Leadership Transitions

“Exceptionally professional approach to the situation.  Your willingness to go the extra mile to see the project through is much appreciated.  Great ability to sort through all the data to find the most critical relevant info.  Great insight on some very delicate/vague issues.  Thank you very much.  We'll be sure to call again should the need arise.”
Kevin Lovejoy • Parish/School Administrator • St Patrick Parish

TRANSITION PREPARATION

Sample Situation: School A has two years to prepare for the retirement of its long-time Christian Brother president and anticipates that there may not be a qualified member of the order available to replace him.  MfM is retained to help prepare for the transition which may include a transition to the school’s first lay president.

Solution: Jack Peterson spends two days on campus meeting with various key leaders to get their input on the school’s leadership needs going forward.  At the end of the second day he facilitates a three hour board retreat to discuss leadership.  He prepares a ten page white paper making recommendations for a preparation process.  He consults with board and administrative leadership by teleconference for a total of 6 hours and visits the school for a day and a half to help facilitate the early work of a search committee and again for one day to help set up listening sessions for community buy-in to the process.  The search committee has the option of involving him in the selection process, and providing training once the new president has been hired.

TRANSITION TRAINING

Sample Situation: School B is Lutheran school that has hired a new president, a long-time church member with a strong background in both ministry and educational programming but little experience with personnel management, fundraising and financial management.  The school contracts with MfM to provide personalized training for the new president.

Solution: Jack Peterson teleconferences with the president for two hours, then designs a program around his specific needs.  Jack provides three one-day sessions with the president at the school and four three-hour webinars spread throughout the year, which are adjusted based on the needs of the president.  Jack also provides reading materials and useable management exercises for the president to prepare for each session.  In addition, Jack provides on-demand remote coaching to the president between sessions, which turns out to be four hours altogether.  The president has the option of receiving ongoing coaching once the training is complete.

TRANSITION COACHING

Sample Situation: School B has hired a new president who received personalized training with MfM.  In his second year, the school wants to provide ongoing coaching for those areas of school management where he has the least experience.

Solution: Jack Peterson provides 6 hours of one-on-one via teleconferencing and another 3 hours of joint coaching with a peer from another school, who splits the fees for those sessions.  The president has the ability to access additional teleconferencing, and having Jack come to the school.

INTERIM LEADERSHIP
(This service is not available at this time because of MfM's current client volumes)

Sample Situation: The president of School C has suffered from a serious health breakdown which has caused by and contributed to bitter factionalism in the school community.  The school feels that anyone on the current administrative staff would alienate one faction or another if they were appointed interim president.

Solution: The school contracts with MfM to have Jack Peterson serve as interim president for the last two months of the school year.  The school arranges for Jack to be on campus 4 days a week for 8 weeks with the ability to adjust days so he can provide services to other current clients.  During this time, to lower costs, the school arranges for Jack to live in a spare room in the residence of the order that sponsors the school and use a school vehicle.  The school has the option to use MfM for preparation for the transition to the new leadership.