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Best of Principal Leadership for New Principals
September 2001-January 2012
Vicki N. Petzko, Ph.D.
Professor
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
School of Education
January, 2012
Principal Leadership magazine is a monthly publication of the National Association of Secondary School
Principals (NASSP). It focuses on school leaders' real needs, offering them practical, hands-on strategies
for improving their schools in a constantly evolving educational environment. It is a theme based journal
written specifically for principals and their professional learning communities. While literally every issue
has excellent ideas for new principals, here are a few articles from the last 10 years that specifically
address the critical needs of new principals, whether this is their first principalship or a new school. This
list will be updated with new issues, so check back on a regular basis!
The abstracts have been organized according to categories of priority need for new principals. Each
abstract contains a full citation, and an NASSP link. The NASSP links to full text articles are accessible
to members only. The citations will allow non-members to access the article through a print copy or a
library’s electronic data base. Not an NASSP member? Get information here:
http://www.nassp.org/about-us/membership-benefits
Categories:
1) New Principals: A broad base of advice from articles in PL that have been written specifically for
new principals. p. 2
2) Collaboration: Articles addressing communication, relationship building and the collaborative
process, which are critical to school improvement. p. 4
3) Decision Making: Ideas on how to get off to a good start making difficult decisions, addressing
ethical issues, and knowing when to involve which stakeholders. p. 8
4) Professional Development: Strategies for how to build a learning community for your staff and a
professional development plan for yourself. p. 11
5) Survival skills: Suggestions regarding topics that are essential for initial survival and ultimate
success:
a)
Dealing with difficult people (including bullies) p. 13
b) Time management p. 15
c) Keeping Balance p. 17
d) Legal issues/IDEA p. 19
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TOPIC AREA #1: NEW PRINCIPALS
Beck, R. L. (2002, November). Tips for new principals: New job, now what? Principal Leadership,
3(3), 81-82. http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/46961.pdf
In a compelling article appropriate for not only new principals but also for those who are experienced but
moving into a new school, the author proposes a transition plan that identifies a number of key areas that
can facilitate success during the first year on the job. He starts with four basic goals: get to know your
new school, let the new school get to know you, become known as an active facilitator and educational
leader, and celebrate success at your new school. He expands each goal with specific activities and
objectives that relate to the goal and identifies areas you need to know about and things you need to do as
soon as possible. The author emphasizes that each school is unique and thus the lists are not definitive,
but clearly give the reader a place to start and the basics of a solid transition plan.
Key Word: New Principal, Professional Development
Beckerman, L. (2005, January). Building blocks for the new principal. Principal Leadership, 5(5),
43-46. http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=49171
The author identifies four basic building blocks for leadership: how to improve school climate, how to
provide leadership for change, how to communicate effectively, and how to manage time. There are
suggestions for how to do each, directed toward the new principal. While the author concedes that the
factors discussed do not fully describe all of challenges facing a new principal, they are, however, the
building blocks for developing a leadership style that will help improve the performance of a school and
manage a complex position.
Key Word: New Principal
Goosev, T. (2004, May). Help: I’m a principal: Now what? Principal Leadership, 4(9), 37-39
http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/48254.pdf
The author describes her first year experience as one where she became principal of the lowest
performing school in her district. She was told that staff members were resistant to change and had low
expectations for students. She identifies and explains four qualities she found were necessary for success
as a principal: vision and perseverance, knowledge, passion, and love of service. In addition, she
identifies and describes four practices essential to turning a school around: focus on standards, promote
effective teaching, maintain a culture of a professional learning community and create pyramid of
interventions for students. Each quality and practice is explained so that other new principals can benefit
from her experience and ultimate success. She concludes by describing her frustrations and feeling of
resentment and resistance from her staff, and how she overcame those obstacles.
Key word: New Principals, Vision
Krajewski, B., Conner, N., Murray, V. & Williams, C. (2004, May). Veteran principal advice.
Principal Leadership, 4(9), 19-24. http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/48249.pdf
Three veteran high school leaders share their thoughts, successes and frustrations, offering advice to new
principals and aspiring principals regarding reflections on their first year experiences. They suggest that
the key(s) to initial success are assessment, setting of realistic expectations, keeping the vision at the core
of decision making, and keeping a focus on instruction and student learning. Several leadership style
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models are presented as possible approaches other might use. Authors are interviewed and asked
specifically about survival, reflection, and advice for new principals.
Key Word: New Principals
Macdonald, L. (2001, December). New principal: Don’t just survive-Thrive. Principal Leadership,
2(4), 51-52. http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/48986.pdf
This article, written from the perspective of a new principal who had 10 years prior experience as an
assistant principal, provides excellent insights into the challenges many new principals are likely to face
as they begin their new jobs. Inexperienced teachers, low faculty morale, budget development, public
relations and school safety were all concerns to the author. She put the new teachers at the top of her
priority list, forming a weekly support group and inviting all teachers to attend. Instructional strategies
were presented and classroom visits and conversations provided further professional development.
Support, direction and mentoring followed. What was key was that the approach lead teachers, both
experienced and inexperienced, to begin to trust each other as well as the new principal. Collaboration,
empowerment, and joint problem solving became the norm. They all began to see that “they were in this
together” (p. 52) and that together, they could successfully address the challenges in their school.
Key Word: New Principals
Prince, H. M. (2004, November). First year principal—and mentor. Principal Leadership, 5(3), 2629. http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=48184
The premise of this article is to suggest that having first-year principals serve in mentorship roles to
aspiring principals can benefit both the new principal and the protégé—as well as students, teachers, and
the community. While many new principals receive very little information or feedback from their peers or
subordinates, having a protégé during the first year provides a new principal with someone to talk to
about his/her performance, and, in many instances, insecurities about decisions that have been made. The
first-year principal gains experience by supervising the protégé’s work and providing feedback. The
experience also affords the first-year principal with the opportunity to examine his or her own
professional growth and values. At the same time, the protégé finishes the year with a clearer perspective
on what to expect during the first year, and school districts increase their opportunities to recruit and
retain a qualified pool of applicants for the principalship.
