Visibility

Students, staff and parents need to see the principal. Being visible provides the school community with a sense of safety and predictability. Every morning try to greet students as they enter the building, wave to parents as they drop their kids off and stop into teacher’s classrooms to say good morning. Being visible not only gives a sense of stability to your community, it also provides the opportunity to asses the students and staff and get a feel for the emotional temperature of the building.

Sensitivity

Being sensitive to the emotional temperature of your building is a great way to head off any impending blowups. It can also provide valuable information on students who need extra support. A quick email out to your staff can alert them that a student could use some space or a counselor needs to be contacted. Greeting each student or walking through a classroom and reading their body language, facial expression, and tone of voice and being sensitive to their nonverbal cues is an attribute of a dynamic principal.

Positivity

Changing negativity with positive intent is the role of the principal. To paraphrase University of Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh, “attack each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.” As the principal of the building your energy, positivity and love for students can influence the emotional temperature of your building. It can impact staff’s response to students, students responses to each other and staff and both of their responses to you. Being enthusiastic, and loving the staff and students is what dynamic principals do everyday.

These three essentials: visibility, sensitivity and positivity are three aspects of the principalship that help create a great school culture. What are your three daily essentials?