In this episode of The Principal's Handbook, we’re diving into how to manage your time effectively over the summer while still making the most of your break. It may sound counterintuitive, but creating a productive break can help you recharge and set yourself up for success when the school year begins.

Tune in for tips on:

• Defining what you truly need from your summer break
• Creating a balanced structure that allows for both rest and productivity
• Building habits now that will set you up for a successful school year

If you’ve ever felt like the summer slipped away too quickly, this episode is for you. Stay tuned as we explore how to use the summer as an opportunity for both relaxation and professional growth!

Check out Leadership by Design: The Principal's Custom Habit System!

FREE DOWNLOADS*
The Principal's Email Detox
Decisive Leadership- Free Workshop
Principal Checklist to Disconnect From School
Behavior Blueprint for Principals

The Principal’s Power Hour Blueprint

*RESOURCES FOR PRINCIPALS*
Transform Your Time: 60 Day Action Plan for Principals

The Principal's Overwhelm Toolkit

*SOCIAL MEDIA*
Barb Flowers, Ph.D- Linkedin
DrBarbFlowers- Instagram
the8to4principal- TikTok

In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, Barb dives into how principals can create a personal summer professional development (PD) plan. It's time to reflect on your leadership growth, set intentional goals for improvement, and find the right resources to sharpen your skills for the upcoming school year.

Key Points:

• Reflect on the past school year: Celebrate successes and identify areas for growth.
• Find the right resources: Podcasts, books, online courses, or coaching can help you develop in areas like communication, behavior management, and confidence.
• Set actionable goals: Visualize success and break goals into manageable tasks with a clear timeline.

Tune in for a roadmap to help you grow as a leader this summer and come back ready to tackle next school year with confidence!

FREE DOWNLOADS*
The Principal's Email Detox
Decisive Leadership- Free Workshop
Principal Checklist to Disconnect From School
Behavior Blueprint for Principals

The Principal’s Power Hour Blueprint

*RESOURCES FOR PRINCIPALS*
Transform Your Time: 60 Day Action Plan for Principals
Leadership by Design: The Principal's Custom Habit System
The Principal's Overwhelm Toolkit

*SOCIAL MEDIA*
Barb Flowers, Ph.D- Linkedin
DrBarbFlowers- Instagram
the8to4principal- TikTok

In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, Barb Flowers discusses the importance of reflecting on leadership to foster growth and self-awareness. She shares personal insights about how stepping back from the principal role allowed her to rediscover her passion for leadership and its challenges.

Key Points:

• Reflection on leadership helps principals identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth.
• Emotions drive actions and decisions, influencing leadership effectiveness.
• Difficult situations and emotional reactions offer valuable lessons for improvement.
• Authentic leadership comes from understanding yourself and learning from experiences.

FREE DOWNLOADS*
The Principal's Email Detox
Decisive Leadership- Free Workshop
Principal Checklist to Disconnect From School
Behavior Blueprint for Principals

The Principal’s Power Hour Blueprint

*RESOURCES FOR PRINCIPALS*
Transform Your Time: 60 Day Action Plan for Principals
Leadership by Design: The Principal's Custom Habit System
The Principal's Overwhelm Toolkit

*SOCIAL MEDIA*
Barb Flowers, Ph.D- Linkedin
DrBarbFlowers- Instagram
the8to4principal- TikTok

In this episode of The Principal's Handbook, Barb  dives into the importance of perspective shifting for school leaders. As principals, we often face overwhelming emotions and challenges—whether it’s dealing with stressed teachers, angry parents, or student behaviors. Barb shares how changing our mindset can transform these challenges into opportunities for growth and connection. 

Drawing on the teachings of Byron Katie and John Acuff, she explains how simple questions and reframes can lead to more positive outcomes. Learn how activating empathy, questioning your thoughts, and shifting your perspective can help you become a more effective and resilient leader. Tune in for actionable strategies that will help you navigate even the toughest situations with confidence and clarity.

FREE DOWNLOADS*
The Principal's Email Detox
Decisive Leadership- Free Workshop
Principal Checklist to Disconnect From School
Behavior Blueprint for Principals

The Principal’s Power Hour Blueprint

*RESOURCES FOR PRINCIPALS*
Transform Your Time: 60 Day Action Plan for Principals
Leadership by Design: The Principal's Custom Habit System
The Principal's Overwhelm Toolkit

*SOCIAL MEDIA*
Barb Flowers, Ph.D- Linkedin
DrBarbFlowers- Instagram
the8to4principal- TikTok

In this episode of The Principal's Handbook, Barb dives into the critical skill of delegation for principals. With firsthand experience, Barb shares how effective delegation can increase productivity, enhance leadership, and prevent burnout. She also explores common pitfalls, such as micromanagement and choosing the wrong people, and offers practical advice for delegating tasks that free up your time for high-priority leadership responsibilities.

Whether you're a new principal or an experienced leader, Barb encourages you to start delegating now to build a more sustainable and efficient leadership approach. Tune in for actionable steps and insights that can help you delegate with confidence, even in the quieter months of the year.

