From Transparency to Accountability: Building Stronger School Communities

Dr. Christopher S. Culver

Happy Day! Hope you’re having a great summer and a great start to the week. Many of my friends and colleagues have returned to work on July 15th, and I wish them well in their new school year.

Recently, I shared a blog post entitled “July” that highlights things leaders can do as they embark upon a new school year: listen, communicate, be present, and be flexible. (If you haven't read it yet, I've linked it above). These actions are critical for bolstering relationships as we engage with new learners, teachers, experiences, and families. However, it's equally important to quickly establish these relationships on a foundation of trust.

Staff members may be new, or you may have the same staff as last year, but you will have new families, students, and community members who will eventually be involved with your school and its community. Therefore, it's important that they trust you and your team to have a successful year. Remember, it takes all of us to make the school go round. We must work together as a collaborative team.

I recently listened to the new Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, Dr. Thomas Taylor, in his welcome video. He emphasized the importance of hearing from the community and building trust with them. He explained that trust comes down to two critical components: transparency and accountability. I couldn't agree more. Trust is essential for everyone, regardless of age, profession, or role within an organization.

Research suggests that when you break someone's trust, it is four times more difficult to regain it. Remember when you lied to your family as a little kiddo? Or perhaps you were the perfect child. If so, think about when a student first lied to you and how you felt. It’s the same theory and practice.

To gain trust from stakeholders, we have to be transparent and maintain high levels of accountability. So what does that look like? It’s more than just buzzwords – there are critical steps you can take to help foster this environment.

Transparency:

1. Communicate: Clearly communicate what is happening in the organization. As leaders, it is essential to communicate all the moving pieces to avoid confusion, lack of clarity, or even stories being created. By communicating with your team and guiding them through the process—good, bad, ugly, and everything in between—you build trust and assure them that you have their back.

2. Be open about your intentions: Clearly explain your goals, aspirations, and expectations. This reduces misunderstandings and ensures clear communication. Do not be afraid to explain information to your team. This builds trust.

3. Explain the why: Provide the reasoning behind decisions and actions to foster understanding and buy-in. Avoiding misunderstandings is critical. The generation today wants to know the reason behind decisions. Doing this as frequently as possible builds trust. While I recognize that there may be some situations in which you may not be able to share, there are ways we can still communicate about them and foster trust.

4. Have an open-door policy: Encourage open communication and make yourself accessible to your team. Be visible – your stakeholders want to see you. Be available to meet with people, or set up a scheduling system that allows you to have meetings and/or appointments with individuals. This helps foster trust.

Accountability:

1. Set goals and measurables: Hold yourself accountable to hold your team accountable. Use data to drive decisions and set specific goals. Regularly report on progress to maintain transparency and accountability. As a building leader and executive leader, I always shared data about discipline, attendance, and academics, and reminded teams of our goals.

2. Hold everyone accountable: Ensure that all team members are responsible for their actions and contributions. The old adage is true – what you permit, you promote; what you allow, you encourage. Everyone has to be accountable to ensure that the organization is moving forward. We have to hold ourselves accountable, too. When we make mistakes or slip up, we have to own that and learn from it to move forward.

3. Be honest with yourself and others: Self-reflection and honesty are critical to maintaining integrity and trust. Reflect at the end of each day, or situation, and inquire with yourself about what you learned from something. If you want to really bolster your trust with the team, be vulnerable and share with individuals as a reflection of your leadership.

4. Seek feedback: Regularly ask for feedback to improve and show that you value your team’s input. Ask for feedback – we do not know it all. Allow your stakeholders to have a voice and share. This allows us to make people feel seen, heard, valued, and respected. This helps foster trust. When people feel like their voice is heard and actions are taken from their recommendations, it helps foster trust. This can be done through surveys, focus groups, quarterly meetings, etc.

When we are transparent and accountable, we bolster relationships rooted in trust, letting our teams know that we have their back. I know that’s the kind of leader you are. Thank you for answering the call to serve – we are better because of you!

If anything stood out to you, please drop it in the comments below. Have a great day!

Keep shining bright, friends!

Dr. C