Customer Reviews

The Seven Outs: Strategic Planning Made Easy for Charter Schools

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This is a very well-written, insightful work that presents ideas which are being borne out through my own research into effective charter school practices. The charter schools I work with that are doing a good job with high-poverty student populations appear to be more or less following the steps Dr. Carpenter recommends. The strategies recommended in The Seven Outs are intuitive, effective and will definitely help improve school perfomance.

As someone who has been working in and around charters for the last ten years, I have not yet seen a more effective tool.

"The Seven Outs" by Dr. Brian Carpenter presents the reader with an intriguing story about leadership within Charter Schools. Following a similar writing style as Patrick Lencioni, Carpenter first invites the reader into a fable, which could be mistaken for real-life drama. As the Breezy Palms Charter School faces an unexpected hurdle, the school's recently-hired chief executive - Paul - steps up to the plate to lead this struggling school. He is able to guide the organization through a very simple, yet profound method for strategic planning: The Seven Outs. As the fable comes to a conclusion, Carpenter then provides further in-depth analysis of the Seven Outs - how to incorporate them, and why they are important. This book is a must-read for those in leadership within Charter Schools. However, Carpenter's work goes beyond usefulness for Charter Schools alone, as the principles he submits are transferrable to any organization that is serious about strategic planning. Mastering the Seven Outs will ensure that you will not be left out of the strategic planning process in your organization.

With his latest book, Dr. Carpenter has encapsulated how to be an effective charter school leader. Those who accept the responsibilities of Board and executive leadership can truly take-away many strategic ideas and guidance from this short read. By positioning the reader, first as an observer of a hypothetical Board, then deconstructing the pitfalls of poor governance and clearly presenting effective governance principles, The Seven Outs, is an invaluable addition to a Board library.

The book is a quick and informative read on why boards exists, the strategic plan and a wonderful "how to" guide.