School governance: the rewards

It was my old Latin master who declared that the only reason he survived the second world war unscathed was because he ‘nunquam voluntarius pro quisquam’ (never volunteered for anything). Tales of suicide missions, endless potato pealing duties and latrine digging were offered as a stark reminder of what happens to those boys tempted to volunteer. So it was my Latin masters voice I could hear bellowing across the decades when I agreed, with some trepidation, to become a governor of my sons old school in Suffolk.

Having spent most of my career immersed in board room politics I considered myself totally prepared for whatever this new experience threw at me. After all I had a tried and tested system. For the first few governors meetings my internal radar was set to super sensitive as I eyed each of my new colleagues warily, analysed the political landscape and looked for the inevitable traps and point scoring. This was, for me, a whole new world where people seemed to speak a different language, work by different rules and answer to a bewildering array of organisations and authorities. My guard was up. So, as I had always done, I listened, took notes, nodded and shook my head in what I thought were the right places and offered little if no advice or opinion. It was clearly going to take me some considerable time to gauge the board dynamics and to dip my toe tentatively into the fray. When I finally took the plunge and ventured, what I thought was a rather bold suggestion, a wave of appreciative comments came flying back at me.

The realisation began to dawn on me that being a volunteer governor is in fact hugely liberating, enjoyable and rewarding. No more worries about putting career paths at risk, deferred bonuses, loss of power and status or upsetting the finance director (not difficult by the way). As a volunteer, so long as you stay within the boundaries of normal social behaviour and decency, you are free to speak from the heart and to express your passionate beliefs and convictions. To be a volunteer school governor is all about the children, that is the top and bottom of it. To do that effectively you require courage and the freedom to express your opinions, the freedom to challenge assumptions, the freedom to show emotions and the freedom to explore your abilities.

A lifetime experience of corporate board room politics taught me that naked ambition and self interest is the constant background noise. The desperate scraping of nails on the greasy pole and the thud of sharp elbows in the ribs of a once promising career can, at times, be deafening. Logic and common sense is often sacrificed at the altar of personal ambition and sincerity can be seen as a weakness.

As many are aware there is a nationwide problem recruiting school governors. In most schools the parent body, for obvious reasons, can be relied upon to step up to the plate. I would, however, urge schools to expand their search criteria and consider skills and aptitude over passionate loyalty. I believe part of the issue is that for those not intimately involved in a school to do something for nothing is a somewhat outdated concept. To volunteer for a job with considerable responsibility and no financial reward seems at best foolhardy in this highly litigious society. But in my view, financial reward is not the answer to attracting new recruits as it calls into question a persons true motivation. As an unpaid volunteer you are there for one reason and one reason only, the well being of the children but for many skilled professionals that should be a bonus. Schools need to emphasise the fact to prospective governors that, as a volunteer, nobody can ever question your motivation or complete freedom to express your views in pursuit of that goal and that is reward enough. It is all too common however for the voluntary nature of the role to be overlooked or taken for granted. A volunteers time is as precious as yours and an occasional show of appreciation or encouragement from the executive goes a long way.

So, the next time somebody tells you they were always told “‘nunquam voluntarius pro quisquam’ then ask them to think twice. There are still far greater and more satisfying rewards than money.

David Cardle, Partner Governor