Seven Key Questions

Posted on February 17, 2026 Written by

Before you charge headfirst into that major new project, it’s vital to first gather your team and review these seven key questions. This preliminary activity reflects a core strategy implemented by some of America’s most successful CEOs (like Jeff Bezos and the late Steve Jobs), and it helps set the stage for achieving maximum productivity with minimal effort.

Two of these questions focus on whether you’ve defined the real problem that you’re attempting to solve, and if it truly aligns with your school’s major goals … or if this new project will just drain your team’s energy and dilute momentum. (Note: Even with mandated changes, this can help you “tweak” new initiatives so that they better align with your primary mission.)

In short, taking time to carefully explore these key questions doesn’t slow you down. Instead, it helps you organize and refine your efforts as a team, giving you a much better chance to deliver results that genuinely resonate with stakeholders.

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A Vital Leadership Strategy

Posted on February 3, 2026 Written by

One of the most often overlooked leadership strategies is … SLEEP!

As pressure on principals continues to mount from all sides, getting a healthy amount of sleep must always be a major priority. That’s because every major decision, strategic pivot, and emotionally-charged interaction draws from a finite biological reserve … which can be replenished by quality rest.

In this article from Forbes magazine, Julian Hayes II reminds corporate CEOs about the dangers of ignoring this fundamental principle. And the concept applies to educational leaders, too! In the words of the author, “A rested mind doesn’t just respond faster; it also perceives more clearly as it identifies patterns, anticipates challenges, and synthesizes strategies from complexity.”

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Don’t Fumble Feedback!

Posted on January 6, 2026 Written by

Principals must provide teachers and staff with feedback … but there are good ways and bad ways to approach this vital task. When feedback is delivered in the right way, it generates positive outcomes. But unfortunately, the opposite is true as well! That’s why mastering the art of good feedback is so important.

This article from the business world offers four tips for effective feedback. It emphasizes the importance of making feedback actionable, timely, sensitive and conversational. As Steven Levitt once said, “The key to learning is feedback. It is nearly impossible to learn anything without it.” 

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Four Ways to Improve School Culture

Posted on December 23, 2025 Written by

School leaders can significantly influence school culture through their daily habits and systems.

In late September, Edutopia compiled a list of several strategies and systems that highly-effective principals use regularly to strengthen their school culture. And these tips from respected school administrators across the nation can easily be applied to almost any school!

Intentional choices by the principal that emphasize visibility, support, consistency, and collaboration, will lead to a school culture where the core values of connection and growth enhance learning.

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