The Duty of Care - An Opportunity for Improvement

The Duty of Care - An Opportunity for Improvement

Back in the month of June, as happens every year, stories went around about the “transitions” of Jewish professionals such as Rabbis, heads of school, and organization staff.  Hearing these stories is difficult, even for those of us who have great positions and work with wonderful people. 

 

Some of my fellow professionals were “Went Away’s” - They may have been looking for a bigger/better position, seeking new challenges, moving because of a spouse’s employment needs, or escaping a difficult situation in their current job.   

 

Others were “Sent Away’s” - Some didn’t have the skills for the position for which they were hired, or there wasn’t a good “fit.” Perhaps the financial realities of their organizations led to downsizing.   

 

Sadly, some of these Jewish professionals fell victim to unclear goals and/or inadequate supervision by their boss and/or board. And yet others, in spite of years of dedicated service, were moved out by lay leaders or donors who thought that a “change in leadership” would drive more people to their school or synagogue. This occurs much too often. 

 

For many, the “non-renewal” is just the beginning of their problems. Due to the timing of a decision, as well as the “story” that attaches to the person, finding another position may have been made even more difficult. I know of several wonderful colleagues who are still out of work because of the way in which their boards “parted” with them. Clearly the verse “Blessed are you in your coming and blessed are you in your going out,” (Deuteronomy 28:6) wasn’t on their minds. 

 

The 2007 version of the Trustee Handbook lists three duties of board members: The Duty of Care, The Duty of Service and the Duty of Loyalty. The Duty of Care describes the “level of competence expected of a trustee” which informs his/her ability to make “good decisions with reasonable care.”  Trustees need to “set up policies and procedures to avoid risks to the school’s financial well being and to the health and safety of its students and staff.” This duty clearly falls on the board members and top professionals of Jewish organizations. 

 

Over the span of their careers Jewish professionals will work with some inspiring bosses, board members and donors.  They will gain skills and perspective from them, and learn how to improve as leaders. They will also have the challenge of working with egotistical, incompetent bosses, disengaged board members and fickle donors. It is these latter groups who tend to ignore the “Duty of Care,” often dragging their institutions down, and their talented staff members right out the door. 

 

What does “Duty of Care” look like in an organization? A few examples:  (1) Employees’ work and evaluations are guided by a mutually agreed upon set of clear, measurable goals.  (2) There is ongoing, open, productive dialogue between supervisor and employee (or between top professionals and the board) in which people can assess progress as well as difficulties. (3) It is clear who decides whether or not to renew an employee. (4) The role of donors in this process is clear.  (5) Staff and lay leaders analyze performance numbers (enrollment, fundraising, etc.) looking for real causes (e.g. demographics, the economy, etc.), rather than looking for scapegoats to fire. (6) Resources are available to help staff members improve. (7) The timeline for evaluation and non-renewal match the “search season” for that profession.  (8) Leaders are open with staff about financial challenges that may lead to downsizing. (9) Board members are evaluated for their compliance with best governance practices. 

 

Synagogues, day schools, national organizations, and agencies each have a unique culture, with different priorities and measures of success. What they have in common is that the professionals who work in them are made vulnerable when the “Duty of Care” is ignored. What is also true is that those who pay attention to the “Duty of Care” achieve their goals and inspire all those who are connected to their organization. 

 

During this month of Elul, as we conduct a “Heshbon Ha’Nefesh” (ethical and spiritual tune up) prior toRosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, it would be good if our top professional and lay leadership undertook a personal, as well as organizational “Heshbon Ha’Nefesh” in terms of how they interact with the professionals we call K’lay Kodesh – the people who embody and the impart the holy content and values of our Tradition. Let us all commit to raising the bar of professional engagement, support, development and evaluation. May this effort help all of us achieve great things in the year to come:  L’eila u’l’eila  - higher and higher!