Independent school business officers face a dilemma almost every day. You are charged with identifying, leading and implementing world-class business practices within school cultures that are at best not inclined—and at times downright averse—to accept such practices as desired attributes. This is not a problem to be fixed. It is a dilemma to be managed.
In a recent podcast called “The Levers and Pulleys of Financial Sustainability,” and more recently in his deep dive at the 2016 NBOA Annual Meeting, my colleague Howard Teibel articulated this important distinction. The culture of independent schools is formed by every community member who lives their school’s mission: faculty, administrators and the students and families we serve. Very few among us want our culture to feel like a corporation; in fact, the business officer graveyard is filled with well-intended professionals who explicitly stated their “get-to-business” goals.
By comparison, NBOA’s own research data show us time and time again that business officers who succeed at independent schools do so not solely by virtue of their technical skills or business-savvy, but because they understand how to apply those skills and processes in ways that are compatible with the unique culture of their schools.
This dilemma takes on even greater importance in light of current realities challenging many schools’ ability to secure a financially sustainable future, be responsive to student and parental demands, and keep pace with a preK–12 educational landscape that values innovation and 21st-century learning methodologies. Business officers and other leaders must advance business-like rigor against the backdrop of school cultures that in many cases have enjoyed success for decades without considering that eventuality.
I’ve worked in nonprofit management my entire career. Like many of you, I’m drawn to organizations that bring people together for a common cause, are mission-oriented and/or provide services to support and elevate a profession. I’m proud of this distinction, and most successful business officers I know feel the same way. How do these individuals manage the big dilemma, you ask? My advice is to be present within your school. Advocate for financial resources that are aligned with your school’s core mission and purpose. Offer resource alternatives that will sustain your school financially in the long term. Communicate business and financial matters in non-business and non-financial terms. Above all, stay connected to your NBOA colleagues who face similar dilemmas every day.