Key words: New principals
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TOPIC AREA#2: COLLABORATION
One of the key elements of successful leadership and a core concept in the Breaking Ranks Framework is
collaboration: the ability to empower others, to build relationships, and to effectively establish an agreed
upon vision and belief system that can be the foundation of a school improvement journey.
Communication and relationship building are part of collaboration. You cannot do this alone! These
articles provide excellent advice and ideas on how to begin to collaborate as a new leader.
Capelluti, J. (2003, November). Old stories for new leaders: A principal’s confession. Principal
Leadership, 4(3), 8-9. http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/48922.pdf
The “Old Stories” feature of Principal Leadership offers sage advice for new principals in short essays
that address critical issues and share personal insights. This author discusses parent involvement and the
various ways he successfully worked with parents as a middle school principal. The confession is as
follows: “When I was a principal, I actually liked some parents better than others. In fact, there were some
parents I didn’t particularly like much at all” (p. 8). He then goes on to give examples of what worked well
with parents and where he ran into stumbling blocks. A number of specific insights and strategies are
presented which would help any principal, new or veteran, be more successful in dealing with parents. The
author’s emphasis on the importance of excellent communication skills and the importance of personal
relationships is sage advice for any leader; new or experienced .
Key Word: Communication, Parent Involvement
Hickman, W.A., Moore, L.C. & Torek, T. J. (2008, October). Voluntary teacher leadership: Key to
sustainable improvement. Principal Leadership, 9(2), 30-33.
http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=58272
The authors describe a situation common to many new principals; you are handed a directive, perhaps,
from the school board or state department, and are expected to implement it. These principals were
committed to the idea that the only route to sustainable success would be through distributing leadership
to and trusting their faculty. They show how principals who are dedicated to distributed leadership must
foster an environment of trust at all levels, starting by trusting teachers to make sound, well-informed
decisions about what is best for their students. They say, “for distributed leadership to work, teachers
must feel that they have the authority and support they need to take risks and investigate innovative
strategies for making positive changes in the school. Shared decision making is essential to this success”
(p. 31). Suggestions for how to foster a culture of collaboration through the leadership team has worked
successfully.
Key Word: Collaboration
Knuth, R. (2004, November). Negative uses of power. Principal Leadership, 5(3), 44-49.
http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=48192
The author suggests that there are two types of leadership: cheap leadership and effective leadership. He
defines cheap leadership as motivated by self-interest, as opposed to effective leadership, which is
motivated by the common cause. Unlike leaders who inspire others by exercising power based on
expertise, information and relationships, cheap leaders seek power by controlling others with the use of
coercive power and manipulation. He provides an insightful chart comparing cheap leadership to effective
leadership, and concludes with the resolve that effective school leaders must vow to confront cheap
leaders and remediate or remove the cheap leader. He says that leadership teams and administrators must
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“work together to extinguish negative leadership behaviors and to foster the principle-centered and
effective behaviors necessary to articulate a compelling vision, create ownership among staff members,
and achieve and sustain meaningful school improvement” (p. 49).
Key Words: Collaboration/Communication
Knuth, R. (2006, November). The Monday memo. Principal Leadership, 7(3), 32-36.
http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=54440
Knuth identifies one effective leadership activity as a weekly memo, which he characterizes as not
necessarily profound but yet capable of producing powerful results. He emphasizes that in the memo
principals should include both “level one” and “level two” communication. He says, “level one
communication is routine but necessary, often related to the calendar, and in the one-directional form of
announcements. To borrow from Dragnet’s Joe Friday, level one communication is “just the facts,
ma’am” (p. 33). He describes level two communication as that which is more oriented toward creating
and sustaining strong, reciprocal relationships in the school. He claims that a Monday Memo can thus
simultaneously serve as the vehicle for basic information as well as a reminder of the leader’s vision,
goals and aspirations for the school community. He gives example of both, and ties the importance of
both levels of communication to important leadership concepts that all new principals may find very
helpful.
Key Word: Communication
Nye, K. (2003, November). Old stories for new leaders: How am I doing? Principal Leadership, 4(3),
8-9. http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/48787.pdf
The “Old Stories” feature of Principal Leadership offers sage advice for new principals in short essays
that address critical issues and share personal insights. This author describes a principal who was
‘blindsided’ by a vote of no confidence by his faculty. In contrast, Nye discusses strategies he used that
would prevent such an occurrence. He describes a simple three question survey he used in the spring of
each school year, gathered anonymously but collated by and discussed with a teacher leader. He also
describes a 20 question Likert questionnaire he used for others to rate his strengths and weaknesses. He
concludes with the following:
By employing these strategies, I think I not only avoided the surprise of a letter of no-confidence,
but also kept in tune with teachers’ needs and concerns and parents’ perceptions of the school. I
also got positive feedback from teachers who said they realized I was taking a risk by asking for
feedback…. And because I gave teachers and parents opportunities to share their perceptions of
how I was doing, they came to realize that I was truly listening. (p. 9)
Key Words: Collaboration/Professional Development
Perkins, B. (2011, January). Starting at the beginning. Principal Leadership, 11(5), 30-35.
http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=Starting_at_the_Beginning
Mr. Perkin’s suggestions on the use of the Breaking Ranks Framework are valuable to any principal
getting started with the BR process. He stresses the importance of “buy in” and collaboration from the
entire staff. A discussion guide is provided, which would allow an entire faculty the opportunity to
discuss how another school has used the Framework and to begin to customize it for their specific needs.
The article also provides an example of how this principal and staff used student data and collaborative
decision making to implement a significant change event in their school.
