When you become the principal of the school, you inherit a lot of things. Your predecessor may leave you a note, a letter in your desk (it’s a really nice touch). You may also inherit some office furniture and wall art. One of your big inheritances? The culture of the school as your predecessor has built it.
Something else you get handed off to you doesn’t come directly from your predecessor, but they experienced it too. It’s the many varied expectations for you as the principal. You are you, but the people around you have developed an idea of what “the principal” does. Much of it comes from recency bias, so it’s likely that people will expect you to do what the last person did.
Here’s some advice: you’ll be the best leader you can be when you are true to your self. Yes, you need to do some “dressing for the weather” and serving roles that others need, but at the core of who you are, you’re the best when you can activate the knowledge and experience you’ve obtained to this point.
In the picture above is Principal Jeanne Dixon of Cook Primary School (Adel, GA), her assistant principal Matt Holley and the members of her student council. Yes, kindergartners, first and second graders leading a jam-up student council meeting (complete with lunch from Dairy Queen). Jeanne loved engaging students as a teacher; now she continues that while serving as principal. Yes, this only is one of many things she does as principal, but she does the others better by leaning in on the things that made her a good teacher, and now a good principal.
Do your faculty and staff know what your core values and beliefs are from what you do and how you do it?
The graphic above is a quote from Chapter Two of What They Didn’t Teach You In Fancy Leadership School. Head to the Book Store Tab to get a copy of the book and read the whole chapter!
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