By Deanna Mayer, CPA, CFO, MSBO Board President, Director of Finance and Human Resources, Eastern Upper Peninsula ISD
The MSBO Nominations Committee has recommended their slate for the MSBO 2022 Board of Director’s election. I am glad to say that MSBO’s campaign season is a little different from the national campaign season that many of us have learned to disregard and despise.
MSBO’s Board candidates want to give back to an organization that has helped them in their careers of working for and supporting Michigan schools. The role governance places a crucial part of serving on the MSBO Board and is a subject that many new board members have not experienced before. The benefits are two-fold. Serving as a board member means creating the MSBO of the future and ensuring we continue to meet our member’s needs. The second benefit, perhaps, is board members learn what it means to serve on a board, which may change their perception of the role and difficulties their school district’s board member’s face.
MSBO Board members are servant leaders. Our main goal is to ensure that MSBO meets the needs of its members and provides programming and services that benefit all areas of school management. We also take time away from our personal lives to serve on the MSBO Board, but this makes each of us better leaders and creates a “family” among board members as we work together to ensure MSBO is the best organization for our Michigan school business officials.
I recently had the opportunity to attend ASBO’s Leadership Forum. It was networking opportunity with peers across the nation as well as developing and advancing leadership skills. One session, drilled down on the skills that can help us all in the positions we serve in our district.
Paul Krismer shared his expertise on Leaders as Role Models. The focus was on learning how to move from supervisor to leader to role model within your sphere of influence. He focused on a leadership style that promotes resiliency and empowerment, so your staff members feel fulfilled reaching organizational goals. This is servant leadership.
We must know what kind of leaders we are and then consciously make the decision to change. Krismer talked about how we all have a go to, default style that has served us through the years. All of us need to understand what that style is and if needed make a change.
To create a positive work environment, we must know not only ourselves at that deep level, but also the members of our team. By knowing and understanding each other better, we can appreciate difference and capitalize on the various strengths we all have. This understanding has served me in both my office culture as well as a board member the past six years.
Think about your leadership style and determine whether it is effective and whether your team is performing at the highest level. And if it’s not working – change it. And also take some time to read the profiles of the candidates running for the MSBO Board. Who you elect will be the next servant leaders that guide MSBO into the future.
Other Articles in this Newsletter
- 2022 MSBO Annual Conference Early Bird Registration is Open
- Are You an Emerging Leader?
- Don’t Miss Out on These Professional Development Opportunities
- Dynamic Budget – Forecasting at Your Fingertips
- Get to Know Your 2022 MSBO Board of Directors Candidates
- MISEC/Brite Solar Opportunity for all Michigan Schools
- MSBO Bylaws and Resolutions Committee Proposes Amending Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation
- MSBO Update – David Martell
- Supporting Each Other is a Journey – Mary Beth Rogers
- Welcome New Members