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Key Words: Collaboration
Ruder, R. (2006, November). Approachability and visibility. Principal Leadership, 7(3), 39-41.
http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=54441
Ruder maintains that any principal, regardless of the grade level he or she serves, will have a difficult
time rebounding from an early-formed perception of being unapproachable, and that such a perceived
lack of approachability will lead to distrust, fear, and the ultimate deterioration of a trusting relationship
between staff members and the principal. He also asserts that the visibility of the principal is equally
important. A new principal who recognizes the importance of collaborative culture to the school
improvement process will want to be sure to avoid the perception of being unapproachable and/or
invisible, and will benefit from the excellent suggestions and advice from this article.
Key Words: Communication, Collaboration
Sharp, H.M. (2005, January). After the fact. Principal Leadership, 5(5), 39-41.
http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=49170
The ability to manage a crisis and its aftermath are critical for the success of any principal. New
principals may be especially vulnerable, due to a lack of training or experience in situations that are
highly visible, dangerous, and for which there may be little precedent. A school leader’s spoken or
written communication can help dampen rumors and restore routine educational processes after a crisis.
Specific strategies are provided to help compose an effective crisis letter. A sample letter is also included.
Key words: Communication
Vodicka, D. (2006, November). 4 elements of trust. Principal Leadership, 7(3), 27-30.
http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=54439
Vodicka identifies four factors—consistency, compassion, communication, and competence—as
necessary for a trusting relationship. He also claims they are insufficient in isolation, and that the four
factors must occur together develop trust. He believes that developing trust is the most central duty for
school leaders if they are interested in positively influencing their learning community. He has discovered
that the level of teachers’ trust for the principal appears to be predictive of the other relationships in the
school environment, and that improving those relationships improves teaching, learning, and student
achievement. The article gives new principals a scale to measure the degree of trust they have with their
staff, as well as suggestions on how to further develop each of the four factors.
Key Words: Collaboration
Wesley, D. C. (2004, November). Just listen. Principal Leadership, 5(3), 39-41
http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=48187
Wesley suggests that the ability to listen can be the most important activity for principals in a variety of
situations. Although not written only for new principals, the approach emphasizes the importance of
relationships and collaboration in initial problem solving and decision making. The author suggests that
the development of listening skills will be a valuable part of any professional development plan. The
author describes ‘empathetic listening’ as communication in which the listener controls him or herself and
lets go of the urge to control the other. The goal of empathetic listening is to establish a connection with
the other person, change the dynamics of interpersonal relationships and help find new solutions to
problems.
Key Word: Collaboration/Relationships/Professional development
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Also……The November 2006 volume of Principal Leadership, ‘Building and Strengthening
Coalitions’ has other articles that are particularly helpful to new principals. You can’t collaborate
without establishing trust, communicating well, and being approachable. The theme of this issue of
PL makes it invaluable for new principals!
http://www.nassp.org/KnowledgeCenter/Publications/PrincipalLeadership/PrincipalLeadershipArc
hives/PLVol7Sept2006May2007/Vol7No3.aspx
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TOPIC # 3: DECISION MAKING:
The ability to make decisions is critical to initial success. Decisions must be timely, involve the
right people, be based on sound information and be ethical and in the best interests of students. In
addition, the outcome needs to be in line with what you are promoting as your beliefs and vision! There
are a number of excellent articles here. In addition, see the entire October 2009 edition of PL for several
articles on Ethical Leadership.
Capelluti, J. (2003, October). Old stories for new leaders: Caught with your pants down. Principal
Leadership, 4(2), 8-10. http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/48729.pdf
The “Old Stories” feature of Principal Leadership offers sage advice for new principals in short essays
that address critical issues and share personal insights. Despite this title’s implication, this article does not
address issues of sexual misconduct or other inexcusable behaviors. What the author does offer is
excellent insights into the perils of hasty decision making, and the accompanying risks of rushing to
judgment. Using an interesting story as an example, he reminds new principals that making decisions
without adequate information, or drawing conclusions based on surface evidence, can not only lead to
incorrect determinations but also potentially harmful actions. He reminds the new principal that she or he
must “find out all the facts before you draw any conclusions. Your first instinct may prove to be wrong. Better
to err on the side of caution then to be caught with your professional pants down” (p. 10).
Key words: Decision Making
Capelluti, J. (2004, April). Old stories for new leaders: If you allow it, you approve it. Principal
Leadership, 4(8), 7. http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/46860.pdf
The “Old Stories” feature of Principal Leadership offers sage advice for new principals in short essays
that address critical issues and share personal insights. The author discusses the importance of principals
having the courage to examine traditions and practices to ensure that they are consistent with the beliefs of the
school and community and are in the best interests of all the students. He describes principals as the
gatekeepers of the values of the school community and the guardian of what is right and fair. He gives
examples of how the action-or inaction-of a principal demonstrates what she or he supports, and how a
principal’s advocacy can make a significant difference for students, especially those for whom there is no other
advocate. The author reminds the reader how important principals are as ethical leaders.
Key word: Decision Making, Ethics
Capelluti, J. & Nye, K. (2003, October). Old stories for new leaders: When grapefruit and grades
are no small potatoes. Principal Leadership, 3(2), 8-9.
http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/46933.pdf
The “Old Stories” feature of Principal Leadership offers sage advice for new principals in short essays
that address critical issues and share personal insights. In this article, Nye and Capelluti attempt to show
the reader how “being a principal requires a balance between not sweating the small stuff and paying
attention to the small stuff” (p. 8). They give several examples of how situations which began as anthills
actually developed into large scale problems with serious consequences. They conclude with the advice
to “keep things in balance, remembering that the small stuff, in all of its myriad and trivial facets, is
balancing the big stuff. Neither should be all-consuming, but neither should be ignored” (p. 9). The
authors’ examples are real-world and the type that any principal could imagine happening in his or her
school.
