Strengthening Our School Community - a message to faculty from a school leader

Leadership isn't just about making decisions or delegating tasks—it's about setting the tone for the entire organization. As a leader, your mindset, energy, and attitude shape the environment you work in. And while there are many qualities that make a great leader, perhaps one of the most important is the ability to remain positive, even when challenges arise.

When we think about building a strong team, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that the foundation of a successful team is built by simply setting up systems, hiring the right people, providing resources, and ensuring that everyone does their job. While this approach might get your team off the ground, it’s not enough to create a team that can thrive in the face of challenges or change. The true essence of a sustainable and high-performing team goes beyond these surface-level structures.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish" Proverbs 29:18

As a school leader, it's easy to fall into the trap of micromanaging. We are deeply invested in the success of our students and staff, and sometimes, in our desire to ensure everything runs smoothly, we try to control every detail. But I've learned over the years that this approach can stifle creativity, innovation, and ultimately, the growth of both our teachers and students. Instead, what we need is a shift in mindset: we need to coach, not micromanage.

As a school leader, one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned over the years is the importance of embracing new starts. In education, we often talk about lifelong learning, but if we truly mean it, we must acknowledge that growth comes not from perfection but from the mistakes we make along the way. Unfortunately, many of us—myself included—fall into the trap of being overly critical of our own missteps. We don’t always offer ourselves the grace we need to learn from them, and in turn, we forget that it’s okay to be imperfect.