Actions are more powerful than words. The teachers you work with can tell if you are committed to making your school the best possible. Your team will notice and follow your way if you are sluggish and unconcerned. You will have a culture of slacker educators who regard themselves as adored babysitters sooner rather than later. Your students will not progress academically, and your district’s central office will step in and remove your school’s slacker leaders and instructors, forcing you to restart—what a tragic turn of circumstances.

Lead by Instance

Great educational leaders always set a good example. They get things done by putting their nose to the point of exhaustion. Finally, others will follow this excellent example, and things will get done. Many leaders, however, engage in what I refer to as “death by delegation.” Delegating is beneficial, but only if you contribute a good percentage of the workload. Many teachers have complained to me that their principals spend the whole day in their offices and assign heavy work to assistant principals and other employees of their leadership team. It makes no difference if they are correct or incorrect; the wrong perception will become a reality.

This is not what it means to be a leader. Leaders do not sit in their offices all day, allowing others to perform all work. True leaders spend as least amount of time as possible in their offices. They spend their days moving around the corridors, from classroom to classroom, looking for the activity. They regard themselves first and foremost as educational leaders, and they take the lead in improving student success. They set the standard for classroom behavior and guarantee that students can study in favorable environments.