This was my first post four years ago. I’ve written dozens of posts since, but I revisit this one to remind myself why I started.

So, why call a blog Common Sense School Leadership? As far back as I can remember, when it comes to following someone, all I have ever wanted is to be led by someone with common sense. It seems like a simple and practical wish. Common sense leaders are confident in their ability, but also keenly aware that they don’t know it all.

Leaders with common sense have a balanced perspective on life and work. They work hard and play hard and they never take themselves too seriously. Common sense leaders protect their employees in the way that Todd Whitaker discusses in his book, Shifting the Monkey. Common sense leaders intuitively know how to motivate, inspire, and challenge those who work for them.

Can anyone be a common sense leader? Probably not, common sense is hard to teach. You might be a common sense school leader if…

-your first thoughts are always centered on what’s best for students when solving problems.

-you see teachers as leadership assets in your building.

-you recognize your own power and reflect on whether your decisions are based on protecting or maintaining that power, or what’s best for your students and staff.

-you allow for some wait time before making important decisions.

-you value laughter and it can be heard throughout your building.

-you lean on others for advice and seek it out when you’ve made a mistake.

-you trust others, even before they’ve earned it.

Common sense leadership is needed now more than ever. The number of changes occurring in schools across the country requires common sense leadership that can help students, teachers, and parents understand it all. How about if we all try to be the common sense school leaders our communities deserve?