“Practical Advice for School Principals: One Thing Every Leader Should Do”

 I asked 20 principals one simple question:

“If you could give one piece of practical advice to another principal, not academic or leadership theory, what would it be?”

Here’s what they shared: real, field-tested wisdom, not textbook theory.

1. Teach one class, every week.
It keeps empathy sharp and reminds everyone that learning is the core business not meetings.

2. Start with strength before you raise a concern.
In parent calls and staff feedback, lead with one genuine positive; then the ask.

3. Protect planning time like a timetable.
Give teachers a weekly, uninterrupted block for co-planning.

4. Name 3 priorities for the year, and say “no” to the rest.
Initiative overload exhausts good people. Depth beats breadth.

5. Do learning walks, not inspections.
Ten minutes in a class →a thank-you and one nudge. Coaching beats surveillance.

6. Celebrate progress, not just positions.
“Most improved” and “best effort” change more lives than “topper.”

7. Grow a bench.
Pick three teachers to mentor into leaders; give them real responsibilities and feedback.

8. Design humane timetables.
Avoid back-to-back heavy periods; stagger duties; leave oxygen in the day.

9. Make safety a living routine.
Regular drills, bus-route checks, duty rosters, child-protection refreshers, done quietly.

10. Teacher hiring? try TeacherFirst
Pre-assessed teachers, class-demo-video available, and saving principals a lot of time.
(Okay, okay… the principal didn’t say this one, I sneaked it in . But honestly, TeacherFirst is my attempt to fix what’s broken in how we hire teachers. Just need your support and faith 🙏)

lets move to the next one...

11. Be radically clear with parents.
Share calendars, processes, turnaround timelines. Clarity lowers conflict.

12. Use small, honest data.
One page monthly: attendance, learning flags, wellbeing notes. Discuss and create action/correction plans

13. Hold open office hours.
A fixed hour weekly for students and staff, no appointment needed.
Listening prevents escalation.

14. Remember as many names as you can.
Nothing builds trust faster than hearing your name said with respect, students, teachers, even drivers.

15. Run ‘no-meeting weeks’ in crunch time.
Board prep, exhibitions, inspections, protect teacher focus when it matters most.

16. Invite student voice with follow-through.
A small student panel each term; act on at least one idea and report back.

17. Keep “Tea & Talk” alive.
Fifteen minutes of informal staffroom time weekly, no agenda, just people. Gossip vibes.

18. Choose fewer tools; train deeper.
One LMS well used beats five logins half used.

19.Leave systems, not shadows.
Document what works so it survives you, timetables, rituals, PD cycles, feedback loops.

20. Protect your mental space.
Principals absorb more than they admit, the noise, the conflict, the expectations. Don’t lose yourself in holding everyone else together.

👇Principals/Educators, now your turn-
what’s one piece of advice you’d pass on?