Internal communication issues, building and maintaining trust, and self-reflection are not luxuries waiting for the board's free time. Rather, they are the heart of the task. Without clear attention to these matters, the board may work itself into exhaustion without accomplishing its ends. It will be like the woodcutter who sits exhausted behind a dull saw. Board Habits Habits are not tools, or even skills, the board can go out and buy.
Habits are behaviors one aims at, aspires to, practices.
They require discipline and hard work. A habit gives confidence and with confidence comes competence. Good habits point to balance and proper timing, as in the case of an athlete who works to develop a sports skill. In the competitive world of athletics, victory comes to those who have made a habit of using the right skills at the right time. In the complicated world of education, success comes to those who know the character of board leadership and have attained the habits to exercise that leadership effectively.