Philosophy of Leadership

Being a building principal or the lead administrator in charge of a school is a lot like being the head coach of a professional football team. Ultimately, you are the face of the franchise, the one held accountable for the bottom line whether that is comprised of wins and losses, or student performance on standardized tests. But, in much the same way that a head football coach is not alone in their endeavor of attaining success on the gridiron, a school principal is similarly not alone in facing their challenges. And many times, the difference between success and failure in both arenas comes down to how effectively the person in charge manages their support, the actual “team” itself.

          The modern day head coach of a professional football team has numerous assistant coaches who contribute in ways both large and small to the overall effort of producing a winning team. The head coach receives assistance from both offensive and defensive coordinators. They are all supported by a knowledgeable training staff whose job it is to ensure that players are prepared and in the best position to be successful. Furthermore, in an effort to promote leadership and accountability from within, head coaches (or the team itself) will appoint captains. Their primary duty is to reinforce the message of the head coach while doing so at the local level. The final components of the professional football team are the players themselves and the specific units they comprise. Players may be a part of the offensive unit, the defensive unit, or even the special teams unit. But no matter what side of the ball the players operate on, it is their responsibility to perform to their fullest potential.

          The modern day building principal is supported in much the same way that a head coach is. Assistant principals act much like offensive and defensive coordinators. Assistant superintendents in charge of curriculum and personnel aid the building principal in much the same way that a training staff aids a head coach. Assistant superintendents in charge of curriculum help develop teacher skill-sets while assistant superintendents in charge of personnel must ensure that the best teacher is in each position in an effort to promote consistent success. The leader of a school community can achieve the localized assistance that head coaches attain by appointing captains with the help of the department chairpersons in their building. And finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention the individuals who comprise the various “units” of a school building: teachers.

          As you can see, the head coach of a professional football team and a school building administrator lead similar staffs. And while the end results might seem different on paper, they are really more alike than not, especially in the age of high-stakes testing. In both endeavors, success might come down to how the staff is managed and how well all of the individual parts perform. And without a doubt, if either the team or the school performs below expectations for too long, it is the person in charge who will undoubtedly and deservedly feel the proverbial heat.