The Principal’s Test: Overcoming the Top 7 Challenges of Educational Leadership

Various principals standing out front of a school

In corporate leadership, The CEO Test is a book that has become a cornerstone for executives navigating complex challenges. It offers practical insights into essential qualities and skills for leading organizations effectively. While the corporate sector and world of education differ significantly, school leaders face equally demanding challenges.

As a school leader, you are tasked with crafting a clear vision, building high-performing instructional and teaching teams, fostering a positive school culture, and driving transformative change. While these responsibilities differ in some ways from those of a CEO, they share a common thread: the need for effective leadership.

I have had the opportunity to see the impact of effective leadership in schools and have come to realize that the school leader is the most critical factor when determining how much a school will improve. I have taken what I learned while working with principals to develop The Principal Test.

The Principal Test is an adaptation of The CEO Test, tailored specifically for school leaders. It outlines seven critical challenges that every school principal must master.


Principal Challenge 1
Develop a Clear School Strategy: A Leader’s Superpower

A successful school leader must be able to simplify complexity and articulate a clear, compelling vision. This vision should be easily understood by all stakeholders, from teachers to parents to students. By focusing on student outcomes and setting ambitious goals, principals can inspire their teams to strive for excellence.

However, influential school leaders understand that a vision does not provide the clear action steps needed to improve. Based on the vision, they develop specific desired behaviors for their teachers based on action steps for achieving the vision. 

For example, one middle school principal’s vision of improving reading outcomes simplified the actions needed to accomplish it into the following three behaviors for all teachers to follow:

  1. Increase the use of content specific text for students to read in all content areas.  
  2. Support students’ ability to identify text structures by following an identified protocol.
  3. Explicitly teach academic vocabulary using various strategies that best match the terms.

Teachers are provided with professional development, coaching, and monitoring throughout the school year to meet these expectations

Questions for Self-Assessment: Develop a Clear School Plan and Strategy 

  • Vision Clarity: Is our school’s vision statement clear, concise, and widely understood by all stakeholders?
  • Action Alignment: Are the action steps for achieving the vision aligned with specific behaviors, and are they measurable and achievable?
  • Data-Driven Decision Making: Are we using data to inform our instructional decisions and track student progress toward our goals?

 Action Steps: Develop a Clear School Plan and Strategy

  • Conduct a Hallway Test: Ask ten staff members about the school’s vision and the action steps they are taking. How many of them can accurately state these?
  • Your Vision: Distill your school’s vision into concise, actionable behaviors that can be monitored and supported. Share the behaviors and provide support for successful implementation (professional development and coaching).
  • Prioritize Student Growth: Use data to identify critical areas for improvement and focus your efforts accordingly. Consistent, regular monitoring of teachers’ implementation provides data for recognition and improvement.

Principal Challenge 2
Shape and Sustain a Positive School Culture: It’s all about Walking the Talk
 

A positive school culture is the foundation of a high-performing organization. Principals need to lead by example, which fosters a climate of respect, trust, and collaboration. Leaders can create a culture where everyone feels valued and empowered by walking the talk and holding themselves and others accountable to high standards.

For example, one elementary principal focused on improving their informal classroom visits to have more conversations with their teachers. At a staff meeting, she shared that she wanted to improve this process, discussed the actions that she would take, and then asked her staff to hold her accountable if she hadn’t had conversations with them. She demonstrated a willingness to be vulnerable, set expectations, and show them she is focused on continuous improvement.

Questions for Self-Assessment: Shape and Sustain a Positive School Culture

  • How do you know when staff members are engaged, motivated, and supported?
  • Student Behavior: Are students respectful, responsible, and ready to learn?
  • Parent Involvement: Do parents feel valued and involved in their child’s education?
  • Are we effectively recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers?

Action Steps: Shape and Sustain a Positive School Culture

  • Lead by Example: Demonstrate the behaviors and attitudes you expect from your staff. Create a list of behaviors you need to emulate for the staff.
  • Build Trust: Create opportunities for open communication and feedback.
  • Guard the Culture: Address negative behaviors promptly and decisively.

