LTE - Howard Hills: Be silent money, not a woobie-hugger
We all gravitate toward what we know. As a licensed attorney, I regularly turn to rules and structure—they’re my comfort zone. I understand why someone with a law degree, like school boardmember Hills, might lean on legal frameworks. But here’s the thing about laws: they’re always playing catch-up.
Laws, including school board policies, serve as scaffolding—a starting point, not the endgame. Policies reflect education code, government code and attorney general opinions. They’re meant to set parameters, not dictate the roll-up-your-sleeves, in-the-trenches work staff and educators do daily. School boards review policies periodically to ensure compliance, but real governance comes from empowering experts, not micromanaging the rulebook.
At last Thursday’s meeting, Mr. Hills waxed poetic about a sweeping policy review under the guise of “good governance.” Yet, in the same breath, he publicly disparaged award-winning staff—directly contradicting the principles of collaboration and respect that underpin effective leadership and actual good governance.
Clinging to policies for a lawyer is understandable—it’s safe, like hugging a woobie. But Mr. Hills is missing the point. Governance isn’t about obsessing over the scaffolding; it’s about enabling the creative and functional work of experts to thrive within those boundaries.
As someone who works with startups, I see this dynamic every day. Success comes when we give experts a framework (the law), resources (financing), and freedom to iterate and innovate. That’s how unicorns are born.
In venture capital, we categorize investors as Smart Money, Dumb Money and Silent Money. Smart Money contributes expertise and connections to drive success. Dumb Money disrupts with bad advice and inefficiency. Silent Money—the second-best kind—steps back, periodically checks progress, asks the right questions, and says, “What do you need from me to succeed?”
Mr. Hills, it’s time to take a cue from Silent Money. Instead of clinging to policies and undermining staff, get quiet. Observe the extraordinary work that dedicated professionals have accomplished to date. Celebrate their success. Then, simply ask, “How can I help you take this to the next level?”
Laguna Beach students deserve a school board that fosters progress—not one bogged down in distractions.
Shaheen Sheik-Sadhal, Laguna Beach
