Sep 23, 2025
I have, in some contexts, been known to wear my heart on my sleeve. When it comes to a topic I’m passionate about, like NBOA, I can’t help but share my unrestrained convictions about our work and your work in schools. All the same, I sometimes fall into the feeling that as a leader — the president and CEO of NBOA for 15 years now — I need to have the answers, be decisive, serve as a solid rock among shifting sands, and most of all, appear unemotional. But that’s not authentically who I am, and in some instances, I bet that’s not who you are either. It’s okay!
That may be why I was recently drawn to leadership guru Dan Rockwell’s post on vulnerable leadership. Leaders don’t have to have every answer every time, and in fact, it’s healthier when we don’t. “Everyone wears a mask when leaders aren’t vulnerable,” Rockwell wrote in his article, “5 Powers of Vulnerability.” “You energize teams by practicing vulnerability.”
Rockwell laid out five benefits of practicing vulnerability as a leader, which I think apply to independent school business leaders too:
“Candor, collaboration and honest communication drive confidence.”
When you as a leader show that you don’t have all the answers, be it regarding the budget or latest campus plan, you show that it’s okay for others to share what they aren’t clear about. This makes for broader and more honest conversations, and by learning what’s really on people’s minds, you deepen the collaboration. Whether the issue you’re facing is a windfall or a wound, a leader’s candor increases the chances of colleagues moving together toward action that truly helps your school.
“Leaders build bridges when they seek feedback, share their mistakes, and learn from others.”
So perhaps the tuition reset didn’t drive NTR like the leadership team thought it would, or the AI policy the school set has some clear gaps upon implementation. When you are open about challenges and invite honest feedback from your colleagues, that builds rapport, which in turn makes them open to receiving feedback from you. It’s a virtuous cycle of collegial engagement. I can recall an NBOA program that did not turn out as I hoped, a one-day offering titled BusinessOfficeNOW. NBOA staff who remember it now referred to it as one of our “fabulous failures.” Experiments like that remind me, whether successful or not, that we are at least pushing the envelope.
“Competent leaders earn respect with their humanity and emotional intelligence.”
For professionals who must make sure that at the end of the day, the numbers are correct and the policies are compliant, this can be challenging. The work of independent school business leaders can feel black and white when it comes to meeting audit requirements or following labor laws. Business leaders are often valued for their steady and objective leadership. However, you don’t need me to tell you that schools are among the most human-centered organizations around, and emotional intelligence is critical to communicating your business perspective to your colleagues. When that happens, everyone wins – and the school is stronger for it.
“When you make learning more important than looking good, real progress occurs.”
This one may come more naturally in a school environment. While school business leaders may need to patiently explain the whys of the business model to the many caring educators around them, business leaders can take a page from educators’ book and share how they are learning too. Compensation, for example, may be a hot button issue at your school, and there is no silver bullet in sight. You might share with a concerned party how you’re researching different structures and weighing their benefits and drawbacks.
“Owning failures builds credibility when combined with follow-through.”
Many school business leaders have earned credibility through strong presentations, clean audits and effective board meetings. You can also build credibility when you listen to peers, and make changes that account for a number of perspectives. Listen, yes, and then take what you hear and turn it into a new path that better meets people’s needs.
Of course it’s important to be professional, not confessional, when you use candor as a leader, and to pair honesty with agency, so you match talk with action.
Whenever you arrived at your school, I’m certain you had something to learn about the culture or an area of school business you were less familiar with. That same vulnerability can be carried throughout your career to build confidence, rapport, humility, improvement and credibility in your teams. Being vulnerable at times, means you’re being authentic, and that, in my opinion, is a true leadership strength.
Follow NBOA President and CEO Jeff Shields on LinkedIn.
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