I reflected on the principalship as I read Cheryl Conner’s article, “Mentally Strong People: 13 Things They Avoid”. The standards movement and accountability have changed the landscape for public school administrators. Today’s schools face an array of challenges that require a leader at the helm who is mentally strong. This person must possess the knowledge, grit, optimism, and stick-to-it attitude to lead his/her school through known and unknown challenges. Therefore, it is imperative that school leaders be committed to following a plan, be focused on outcomes, and have the ability to assist their faculty and staff to create a shared vision to bring about purposeful change in their school. These leaders measure themselves not by the results of the past but by visions of the future. They do not allow the past or things that are out of their control to serve as a restraint on the future. When school principals are mentally strong, they are able to break the chains that have anchored their school to past failures and move it forward toward tomorrow’s successes.
How can this article help you to become a better leader at your school?
~Dr. Darrin Martin, Edwards Ed consultant