one is to be entrusted with all. Completeness is to be found only in the complementary talents of several who relate as equals."
An ideal organizational structure for Greenleaf would look like this: A board of trustees that operates with a primus; and an administrative team that operates with a primus. (See here and here for an explanation of primus inter pares). More to come about this set-up in future weeks.
Regarding trustees the problem lies: in a board that is often formed merely to satisfy legal requirements; and in a board that is not asked to actually lead and question the assumptions that administrators make, but only intervene when necessary. One needs to look no further than yesterday's post about American University to see what happens when a board is not taking on the responsibility of leading and serving the institution.
So what, then, does Greenleaf propose? Well, to start, institutions need to have a board that does not include the administrators of the institution. Second, boards need to initiate and shape the character of the institution and be willing to examine the wisdom and decisions of the administration. Third, trustees need a new view of people in their institutional roles. The view is simply "No person is complete; no one is to be entrusted with all. Completeness is to be found only in the complementary talents of several who relate as equals."
An ideal organizational structure for Greenleaf would look like this: A board of trustees that operates with a primus; and an administrative team that operates with a primus. (See here and here for an explanation of primus inter pares). More to come about this set-up in future weeks.
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