How Exemplary Urban Superintendents Build Trust With and Between School Board Members

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was to identify and describe what strategies exemplary urban superintendents perceive as most important to build trust with school board members using the 5 domains of competence, consistency, concern, candor, and connection. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to identify and describe strategies exemplary urban superintendents perceive as most important to build trust between board members. Methodology: In this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study, surveys and interviews were used to secure data from exemplary superintendents to identify, emphasize, and highlight the strategies they used to build trust with and between school board members. While the surveys enabled the researcher to identify strategies, interviews were used to acquire a deeper understanding of the superintendent’s perspective on how to build trust with and between school board members. Findings: The exemplary urban superintendents surveyed and interviewed for this research study emphasized the importance of the behaviors related to the 5 domains of competence, consistency, concern, candor, and connection when building trust with and between school board members. The exemplary urban superintendents also illustrated the importance of communication, establishing relationships, developing a rapport, and governance training when building trust with and between school members. Conclusions: By identifying and describing the strategies exemplary urban superintendents use to build trust with and between school board members through the 5 domains of competence, consistency, concern, candor, and connection, superintendents, school board members and those aspiring to fill those roles can develop best practice protocols to strengthen their respective organization. Recommendations: Further research is recommended, which will broaden, expand, and strengthen this study by replicating the study with a broader population, identifying strategies to restore trust once it has been compromised, identifying essential trust strategies by gender, and examining communication in greater depths