Key Words: Decision Making
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Glanz, J. (2009, October). Decisions you can live with. Principal Leadership, 10(2), 24-28.
http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=60632
The ethical decision-making approaches presented in this article can help any new principal reach a more
informed and carefully analyzed decision before taking any action. The author provides three different
decision models, includes a set of 12 questions to ask before action is taken, and suggests a set of moral
principles that can guide decision making. The author’s conclusion summarizes the article well: “Too
often, we are tempted to quickly put out fires or react to pressing dilemmas without engaging in a process
that would provide some assurance that the right decision was made. The models alone will not
necessarily help you to resolve every dilemma you encounter, but they provide a framework to guide your
decision making. They do not provide the moral imagination and creative thinking that are needed to
address complex situations. That is up to you” (p. 28). This is a critical article for all new principals.
Key Word: Decision Making, Ethics
Lindsay, S. R., Halfacre, J. D., & Welch, F. C. (2004, November). Dancing with the tensions.
Principal Leadership, 5(3), 30-34. http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=48185
The authors suggest that being a principal often means operating in the space created by a tension of
opposites. They use the example of how a principal might be excited for a teacher who announces her
pregnancy, but dismayed at the obvious difficulties that will likely emerge in finding a suitable long term
substitute. How can principals be tough and make decisions in the best interest of the school and still be
caring and compassionate when it comes to the needs of teachers and parents? How can one be perceived
as a team player at the district level but still be creative and an advocate for change? The answer lies in
the ability to find balance by considering the intuitive solution as well as the logical one, asserting “the
principal must think and listen—think about the questions in his or her head and listen to the music in his
or her heart and then intuit the steps to take” (p. 34). Excellent examples are included.
Key Word: Decision Making, Ethics
Nye, K. (2004. March) . Old Stories for new leaders: Sleeping with decisions. Principal Leadership,
4(7), 8-9. http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/49005.pdf
The “Old Stories” feature of Principal Leadership offers sage advice for new principals in short essays
that address critical issues and share personal insights. This author discusses the importance of allowing
time to make most decisions. He contends that “If you can respond to someone’s question by saying, ‘Let
me sleep on it,’ you will appear all the wiser the next day” (p.8). He cites the importance of getting
another person’s perspective, accessing additional information, and letting emotions settle. He also
cautions the reader about the dangers inherent if there is no actual follow-through after having ‘slept on
it’. He concludes with a reminder to the reader of the importance of relationships in the school business,
and the importance of giving important decisions the time they deserve. Nye gives examples that clarify
the potential effectiveness of this strategy.
Key word: Decision Making
Nye, K. & Capelluti, J. (2003, May). Old stories for new leaders: ABCS of decision making..
Principal Leadership. 3(9), 8-9. http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/46883.pdf
The “Old Stories” feature of Principal Leadership offers sage advice for new principals in short essays
that address critical issues and share personal insights. The authors begin this article with the contention
that “teachers have split personalities when it comes to decision making. They want a decisive leader who
doesn’t shy away from making decisions, but if a decision overlaps onto their turf, teachers want to be in
on it and will resent a leader who makes unilateral decisions” (p. 8). They identify four types of decisions:
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Category A, those which are the principal’s to make alone, Category B, which are “bureaucratic”
decisions that should be made by the principal in consultation with a specific organization in the school,
Category C, which affect everyone in the school, require input from everyone, and ultimately are decided
by “consensus”, and Category S, which “significantly affect students” and requires input from them
before the issue is put to rest. They offer examples for each and strategies for how and when to make each
work.
Key Word: Decision Making, Collaboration
Rammer, R. (2009, October). Principles for principals. Principal Leadership, On Line Edition, 10(2).
http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=60641
This article, written specifically for new principals, provides some real-life guiding principles that all new
principals should understand. Rammer calls these the unwritten conditions, expectations, and fine print of
the job. He asserts that when new principals accept their first principalship, they are excited about
applying all the knowledge they learned in their graduate programs and are ready, although a little scared,
to assume this incredible responsibility. But experienced principals often report that the formal training
and degree programs designed for aspiring principals did not prepare them for what they faced when they
walked into their first principal position. The author provides some practical, pragmatic aspects to being a
school principal that fall outside typical college syllabi. He talks about the enormity of the responsibility,
guiding values for decisions, the difficulty of change, and other critical aspects of the position. Any new
principal would find this advice invaluable.
Key Word: Decision Making, Ethics
The entire October 2006 Volume of PL focuses on data driven decision making. “How to Make
Data Make Sense” is well worth reading in its entirety.
http://www.nassp.org/KnowledgeCenter/Publications/PrincipalLeadership/PrincipalLeadershipArchives/P
LVol7Sept2006May2007/October2006No2HowtoMakeDataMakeSense.aspx
AND, the entire Oct. 2009 volume of Principal Leadership focuses on ethical decision making. The
ability to make ethical and effective decisions can make or break your success as a new principal.
Check it out!
http://www.nassp.org/KnowledgeCenter/Publications/PrincipalLeadership/PrincipalLeadershipArchives/P
LVol10Sept2009May2010/Oct2009No2EthicalLeadership.aspx
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TOPIC #4: PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The principal must be a leader for professional development in the school, modeling a commitment to life
long learning, establishing high expectations for teacher development, and nurturing the development of a
the school as a learning community. Where do you start? The theme of January 2011 edition of PL was
“Leading to Improvement”, and it contains a number of excellent resources for the further development of
your own leadership skills. Here are a few we have highlighted, from that volume as well as other
volumes of PL.
Bonnici, C. (2011, January). Creating a leadership style. Principal Leadership, 11(5), 54-57.
http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=Creating_a_Leadership_Style
Bonnici presents some excellent guidelines to follow as you work to improve school culture so that it can
become a culture of reform. The author lists 14 principles of school leadership as a reminder of how
important principals’ and assistant principals’ daily actions are in setting a positive tone for their schools.
Included are ideas regarding collaboration, prioritization, communication, empowerment, and more. The
author emphasizes that “successful school leaders delegate tasks to appropriate personnel and do not
micromanage or redo the work others do for them” ( p. 56), and concludes with an emphasis remembering
what is important. The 14 principles are important for new principals to know and veteran principals to
review as a reminder of critical skills needed for effective leadership.