Principal Challenge 3
Build High-Performing Teams: They are key to reaching the vision.

Effective school leaders understand the power of teamwork. Principals can build strong, collaborative teams that drive student achievement by recruiting, developing, and retaining talented educators. Providing ongoing coaching and support is essential for fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

High Performing Teams foster collaboration and innovation and promote a positive school culture. When teachers work together effectively, they:

  • Improve student outcomes: Collaborative planning, shared instructional strategies, and coordinated assessment can significantly improve student achievement.
  • Increase teacher satisfaction: Working as part of a supportive team boosts morale and job satisfaction.
  • Enhance school culture: Positive team dynamics contribute to a positive school climate where everyone feels valued and respected.

For Example, as I walked with a principal through her elementary building, we noticed that teachers in 3rd grade had different Learning Goals. This pattern was also observed in two other grades. She then took the next opportunity to address this issue within each grade-level PLC meeting. It came out that while they all discussed the Learning Goals, some of the teachers on the team didn’t feel like their voices were being heard, and they didn’t have an opportunity to discuss the goals used in previous years. The principal presented a process the team could use to reach a consensus on the learning goals.

Questions for Self-Assessment: Build High-Performing Teams

  1. How effectively are teachers collaborating to plan, teach, and assess student learning?  
  2. Do you see teachers utilizing different learning goals or unit assessments even though the team agreed on what to use?
  3. Are teachers provided with ongoing professional development opportunities to improve their skills?
  4. How do you demonstrate an effective team with your school leadership team?

Action Steps: Build High-Performing Teams

  • Conduct a “Yes, But…” Test:  In your PLCs or Team meetings, listen to the discussion and determine how often members use the phrase “Yes, But.” This could indicate that the members may not believe in the vision, the action steps, their students, or the process. 
  • Define Clear Goals: Ensure that teams have a shared understanding of their purpose and objectives, which should be aligned with the identified behaviors.
  • Identify Measurements of Success: Use/Create a rubric to evaluate each team’s effectiveness. The rubric may include a way to…
    • Measure the team’s output, such as completed lessons, MTSS plans, or school projects.
    • Evaluate the quality of the team’s work, including accuracy, efficiency, and adherence to the norms associated with their PLC.
    • Assess the team’s ability to use resources effectively and minimize waste.
  • Coach for Success: Offer regular feedback and guidance to help team members reach their full potential. Take responsibility for reaching everyone on the team.

Principal Challenge 4
Lead Transformative Change: Turning the Vision into Reality

The education landscape constantly evolves, and school leaders must be prepared to embrace change. Effective Principals lead their schools through successful transformations by challenging the status quo, communicating effectively, and empowering teachers.

Effective school leaders maintain the energy associated with the start of the year throughout the entire school. For example, one high school principal was focused on increasing student engagement and identified the specific behavior of increasing the number of collaborative pair strategies used during their 90-minute classes. The principal approached this change by:

  • Providing professional development on Collaborative Pairs
  • Setting expectations by sharing a continuum for Collaborative Pairs
  • Adjusting monitoring documents to reflect the new expectations
  • Holding Feedback Conversations focused on the new expectations
  • Continuing to revisit expectations and examples in staff meetings throughout the year.
  • Incorporated various Collaborative Pair strategies in all of their meetings

Through these various aspects, the principal led the learning process and demonstrated the importance of this change throughout the year instead of just providing Professional Development at the beginning of the year and hoping that change would occur.

Questions for Self-Assessment: Lead Transformative Change

  • Are we actively seeking innovative solutions to improve student learning?
  • Does the administrative team monitor and support the new expectations associated with the change?
  • Do we demonstrate the expectations of change in our actions?

Action Steps: Lead Transformative Change

  • Embrace Innovation: Encourage experimentation and risk-taking.
  • Reinforce the Why: Keep everyone informed about the rationale of the changes and their impact on student achievement.
  • Develop Teacher Leaders: Empower teachers to take on leadership roles and drive innovation. Be clear about when to ask for opinions or let teachers make decisions.

