Dear Colleagues What are the natural developmental phases of spiritually based communities and organizations? Bernard Lievegoed, one of the leaders of organizational development work and long-time Director of the Anthroposophical Training Organization, NPI, in Holland, wrote “ The Developing Organization" in 1973. In 1988 he offered a new booklet to clarify his thoughts about the […]
Dear Friends, When I get going too fast at work (every May in fact!), it becomes difficult to keep my desk and the spaces around me tidy. Things piles up faster than I can put them into their place, or create new places for ones that need places. I am aware of an increasing tension […]
A new imagination of organizational form and function in a Waldorf school Summary After years of working in and with Waldorf schools, I have found that the imaginative thinking about the governance and organizational structure of a school is key to the school having a wholeness. Since each school is independent and unique, and is […]
Social Development Insights of Rudolf Steiner in Waldorf School Administration and the new Leading with Spirit Training program starting this summer. (In this essay, Michael Soule and his colleagues in the Leading with Spirit training program, discuss the evolution of both the role of the administrator and Rudolf Steiner’s social ideas in Waldorf School’s in […]
Management vs Governance – It’s Not That Easy WRITTEN BY DIANNE BALL - NOVEMBER 3, 2010 Estimated read time: 4 minutes ( Editor note: This article describes the three possible modes of board work in an organization. It assumes the role of CEO and a hierarchical structure that are not common in Waldorf schools. But the concept of […]
GOOD GOVERNANCE: THE ESSENTIAL CHECKLIST Based on and adapted from Capacity Waterloo Region on the internet Editor's note (I especially like this checklist more than others because it emphasizes attention to overlaps that normally cause problems in Waldorf schools. You can certainly adapt it for your use. As with all checklists, it is a good place […]
Carver's Policy Governance® Model in Nonprofit Organizations by John Carver and Miriam Carver Over the last decade or two, there has been increasing interest in the composition, conduct, and decision-making of nonprofit governing boards. The board-staff relationship has been at the center of the discussion, but trustee characteristics, board role in planning and evaluation, […]
Renewing Governance More and more organizations are seeking to find new governance structures and practices that support a balance between individual creativity and organizational harmony and effectiveness. This was the case 100 years ago when the first Waldorf School was founded. In the past 100 years, we have had the benefit of a great deal […]
Understanding Governance by Michael Soule Every organization struggles with the question of how to establish and maintain good governance. Even the definition of governance can be a challenge. Just like the descriptors “environmental” or “sustainable” can mean different things, so too can the term “governance”. Nevertheless, we as leaders must constantly strive to understand […]
Reflections on Nathan Garber’s Article on Governance Models The article below by Nathan Garber is a good review and summary of the basic typical models of governance in organizations and the role that boards play in the different models. In Waldorf schools, there are many variations of governance models with most following a variation on […]