Key Word: Professional Development
Petzko, V. N. (2004, November). Tailoring professional development for a better fit. Principal
Leadership, 5(3), 16-21. http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=48181
The capacity to improve schools depends on the quality and effectiveness of the leaders in each school.
You must plan a highly personalized PD plan, using a variety of resources. A good induction program and
a mentor are essential. The author describes effective professional development and growth planning for
all principals. Key elements addressed are that professional development should be tailored to the
individual’s and the school’s needs and that induction and mentoring programs are two of the best forms
of professional development. Professional networks, which enable principals to receive support and
acquire insight from colleagues, are also recommended. Reflective practice is identified as a foundation
for all professional growth. A checklist is provided to assist the reader in the identification of sound
professional development opportunities. The author concludes that “the capacity to improve schools
depends on the quality and effectiveness of the leaders in each school”(p. 21).
Key Word: Professional Development
Reed, P. (2011, December). Developing leadership skills: Planning and reflection. Principal
Leadership, 12(4), 60-62. http://www.nassp.org/Content/158/pl_dec11_brip.pdf
Pete Reed, Director of Professional Development for NASSP, writes this piece using the NASSP
publication 10 Skills for Successful School Leaders as its foundation. He outlines a pre-performance
planning strategy that busy principals can use to increase their knowledge of the 10 essential skills and
apply them on the job. The article illustrates how a principal can use any given task as a basis for growth;
first, by examining the task before it occurs and identifying which skill dimensions are essential to
complete it effectively, then looking at the descriptors and determining which will be needed during the
event, and then rehearsing how to actually implement those skills while carrying out the task. The final
step for the principal is to reflect on the efficacy of his/her performance and use those reflections to plan
future skills practice. Reed suggests that you not only ask yourself what skills you performed well but
also how you might have performed for effectively; in addition, he suggests that you examine if there
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were other skills/behaviors that could have produced a better result, and to identify future opportunities
that will assist development in areas of weakness. The article is an excellent strategy for ongoing
professional development that requires no outside resources and no time away from the school. The
practice of self-assessment and reflection are important for any new principal to develop and the results
powerful.
Key Words: Professional Development, Reflection
Schmidt, L. (2008, December). Knowledge is power. Principal Leadership, 9(4), 22-25.
http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=58743
If you love being a principal and want to survive and thrive in the job, you have to get smarter. Being the
instructional leader is just the start. Principals are also expected to wrestle with tough legal questions,
oversee multiyear building projects, reinvent learning on a shoestring budget, learn about the teachers’
contract, understand student mental health issues, and implement teacher evaluation and dismissal
procedures. Schmidt reminds the reader that one-third of all principals leave their positions involuntarily.
“They’re ‘serving at the pleasure of the board’ one day and job hunting the next” (p. 22). She also
maintains that most administrators shortchange themselves in the professional development area. Her
emphasis on making personal growth a priority is one that every new principal should follow. Schmidt is
also the author of Gardening in the Minefield: A Survival Guide for School Administrators (2002,
Heinemann).
Key Word: Professional Development
And more…
The entire November 2004 volume of PL focuses on various support systems for principals,
including professional development. Check it out at
http://www.nassp.org/KnowledgeCenter/Publications/PrincipalLeadership/PrincipalLeadershipArc
hives/PLVol5Sept2004May2005/Vol5No3.aspx
AND, the January 2011 volume of PL focuses on the development of leadership skills. The theme
was “Leading to Improvement”, and the volume contains a number of excellent resources for the
further development of your own leadership skills. Check it out at
http://www.nassp.org/knowledge-center/publications/principal-leadership
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TOPIC #5: SURVIVAL SKILLS
The first few years are the most challenging for most principals. In order to survive, you need to take care
of the basics of school and crisis management, as well as get the job done while maintaining your
personal health and wellness in the process. You also have to be able to successfully deal with difficult
people and/or people in difficult situations. You also need a basic understanding of IDEA, which is the
most often litigated area in school law. If you can’t do those, you will never advance to a high level of
success or become an exemplary school leader. Subheadings include:

Dealing with Difficult People and Situations

Time Management

Balance

Special Education Law
Dealing With Difficult People and Situations
Capelluti, J. & Nye, K. (2004, October). Old stories for new leaders: A dialogue about saboteurs:
Part II. Principal Leadership, 5(2), 8. http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=48609
The “Old Stories” feature of Principal Leadership offers sage advice for new principals in short essays
that address critical issues and share personal insights. In this article, Nye and Capelluti identify five
reasons why staff members don’t do what you want them to do: they don’t know what you want them to
do, they don’t have the skills, they don’t see the importance, they don’t want to do it, or they have learned
that they really don’t have to do it. Each reason is explained and suggestions given for how to address a
saboteur. The authors conclude with the reminder that “just as a classroom teacher changes the behavior
of students by changing his or her own behavior, a principal must change to address the inappropriate
behavior of staff members” (p. 8).
Key Word: Survival, Difficult people
Capelluti, J. & Nye, K. (2004, November). Old stories for new leaders: Dealing with difficult staff
members. Principal Leadership, 5(3), 8. http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=48195
The “Old Stories” feature of Principal Leadership offers sage advice for new principals in short essays
that address critical issues and share personal insights. This is the second of articles written specifically
about how to deal with staff members who are saboteurs, ie: those who attempt to hinder progress at any
junction. Cappelluti shares a list of questions he developed to help clarify the specific issues and develop
specific action plans. The authors clarify that the questions are part of a process, and that the process
requires a lot of information and the willingness to ‘take on’ some difficult staff members. Reading it in
conjunction with the previous article provides good insights on how to successfully do one of the most
challenging tasks of the principal’s job.
Key Word: Survival, Difficult people
O’Neil, R., Kellner, M.H., & Elias, M.J. (2012, January). Effective intervention for bullying.
