Struggling to feel confident in your leadership role? This episode with AP and doctoral researcher Stan Koterba explores how self-efficacy—your belief in your ability to lead—directly connects to how you manage your time, set boundaries, and build sustainable routines. We’ll talk imposter syndrome, email habits, delegation, and the mindset shifts that help principals stop overworking and start leading with clarity.

Have questions for Stan? Contact Stan at [email protected]

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What if your identity as a principal isn’t fixed—but a choice you get to make every day? In this episode, we’re diving into the powerful concept of identity and how it shapes your leadership. Barb unpacks the 1.0 vs. 2.0 self exercise—one of her favorite coaching tools—to help you reflect on who you’ve been and intentionally step into who you want to become.

You’ll walk away with a practical strategy you can use for yourself and your teachers to foster growth, boost confidence, and shift out of burnout-inducing patterns.

Inside this episode:

• Why identity is more than a personality trait—it's a story you're telling yourself
• Common leadership identities that lead to burnout
• How to use the 1.0 vs. 2.0 tool to shift your mindset and habits
• Ways to model and share this strategy with your staff
• The key to building a culture of growth, reflection, and empowerment

This episode will inspire you to take control of your narrative and lead with intention. Your 2.0 self is waiting—tune in now!

This activity is part of The 8 to 4 Principal Blueprint, which you can get HERE!

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, we’re tackling one of the biggest challenges principals face: discipline. If you’ve ever felt like student behavior consumes your entire day, leaving you drained and reactive, you’re not alone.

I’ll walk you through the common traps principals fall into — reacting emotionally, taking behavior personally, and rushing to consequences — and share mindset shifts that will help you lead discipline with clarity, calm, and confidence.

Whether you’re handling discipline with or without an assistant principal, these strategies will help you reclaim your time, reduce stress, and actually change behavior in the long run.

Get my FREE 5-Step Behavior Blueprint for Principals

Get The Principal's Discipline Blueprint.

Is your PBIS Tier 2 system supporting students—or overwhelming your staff? In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, Barb Flowers shares why Tier 2 behavior systems are often the trickiest to implement and exactly how her team transformed theirs from a paperwork-heavy burden into a simple, sustainable support system for students and teachers.

You’ll learn:

• Why Tier 2 matters and the common mistakes schools make
• The exact steps Barb’s team took—from team formation to intervention delivery
• The mindset shifts that helped staff embrace Tier 2 as support, not judgment
• How to start small, stay consistent, and avoid overwhelm

Listen to Episode 105: Why Tier 1 Behavior Systems Are a Game Changer (And What to Do If You Don’t Have One)

If you're building your Tier 2 system (or need to fix a broken one), this episode will give you clarity, confidence, and practical next steps.

Grab the PBIS Tier 2 Toolkit mentioned in the episode.
Follow Barb on TikTok @the8to4principal for more leadership tips.

Are you tired of feeling like there’s never enough time to get it all done? In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, we dive into Master Your Week: Planning Tips for Principals. Join Barb Flowers, certified life coach and experienced principal, as she unpacks how intentional planning can transform your efficiency, reduce stress, and even help you walk out the door by 4 p.m.

Barb shares her personal planning system — blending digital and paper calendars — and reveals how a simple weekly planning session can create mental clarity, improve meetings, boost productivity, and even support better delegation. You'll also hear mindset shifts that will change how you think about your time and effectiveness as a school leader.

Whether you’re a seasoned planner or someone who avoids calendars, this episode will give you practical strategies to reclaim your time and lead with confidence. Tune in to learn how to structure your week so your priorities get done — without taking work home every night.

Click HERE to get the 8 to 4 Principal Planner

Click HERE to get the 8 to 4 Principal Blueprint

Do you wish you could lead with more intention and less stress this year? In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, we’re diving into how to create leadership routines that actually stick—so you can be more proactive, visible, and grounded throughout the school year.

I’ll walk you through:

• Why routines are the secret to consistent leadership
• How to build routines that align with your priorities
• Common reasons principals struggle with routines (and how to fix them)
• Practical examples of daily and weekly routines that create structure, build trust, and reduce decision fatigue

If you want to lead with more confidence and clarity—while protecting your time and energy—this episode is for you. Plus, learn how to turn routines into habits with my custom habit system for principals, Leadership by Design.

Click HERE to get the 8 to 4 Principal Planner.

Click HERE to get Leadership by Design: The Principal's Custom Habit System.

Struggling with behavior challenges in your school? In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, Barb Flowers explains why a strong Tier One PBIS system is a game changer for improving school-wide behavior. Whether you don’t have a system yet or yours feels stale, Barb shares simple, practical steps to set clear expectations, reinforce positive behavior, and use consistent consequences.

Get ready to refresh your approach and create a positive, calm school climate that supports both students and teachers.

Click HERE to get the Free PBIS Tier 1 Toolkit. 

What does a successful school year look like for your building? In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, we explore how to set clear, purposeful goals that guide your school forward. I’ll share my personal approach to creating a vision and drafting goals before the year begins — rooted in district priorities, building data, and staff input — so you can lead with confidence and intention.

You'll learn:

•  Why starting with your own vision is essential — and how it actually makes shared leadership stronger
•  Five key reasons to draft goals before the year starts
•  How to involve your Building Leadership Team (BLT) and staff so goals become truly collective
• Tips for making your planning time efficient and aligned to what matters most

Plus, I’ll give you a quick look at my Lead with Clarity: Vision & Goals Workbook and how ChatGPT prompts can help you organize your thoughts and simplify this process.

Start your year anchored in clarity and purpose — and set your building up for success!

Are you stepping into a new school year feeling nervous or unsure how to start strong? In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, we dive into a powerful back-to-school mindset reset to help you kick off the year with confidence and clarity. Whether you're a seasoned principal or stepping into a new building like I am this year, it's completely normal to feel those back-to-school butterflies.

We'll explore why the natural reset of a new school year is a gift you can leverage to grow as a leader. I’ll guide you through intentional reflection questions to help you examine how you showed up last year—through your values, thoughts, emotions, and actions—so you can decide who you want to be this year.

You’ll learn:
 ✅ Why confidence is a choice, not a trait
 ✅ How to identify thoughts that support or sabotage your leadership
 ✅ How to set clear priorities and show up as the leader you want to be

Plus, I’ll share a simple mindset shift exercise to ground you as you step into the year ahead. If you’re ready to lead with more calm, confidence, and purpose, this episode is for you.

Get my free workshop, Stop Doubting Your Decisions.
Check out my other principal freebies, HERE.

Are you letting your mindset get in the way of leading challenging teachers effectively?

In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, Barb shares three powerful mindset shifts every school leader needs when working with challenging teachers. From taking things personally, to labeling staff as “negative” or “toxic,” to simply avoiding tough personalities altogether — Barb unpacks the traps that many principals fall into and shows how reframing your thoughts can transform tough dynamics.

Barb also introduces Byron Katie’s four questions as a tool to challenge assumptions and highlights the power of shifting your thinking to create more positive emotions, better relationships, and stronger leadership.

Grab her free Quick Guide to Navigating Challenging Teacher Dynamics to go deeper, and start experimenting with just one mindset shift this week.

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