The Middle Miles Problem and Board Churn

Many people are familiar with the "Last Mile Problem," from the use of that term in the telecommunications and data industries. It refers to the logistics and expense associated with getting the signal that last mile (or less) from a hub to an individual home or business. Building the central system is relatively easy; finishing the last mile is expensive and difficult.Educational institutions sometimes have a "Middle Miles Problem;" that is, the struggle in new initiatives comes not at the beginning or the end, but with the middle zone when maintaining energy and focus becomes a challenge. In independent and international schools with rapid board member churn, the Middle Miles Problem is fueled by the diminishing level of institutional memory and context that happens with each year. Staying the course just gets harder and harder.New board members would do well to keep in mind that they are joining a relay race already in progress. Their job, often, is to grab the baton, run fast, and deliver it to another pair of hands as they leave the board. Only infrequently does the job include rethinking the race itself.