Employee Management
Look at any principal job posting and you’re likely to see the following essential duties: Manage the supervision and evaluation of...
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Teacher Evaluation
High-performing schools create a culture where teachers enjoy coming to work every day. High-performing schools also create a culture...
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No Surprises
When I accepted my first job as school superintendent, I wasn’t sure what to expect. To prepare for the role, I reached out to several...
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9 "Pro Tips" for Email
Do you recall sending your first email? Perhaps you were one of the earliest adopters, using America Online to send your first email in...
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7 Tips for Effective Communication
The best leaders all have one thing in common: they are skilled communicators. Leaders who effectively communicate improve culture. When...
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9 Tips for Running a Good Meeting
"Teamwork begins by building trust. And the only way to do that is to overcome our need for invulnerability."— Patrick Lencioni from The...
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Ed Leadership Playbook Introduction
This story begins in 7th grade. At 12 years old, I became deeply involved in the world of school-sanctioned tackle football, a right of...
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I Don't Know & That's Okay
Several years ago, a community member approached me at a wrestling meet. The individual had questions about property taxes and they came...
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The Power of Asking
In 2016 I landed my “dream job.” As the head principal of a building with 200 staff and 1,600 kids, I was asked to lead one of the...
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Integrity
Pop Quiz! What is the single most important leadership trait? Determination? Confidence? Courage? Intelligence? While those are great...
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1:1 Meetings
I once worked for a distracted boss. This boss was constantly working on “important matters” and never had time for employees. When staff...
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Get Out of the Office!
In Search for Excellence, Tom Peters and Robert Waterman chronicle a number of successful Fortune 500 companies, seeking for common...
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Trust.
When I was a building principal, a teacher asked for a week off from work to take a family vacation. Although visibly nervous, she did a...
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Delegation
My first day as an assistant principal was a whirlwind. The day began at the district office where I completed paperwork and met district...
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You Need More Experience
“We’re looking for someone with experience.” Aspiring school leaders hear this all the time when trying to move up the administrative...
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Dealing with Rejection
I spent eight years as an assistant principal. Those eight years provided a great learning experience. I handled all of the “typical” AP...
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First Impressions Matter
First impressions matter. Whereas good first impressions can serve as the foundation for a strong relationship, bad first impressions are...
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10 Thoughts: National Supt's Conference
This past week I had the opportunity to join more than 4,000 superintendents and educational leaders in San Antonio for AASA’s National...
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Treat Teachers as Professionals
“Treat teachers as professionals.” Very often, this phrase is used in education. Treating teachers as professionals means faculty are...
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Build Relationships with Staff
When I began my administrative career, I was required to attend an orientation for new assistant principals. As part of the two-day...
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10 Things I Learned in 2022
As a lifelong learner, I believe it’s important that we take time to reflect on new learning. So as 2022 comes to an end, I'd like to...
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9 Steps for Leading Change
Among all the things leaders are expected to do, one duty has risen to the top in terms of most difficult to accomplish with great...
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Can You Handle the Truth?
One trait of effective leadership is the ability to accept criticism. Rather than fear constructive feedback, the best leaders actively...
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Rock You Like a Hurricane!
In The Four Disciplines of Execution, Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling suggest, "The real enemy of execution is your day job!...
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