Principal Leadership, 12(5), 56-60. http://www.nassp.org/Content/158/pl_jan12_oneil.pdf
The article states that both proactive and reactive strategies are necessary to prevent bullying in schools,
and proposes the implementation of a specialized action team that promptly and sensitively investigates
allegations of HIB (harassment, intimidation and bullying). Membership in the team, components of an
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investigation, and follow up procedures are presented, as are some cautionary suggestions. The authors
also articulate the responsibilities of the school community as a whole. The importance of intervention is
clear: “every confirmed HIB incident involves a student who has been hurt and has significant
implications for school wide functioning. Therefore, every occurrence must be treated with urgency and
sensitivity” (p. 57).
Key Words: Difficult people, bullying, legal issues
Pierce, K. & Fields, L. (2003, December). How to diffuse difficult situations. Principal Leadership,
4(4). http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/48919.pdf
The authors characterize interacting with parents as one of the most challenging aspects in the job of an
administrator. They identify common causes of tension and conflict as well as present multiple strategies that
they believe can help diffuse difficult situations. They cite and explain a number of specific strategies
suggested by various authors, including asking the key question, “What can I do to help solve this problem?
They also talk about the importance of honesty, remaining non-defensive, admitting if you don’t know
something, accepting responsibility, and offering solutions. In addition, the authors also identify some
important things NOT to do when dealing with difficult situations. When a sense of working together for the
good of students has become part of the culture and norm of the school community, the authors suggest that
resolving conflicts and dealing with difficult situations may be more productive and less stressful.
Key Words: Survival/conflict
Whitaker, T. (2003, January). Dealing with difficult parents. Principal Leadership, 3(5), 46-49.
http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/46790.pdf
Whitaker, the author of the book “Dealing with Difficult Parents and Parents in Difficult Situations”
(2001), has done an excellent job of summarizing some of the book’s most important points in this article
for PL. He states that one of the most unenviable components of a principal’s job is interacting with angry
parents, and that learning effective strategies can help defuse tense situations and build trust. He talks
about not needing to prove who is in charge and about parents doing the best they can do. He present
excellent advice on how to apologize, teaching teachers how to work with parents, the importance of
listening, and how to deal with hostile parents or parents whose language is inappropriate. He stresses the
importance of the principal’s professionalism. The article offers excellent advice and specific suggestions
for the development of a skill that is, unfortunately, essential for success as a new principal.
Key Words: Survival, Difficult people
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Time Management: The March 2008 Volume of PL had the theme of “Reshape Your Day” and
addresses time management and organizational skills. Read it in its entirety if you can! Or, start here….
Capelluti, J. & Nye, K. (2003, September). Old stories for new leaders: Now you see me. Now you
don’t. Principal Leadership, 3(1), 8-9. http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/46898.pdf
The “Old Stories” feature of Principal Leadership offers sage advice for new principals in short essays
that address critical issues and share personal insights. The article begins with a warning that “new
principals can lose perspective and work too hard and too long, especially if they don’t know veteran
principals who can assure them that they can be a good principal and still lead balanced lives” (p. 8). The
authors describe the difficulties of being everywhere, for everyone, all the time. They then present a
solution called the ‘visibility’ game, in which Nye engaged as a principal. He describes several strategies,
including the positioning himself self in highly visibly places during passing time, arriving at student
activities a bit early and doing something (fixing the microphone, for example) that allowed everyone to
see him, and then returning to his office for a while or going home before the activity was over. Other
strategies are described. The author claims that his high level of visibility lead to a public perception that
he was accessible to and supportive of everyone in the school community. He attributes that perception
with the development of trust, congeniality and collegiality.
Key Words: Time Management, Survival
Ciabatti, D. & Custer, T.J. (2008, March). Get the monkey off your back. Principal Leadership:
Middle Level Edition, 8(7), 32-35. http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=57055
Monkeys are problems that need solutions. Every day, every principal is vulnerable to adopting someone
else’s monkey, or at least allowing it to ride on his or her shoulders for a while. To avoid walking around
with dozens of monkeys on your back, the author claims that you must train and trust all stakeholders,
including secretaries, custodians, teachers, students, and parents to make decisions they are responsible
for. Tending to others’ responsibilities—feeding their monkeys—doesn’t give you more control, it creates
dependency. Principals can free up the greatest amount of time for themselves by shifting the
responsibility for the care and feeding of monkeys back to staff and faculty members and by developing
systems whereby it is difficult for subordinates to leave their monkeys behind. The authors talk about
how principals can guide decision making without controlling every decision. Allowing others to feed
their own monkeys gives them the independence they need for continuous school improvement. A new
principal who tends to collect monkeys in an attempt to build a reputation as a problem solver could find
this advice very helpful.
Key Words: Time Management
Hitch, C. (2008, March). 10 ways to find more time. Principal Leadership, 8(7), 36-40.
http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=57020
Do you find yourself saying: “How do I find time for instructional leadership? I’m in information
overload—there are almost 100 e-mail messages in my in-box, I am supposed to do three observations
this week, and I can’t find the report that is due to central office in this huge mound of paper on my
desk…. I was hired to be an instructional leader. How am I going to find time?" (p. 37). Hitch proposes
10 time management practices, including, but not limited to, the use of index cards, coding ideas, OHIO
(Only Handle It Once), and the efficient use of email folders. Hitch claims that these 10 time management
practices have helped more than 500 school executives in North Carolina be more productive and find
more time for instructional leadership. He says: “the good news is that there is nothing magical about
them; they are simply ways to streamline your work, reduce the number of times you handle something,
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and delegate wisely to help you free up your time to be a more effective instructional leader—after all,
that’s why you were hired” (p. 40).
Key Words: Time Management, Survival
Lovely, S. & Smith, S. (2004, November). Selective abandonment: How and when to say no.