Principal Challenge 5
Truly Listen to Others: Attention Drives Understanding

Influential leaders are active listeners who value the input of others. Principals can make informed decisions and build strong relationships by fostering open communication and seeking feedback. Effective leaders don’t confuse the idea of a hierarchy at a school with a simple rule: Listen to Everybody. The goal is to listen for understanding instead of listening to reply. If you have an agenda, you start formulating your response while listening to someone, distracting your understanding. This often manifests as interrupting someone to get your point across before they finish.

For example, as a new leader, one principal conducted traditional listening meetings to connect with every staff member and learn more about the school’s inner workings. While this was crucial, the principal realized it wasn’t enough to do it once; it would need to be a continuous process. The principal created a plan that included dates, goals, and questions to use throughout the year. In addition, the principal identified a straightforward rule: Don’t multitask when having a conversation. Often, the Principal would stop what they were doing to listen to the teacher or tell a staff member who showed up to talk, “I need to finish this email before I can give you my full attention.”

Questions for Self-Assessment: Truly Listen to Others

  • Do staff, students, and parents feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and concerns?
  • Are there effective systems in place for gathering feedback from all stakeholders? (for more tips around this topic, check out our Effective Teacher Feedback Case Study
  • Are we taking concrete steps to address the feedback we receive?

Action Steps: Truly Listen to Others

  • Create: Encourage open and honest dialogue.
  • Seek Diverse Perspectives: Actively solicit input from a variety of stakeholders. Conduct listening tours and ask questions like: “If I were a new principal, what would be the topics we should focus on?” or “What is working for you here that wasn’t working for you at your old school?”
  • Act on Feedback: Demonstrate that feedback is valued by implementing meaningful changes.

Principal Challenge 6
Handle Crises Effectively: Leading under pressure

Crises are an inevitable part of school leadership. Whether it’s a weather-related closure, a sudden staffing shortage, or a critical safety concern, principals must act decisively and calmly. Effective crisis management requires a balance of preparation, clear communication, and the ability to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances.

For example, consider a middle school principal facing a sudden staff resignation at a critical time during state testing preparation. The departure of a key teacher not only disrupted the testing schedule but also threatened the morale of the remaining staff, who were already stretched thin.

Here’s how the principal effectively managed the crisis:

  1. Assess the Situation: The principal immediately gathered the facts. Why did the teacher leave? How would this impact the upcoming testing? Who could step in temporarily to minimize disruptions?
  2. Engage Key Stakeholders: The principal met with the administrative team and the grade-level PLC to discuss the situation. The principal ensured transparency by involving staff and leveraging collective expertise to brainstorm solutions.
  3. Develop and Communicate a Plan: The principal quickly arranged for a substitute teacher, redistributed responsibilities to cover critical gaps, and adjusted the testing timeline. Communication with parents emphasized the school’s commitment to maintaining a smooth testing process.
  4. Support Staff Morale: Recognizing the additional stress on the team, the principal organized a staff meeting to acknowledge their hard work and share a plan for longer-term staffing adjustments. Small gestures, such as surprise coffee deliveries, helped boost morale during the challenging period.
  5. Review and Learn: After resolving the crisis, the principal debriefed with the staff to identify lessons learned and refine the school’s emergency staffing protocols.

Questions for Self-Assessment: Handle Crises Effectively

  • Crisis Plan: Do we have a comprehensive crisis management plan in place for various scenarios?
  • Communication Protocols: Are clear lines of communication established to ensure timely updates to all stakeholders?
  • Post-Crisis Review: Do we systematically review crises to identify lessons learned and areas for improvement?

Action Steps: Handle Crises Effectively

  1. Develop a Crisis Plan: Outline specific steps for potential emergencies, from staff shortages to safety concerns.
  2. Communicate Proactively: During a crisis, ensure transparent and frequent communication with staff, parents, and students to minimize confusion and build trust.
  3. Focus on Root Causes: Address the underlying issues that led to the crisis to prevent recurrence.
  4. Foster Resilience: Use each crisis as an opportunity to strengthen your school’s adaptability and problem-solving capacity.

