A Dozen Questions Boards Should Ask During and After a Crisis
Moderated a panel discussion today for the North Carolina Association of Independent Schools (NCAIS) Heads, Trustees, and CFOs Conference with three trustees from member schools who spoke about how their boards comported themselves during a recent crisis. An attendee asked me after the session for recommendations about what questions the board should ask when a crisis erupts. To follow are a dozen grouped by category.
Strategic Implications
What potential long-term impacts could this situation have on our school’s mission and sustainability?
How does this scenario align with or challenge our current strategic priorities?
What precedent would our decisions or actions in this case set for future situations?
Risk Assessment
What are the key risks we need to consider beyond the immediate issue?
How might different stakeholder groups react to each potential course of action?
What compliance or regulatory considerations should influence our approach?
Governance Process
What information would we need from school administration to make an informed decision?
How should responsibilities be divided between the board and administrative leadership in this situation?
What oversight mechanisms should we put in place to monitor the outcomes?
Ethical Considerations
How do the various options align with our organization's values and culture?
What ethical tensions exist between different stakeholder interests?
How might this decision affect public trust in our school?
Learning Opportunities
What aspects of our current policies or procedures could have prevented this situation?
How could we strengthen our early warning systems to identify similar issues sooner?
What lessons from this case should inform our future governance practices?