Book:  The Principled Principal

Author:  Jeff Zoul & Anthony McConnell

Purchase:  Print | eBook 

Citation:  Zoul, J. & McConnell, A. (2018). The principled principal : 10 principles for leading exceptional schools. San Diego, CA: Dave Burgess Consulting, Inc.

Three Big Takeaways:​
 

1. While we agree that teachers are indeed the most important variable impacting student success, we also maintain that the importance of school principals is a very close second. Almost anything the school principal does has a direct impact on teachers who, in turn, more directly impact students. When strong principles are in place, they positively influence the school culture and the instructional quality of the teachers they lead. The principal makes the most impact on a school in the form of that school’s culture. (pg. 2)
    

2. Communication is one of the most important responsibilities of a school leader. Good communication keeps staff, students, parents, and community members in the loop of the school's business and is a major factor in garnering support. Inadequate communication is probably the most common reason principals lose their jobs. Far more principals are done in by poor relationship and communication skills than poor test scores. Great principles are dynamic and innovative communicators who are not only aware of the specific message they're trying to convey; they are also aware of the big-picture  story their school must tell. (pg. 143)
    

3. The leader’s voice should never be the voice raising the level of stress and anxiety, their voice should be the voice that lowers it. Some people adhere to the faulty belief that strong leaders are people who discover a crisis and then run around yelling to solve the problem. Sadly, leaders who believe this way often end up creating a crisis when one doesn't exist. A byproduct of this leadership style is an entire group of staff, parents, and students operating at heightened and unsustainable emotional states. (pg. 186)

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