The Principal of the Thing

I was reading this article last night:

9 things bosses do that make great employees quit

It's a quick but well-thought-out piece. The author sums up by saying:

If you want your best people to stay, you need to think carefully about how you treat them. While good employees are as tough as nails, their talent gives them an abundance of options. You need to make them want to work for you.

This made me think about schools. And teachers. And administrators. The head of the Lower School where I work is, without a doubt, the best boss I have ever had. She's level-headed, no-nonsense, direct. She's also warm and thoughtful, with a fabulous sense of humor. She's a creative problem-solver. She asks good questions. And she really listens to the answers.

All of this makes a huge difference to the morale of the Lower School.

Now, this year's HCEA Job Satisfaction Survey is out. You can look at the whole thing here. In going through the information summary I found this section fascinating:

It's a snapshot of three schools where morale is high and leadership is strong. The connection is clear. The principal sets the tone. HCEA is taking the time to look at best practices and how they bear fruit. Excellent principals encourage and support excellent teachers. Excellent teachers who feel supported and encouraged can do the best for their students. 

It's a win-win.

How do we nurture and support principals so that they can grow into this role with confidence?

Ah, that's another blog post altogether.

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