Principal Challenge 7
Master the Inner Game of Leadership: Self-Awareness Drives Success

For example, an elementary school principal realized something wasn’t working midway through the school year. Feedback sessions with teachers weren’t producing the instructional improvements they had hoped for. Teachers often left meetings unclear about what they needed to focus on or how to make meaningful classroom changes. Recognizing that this was a significant roadblock to the school’s growth, the principal sought outside help and reached out to Learning-Focused for support.

Through this collaboration, the principal connected with an experienced Learning-Focused coach. Together, they delved into the principal’s current feedback practices, identifying areas for improvement. The coach introduced a more structured framework for giving feedback—one that emphasized clarity, specificity, and actionable next steps. They also worked on observation techniques to help the principal focus on key instructional practices during classroom visits.

Armed with this new approach, the principal shared their journey with the staff. During a faculty meeting, they openly acknowledged the need to improve their feedback process and introduced the structured framework they had developed with Learning-Focused. They invited teachers to be part of the process, encouraging open dialogue about what was working and where adjustments could be made.

With the coach’s guidance, the principal began practicing these new strategies. They rehearsed delivering constructive and motivating feedback, ensuring it aligned with school priorities and individual teacher goals. The Learning-Focused coach provided invaluable insights, modeling effective feedback conversations and offering suggestions for improvement.

Questions for Self-Assessment: Master the Inner Game of Leadership

  • Self-Awareness: Do I have a strong understanding of my strengths and weaknesses as a leader?
  • Emotional Intelligence: Am I able to manage my emotions and respond effectively to stress?
  • Work-Life Balance: Am I prioritizing my own well-being and avoiding burnout?

Action Steps: Master the Inner Game of Leadership

  1. Practice Self-Reflection: Set aside time daily or weekly to reflect on successes, challenges, and areas for growth. Use tools like journaling or mindfulness practices.
  2. Develop Emotional Regulation Skills: Learn techniques like deep breathing or reframing to stay calm under pressure. Model these behaviors for your staff.
  3. Seek Support and Feedback: Build a network of trusted colleagues and mentors who can provide honest feedback and share strategies for resilience.
  4. Prioritize Self-Care: Schedule time for activities that recharge you, whether exercise, reading, or spending time with loved ones.

In conclusion, education leadership is as much about vision and strategy as it is about relationships and personal growth. By mastering these seven challenges, principals can create schools where students and teachers thrive. These challenges provide a roadmap for navigating the complexities of educational leadership, from building high-performing teams to handling crises and nurturing a strong inner game.

The key takeaway for every school leader is this: your leadership sets the tone for your school’s success. You can profoundly impact student achievement and teacher effectiveness by focusing on clear strategies, fostering a positive culture, and continually growing as a leader.

As you reflect on these challenges, ask yourself:

  • Which challenge resonates most with your current situation?
  • Where do you see the greatest growth opportunities?

Call to Action

Take the first step today by choosing one challenge to focus on this week. Whether it’s shaping your school’s vision, improving your listening skills, or addressing a crisis head-on, your actions will ripple through your school community.

Remember, great educational leadership isn’t about mastering everything at once—it’s about progress, not perfection. Continue to evolve, seek feedback, and empower others, and you’ll leave a legacy of excellence in education.

Interested in future Learning-Focused trainings that support your leadership development and growth? Contact us today or check out our upcoming in-person and virtual events. 

Don Marlett

Don has been an educator for 20+ years. Before joining Learning-Focused, he taught High School and Middle School Science and was a school administrator. Don has participated in school evaluations focused on implementing High-Yield Strategies. In addition, he partnered with various state DOEs to support leaders and presented at numerous conferences hosted by multiple leadership organizations in Florida, NC, Ohio, WV, TN, and KY. Don leads product development, provides leadership training and coaching, and coaches educators in the implementation of High-Yield strategies.

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