Principal Leadership, 5(3), 35-38. http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/48186.pdf
The authors claim that principals must learn to abandon certain tasks or requests in order to effectively
manage their time and not feel bombarded and overloaded. The authors asserts that principals are better
able to manage time if they were to use an approach of identifying the activities or tasks they could
control, the activities or tasks they could not control, and the activities or tasks they could stop doing,.
They outline strategies that can help principals know when to say no—and say it diplomatically—and
make informed decisions to reduce their work load. “10 Tips for Preserving a Principal’s Time” are
included.
Key Words: Time Management, Survival
Marshall, K. (2008, March). The big rocks: Priority management for principals. Principal
Leadership, 8(7), 16-22. http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=56996
The author asks how a dedicated principal can work really, really hard but fail to get significant gains in
student achievement? She says the answer is obvious: “by spending too much time on the wrong things
and not enough on the right things” (p. 17). Since leaving the principalship, she has pondered her
mistakes, learned from the masters of time management, and now offers advice to the principals she
coaches: identify the big rocks (highest priority) and use what Steven Covey promotes in his well known
book “7 Habits of Highly Effective people (1989), "The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule,
but to schedule your priorities" (p. 161). The article focuses on the idea that if you don’t put your two or
three top priorities into your calendar first, all the other stuff will clutter your days. It also includes a
rubric for self scoring of priority management. New principals should try the rubric, and then Marshall’s
advice.
Key Words: Time Management, Survival
Morford, L. M. (2005, January). 3 tools to get you organized. Principal Leadership, 5(5), 24-27.
http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=49164
Although there is near universal agreement that the principal’s prime responsibility is to provide
instructional leadership in the school, she/he is also expected to be able to manage effectively. This author
contends that one of the first things a school community expects from the principal is that management
issues—particularly for special events that occur every year—are successfully administered. This requires
principals to be organized and develop policies and procedures that simplify these tasks and allow them
more time to address instructional issues. By creating and using three organizational tools—a master
calendar, a special events checklist, and an administrative checklist—principals can efficiently plan and
organize special events. A sample calendar, event checklist and monthly administrative planning checklist
are included.
Key words: Time Management, Survival
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Ruder, R. (2008, March). Time management for new principals. Principal Leadership, 8(7), 36-40.
http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=57057
Knowing how to manage time is an essential component of a principal’s life. Central office and building
meetings, pre- and post-observation conferences with teachers, classroom visits, parent meetings, team
meetings, lunch duty, discipline concerns, bus problems, and the unexpected are part of a principal’s day.
Making time for all of these scheduled and unscheduled events can overwhelm even the most organized
principal. The author describes nine organizational skills, and eleven common sense rules that may help
in managing the expanding demands of the position while still taking care of yourself and your family.
The ideas are critical to survival—both your own and that of the vision of your school.
Key words: Time Management, Survival
Schmidt, L. (2004, November). The in box never sleeps: Principal Leadership, 4(6) 14-18
http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=49005
The author’s realistic time management strategies provide valuable insights for new and veteran
principals alike. Suggestions about the management of interruptions, delegating, restricting, dealing with
voicemail and email, and the disciplined use of time are worth considering. The article also addresses
some of the dangers inherent in these strategies, and ways to address them. Schmidt concludes with an
encouraging note: “I tell myself that I can’t possibly do everything that is piled before me, but I can do
five things, and then quit” (p. 18).
Key words: Time Management, Survival
And more…: The theme of the March 2008 volume of PL was “Reshape Your Day”, addressing
time management and priority development for school leaders. Check it out at
http://www.nassp.org/knowledge-center/publications/principal-leadership
Seeking Balance: The focus of the April 2007 edition of Principal Leadership was on “Seeking Balance”
with regard to several school issues, including basic personal survival skills for new principals.
Gerke, W. (2007, April). Conquering the invisible wall. Principal Leadership, High School Edition
7(8), 26-29. http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=55408
This article was written from the perspective of a new assistant superintendent but is relevant for new
principals as well. He says that while it is always enthralling to watch new administrators approach each
task with endless energy and a desire to make a difference, it is not so awesome to see administrators—
whether new or seasoned—hit an invisible wall and become overwhelmed and out of balance. He
identifies techniques and strategies that helped him maintain a sense of balance, following a theme of
refocus-realign-repurpose. He describes strategies as simple as, but not limited to, taking a lunch break
and asking for help. He asserts that if educational leaders do not maintain balance, all of the efforts and
energy put into making positive changes [in the school] will be unsuccessful.
Key Words: Balance, Survival
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Healy, T. (2007, April). Strategies to lead a balanced life as a high school principal. Principal
Leadership, On Line Edition, 8(7). http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=57046
When the author was named principal of a high school in Virginia, he and his wife had a one-year-old son
and another baby on the way. He knew that he would have to make some serious sacrifices. He wanted to
be a great principal, but also a great husband and father, and wondered if he could lead a balanced life.
Almost nine years later, he was still happily married and a father of three children. He offers advice to
other principals, noting that although the stress of being a school principal is completely overwhelming at
times, he was able to develop seven strategies that helped him be a solid principal, a good father, and a
good husband. He concludes that he has found that these strategies have helped him to lead a balanced
life—a successful professional life that continues to be challenging, exciting, and inspirational, and more
importantly, a personal life that has helped him be a good father and husband, not missing out on the best
thing that has ever happened to him… his family. New principals, especially those with young families,
will find this advice very helpful and encouraging.
Key Words: Balance, Survival
Kelehear, Z. (2004, November). Controlling stress. Principal Leadership, 5(3), 30-33.
http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=48188
The author acknowledges that although stress is an unavoidable element of a principal’s life, the reader
must consider the possible consequences of stress on leadership style, the ways can stress affect morale
and productivity among principals and teachers, and possible strategies for helping principals and teachers
manage change and its accompanying stress. “When leaders are in a high state of stress, they create a
culture that is under stress as well….The whole school becomes “tired,” filled with frustrated and angry
teachers and students (p. 32). The author identifies how two strategies, building trusting relationships and
creating a caring community, can substantially reduce stress for all and better allow them to attend to
meeting the needs of students.