FREE DOWNLOADS*
The Principal's Email Detox
Decisive Leadership- Free Workshop
Principal Checklist to Disconnect From School
Behavior Blueprint for Principals

The Principal’s Power Hour Blueprint

*RESOURCES FOR PRINCIPALS*
Transform Your Time: 60 Day Action Plan for Principals
Leadership by Design: The Principal's Custom Habit System
The Principal's Overwhelm Toolkit

*SOCIAL MEDIA*
Barb Flowers, Ph.D- Linkedin
DrBarbFlowers- Instagram
the8to4principal- TikTok

Do you feel like office referrals are taking up all your time, leaving you with little to no opportunity to lead your school effectively? In this episode of The Principal's Handbook, Barb shares five actionable steps that can help reduce office referrals and give you more time in your day. She draws from her own experience as a principal, where she successfully decreased office referrals from 340 to 180 in a school year.

By implementing a few key strategies, including tracking behaviors, utilizing a behavior team, creating a behavior matrix, empowering teachers to call parents, and using restorative practices, Barb explains how you can foster a more positive school environment and reclaim your time.

Download her free Behavior Blueprint for Principals for detailed resources and tools to support you in making these changes. Tune in to find out how you can take these steps to make your school a more efficient and harmonious place.

*FREE DOWNLOADS*
The Principal's Email Detox
Decisive Leadership- Free Workshop
Principal Checklist to Disconnect From School

The Principal’s Power Hour Blueprint

*RESOURCES FOR PRINCIPALS*
Transform Your Time: 60 Day Action Plan for Principals
Leadership by Design: The Principal's Custom Habit System
The Principal's Overwhelm Toolkit

*SOCIAL MEDIA*
Barb Flowers, Ph.D- Linkedin
DrBarbFlowers- Instagram

Do you ever feel like you struggle to mentor an assistant principal? In this episode, Barb speaks with Principal Mark Schwarz about his journey from assistant principal to principal and how his experience mentoring assistant principals has shaped his leadership approach. Mark reflects on the lessons he learned as an assistant principal and the strategies he now uses to mentor his own assistant principal. He emphasizes the importance of clear communication, setting expectations, and fostering trust, both with staff and within the leadership team. Mark shares his approach to emotional regulation, managing difficult situations, and providing guidance to help assistant principals feel valued and empowered in their roles. Tune in for insights on how principals can successfully mentor assistant principals to build strong leadership teams and create a positive school culture.

Connect with Mark on Linkedin.

Email Mark- [email protected]

*FREE DOWNLOADS*
The Principal's Email Detox
Decisive Leadership- Free Workshop
Principal Checklist to Disconnect From School
Behavior Blueprint for Principals

The Principal’s Power Hour Blueprint

*RESOURCES FOR PRINCIPALS*
Transform Your Time: 60 Day Action Plan for Principals
Leadership by Design: The Principal's Custom Habit System
The Principal's Overwhelm Toolkit

*SOCIAL MEDIA*
Barb Flowers, Ph.D- Linkedin
DrBarbFlowers- Instagram

Do you feel like you’ve got one foot in this school year and the other in the next? If your to-do list feels like a juggling act between wrapping up and planning ahead, you’re not alone. In this episode, Barb shares three practical tips to help you finish the current school year strong—and three smart strategies to start preparing for next year with intention and clarity.

*FREE DOWNLOADS*
The Principal's Email Detox
Decisive Leadership- Free Workshop
Principal Checklist to Disconnect From School
Behavior Blueprint for Principals

The Principal’s Power Hour Blueprint

*RESOURCES FOR PRINCIPALS*
Transform Your Time: 60 Day Action Plan for Principals
Leadership by Design: The Principal's Custom Habit System
The Principal's Overwhelm Toolkit

*SOCIAL MEDIA*
Barb Flowers, Ph.D- Linkedin
DrBarbFlowers- Instagram

In this episode Barb is talking about if work-life balance is possible for principals. Barb also shares about her BETA membership that is only $17 for a limited time. Click HERE to join! 

What if you could actually leave work every day at 4 p.m.? Have you ever wished for better work-life balance — but felt like it just isn’t possible as a principal? Maybe you’ve told yourself you have to be the first one to arrive and the last one to leave.

But what if there’s another way?

In this episode, we’re doing a powerful reflection on your school year. I’ll walk you through questions that help you evaluate how you spent your time, whether your daily schedule matches the life you want, and what changes might help you move toward a healthier, more sustainable leadership model. It’s time to rethink what’s possible — and start imagining a workday that ends at 4:00.

*FREE DOWNLOADS*
The Principal's Email Detox
Decisive Leadership- Free Workshop
Principal Checklist to Disconnect From School
The Principal's Power Hour Blueprint

*RESOURCES FOR PRINCIPALS*
Transform Your Time: 60 Day Action Plan for Principals
Leadership by Design: The Principal's Custom Habit System
The Principal's Overwhelm Toolkit

*SOCIAL MEDIA*
Barb Flowers, Ph.D- Linkedin
DrBarbFlowers- Instagram