Key Words: Stress, Survival
Nye, K. (2003, September). Old stories for new leaders: Get a life. Principal Leadership, 4(1), 9.
http://www.nassp.org/Portals/0/Content/48681.pdf
The “Old Stories” feature of Principal Leadership offers sage advice for new principals in short essays
that address critical issues and share personal insights. Nye’s advice in this article addresses one of the
key concerns for new and/or young principals: How do you do all that needs to be done and still maintain
time to spend with your family? How do you balance late afternoons/nights at work against the option of
working late at home? How do you project the image of a hard working principal and still leave school
early enough to attend your own kids’ after school activities? He puts forth some simple but sound
advice, ending with the reminder to “Work hard, but not so hard that your family pays the price” (p. 9).
Key Word: Balance
Patterson, J.L. & Kellher, P. (2007, April). Resilience in the midst of a storm. Principal Leadership,
7(8) http://www.nassp.org/tabid/3788/default.aspx?topic=55406#six
Few school leaders would characterize their jobs as smooth sailing. In fact, the authors claim that a more
apt nautical metaphor is trying to ride out a torrent of relentless storms that come and go and come again.
They explain, however, that in the midst of these storms, some school leaders construct ways to remain
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resilient and move ahead, while other colleagues struggle just to tread water and others eventually drown
from the storm. They identify six strategies that resilient school leaders use on a consistent basis. They
describe a scenario where one principal demonstrated the six strengths of resilient leaders as he led a task
force effort in his school district, drawing upon these strengths to form a strong foundation for moving
ahead in the face of adversity. Any new principal would find the strategies and the story both convincing
and compelling.
Key Words Balance, Survival
Sieveke-Pearson, S. (2010, April). The energy to lead. Principal Leadership, 10(8), 54-57.
http://www.nassp.org/Content.aspx?topic=The_Energy_to_Lead
[While this article was written for assistant principals, if you put ‘assistant’ in brackets, it reads well for a
new principal!]
The author states that she had accepted the position as a middle school assistant principal with great
anticipation of starting a new leg in her professional journey. She says,
I knew that my administrator’s licensure program had prepared me for many aspects of the job,
and I also knew that I would need much on-the-job training to build my confidence and
conventional wisdom as a school leader. Remembering the excitement of being selected to
become an assistant principal made me feel celebratory and grateful, even when the job stressed
me out. Sometimes I needed those feelings to carry me through the days when I felt I had nothing
left to give. I began to think about what brought joy and satisfaction to my job as assistant
principal. (p. 55)
She goes on to describe how she worked with her professional learning community to analyze energy
users and energy givers, and how members developed their own plans to find new ways to make energy
givers part of their daily routine. A discussion guide is included.
Key Word: Balance, Survival
In addition, the theme of the April 2007 edition of Principal Leadership was “Seeking Balance”.
Check it out at
http://www.nassp.org/KnowledgeCenter/Publications/PrincipalLeadership/PrincipalLeadershipArc
hives/PLVol7Sept2006May2007/April2007No8SeekingBalance.aspx
Special Education Law (IDEA)
While this may not seem like the right ‘fit’ for survival skills, if you ask any number of principals what
they wished they had known more about when they began in the position, they are likely to say “IDEA”.
Start here with some basics, and look for more information in the “Topics” section following.
Frey, N.& Fisher, D. (2011, December). RTI2: Five mistakes to avoid. Principal Leaderhip, 12(4), 5659. http://www.nassp.org/Content/158/pl_dec11_instrucldr.pdf
The authors speak to the difficulties of implementing RTI (Response to Intervention) at the secondary
level, and suggest the use of solid instructional practices that are sure to help the new principal avoid
common mistakes. Each common mistake is well explained with examples and appropriate alternate
instructional strategies. Mistakes referred to are: thinking intervention, not instruction, relying on
prepackaged criteria instead of individualization, isolating teachers and interventionists, making data
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decisions alone, and leaving the family out of the process. The authors emphasize quality core instruction
throughout the process. As a legal requirement of IDEA, RTI is important to understand and implement
properly.
Key words: Legal issues; RTI
Zirkel, P. A. (2011). Legal currency in special education law. Principal Leadership, 12(3), 51-54.
http://www.nassp.org/Content/158/PLNov11_zirkel.pdf
The ability to maneuver through the waters of special education law is challenging for all principals, and
sometimes very dangerous for even the most experienced. New principals need to know the very basics
of RTI (Response to Intervention), discipline, amendments to Section 504 of the ADA (Americans with
Disabilities Act), requirements of parental consent, and NCLB regulations with regards to students with
disabilities. Zirkel comments on all of these in understandable language, using an example throughout to
further clarify. New principals cannot afford to leave legal literacy to the special education directors:
awareness of the complexities and recent developments are critical to initial success.
ADDITIONAL TOPICS. There are always a few topics that, while some new principals may have
advanced knowledge, others may need help. Although the resources below are not limited to articles in
Principal Leadership they might help get you started in specific areas not addressed here.
See “Topics of Interest” in the NASSP website, where the following topics are linked to relevant articles
http://www.nassp.org/KnowledgeCenter/TopicsofInterest.aspx

















Assessment for Learning
Assistant Principals
Bullying Prevention
Cocurricular Activities
Collaborative Leadership
College Access
Community Partnerships
Curriculum and Instruction
Data-Informed Decision Making
Developing Leadership Capacity
Diversity and Social Equity
English Language Learners
Federal Legislation
Finance/Funding
Instructional Technology
Knowledge Management
Literacy







Middle Level
Parent/Family Involvement
Personalizing the School Environment
Principal Preparation
Scheduling/Organizational Structures
School Climate/Safety
School Improvement
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
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School Law
Special Education
Staff Development
Students at Risk
Teacher Evaluation
Team Building
Transitions
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