School principals have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders. They must not only be outstanding educators, but they must also be influential leaders.
The difference between an average principal and a great one is a lot more than just experience. They can exhibit certain qualities that make them successful. Here are the top eleven qualities of a good school principal.
Educator First / Administrator Second
As a principal, your role is to lead, guide and inspire everyone in the school. As the school leader, you must maintain your students as priorities. You will have to deal with many students, and you’ll be seeing them many times a day.
But of course, the education system wasn’t designed for kids alone – they’re the future of the nation, and you’re there to guide them in their primary education; however, there are also several other stakeholders involved.
You’ll have to deal with school boards, parents’ councils, business partners and visitors too. It means that many people will consume your time because you must prioritize everyone’s needs!
Take time for personal and professional development
As a school principal, you must take the time out to reflect on yourself. It will help you identify the things you’re doing well at while also determining areas that need work. You can use this information to support and improve yourself as a principal while planning your career advancement.
Education is a growing and changing industry, and even though you might be a good principal now doesn’t mean that you can’t get better. You must stay up to date with current educational trends and research to stay abreast with the changing times.
Enrolling yourself in an online Educational Leadership program is one of the easiest methods to enhance your knowledge and leadership skills. Continuing your education might provide you with additional job possibilities, larger salaries, and the opportunity to do better work.
Maintain Professional Demeanor
As a principal, your role is to be in control. When dealing with other people, you must maintain a professional demeanor, especially on formal occasions like seminars and conferences. It will make you appear more reliable and respectable. You must be able to project yourself in a manner that your presence is both approachable and inspiring.
Be a Good Communicator
Being a principal means that you must deal with all sorts of people. You’ll be dealing with parents, students, staff members and school boards daily. It means that you need to have excellent communication skills for them to understand what’s being communicated.
Being able to communicate well allows you to understand your audience better, which then helps you convey the correct information or message to the right person.
Be Tough but Fair
Running a school can be challenging, so you must develop toughness to accomplish the tasks at hand. However, this doesn’t mean that you’re allowed to be unfair; every decision you make must not only be based on fairness but also meritocracy.
Your tough decisions should be based on the common good, not your selfish desires. It means that if you want to accomplish something, you must always think about how it will affect other people and only act if it’s in everyone’s best interests.
Love what you do
People who become principals of schools only do it because they love working with kids and seeing them develop into mature individuals, which means that if you’re not passionate about this profession, then working as a principal will be extremely difficult for you.
The job of a school principal is complex and challenging; it, therefore, requires dedication, passion, and intelligence. You must always be ready to do whatever it takes to ensure that your students are happy and growing in the best conditions possible.
Maintain a Professional Distance
As a school principal, it’s necessary to be approachable; this doesn’t mean that you should allow your feelings or emotions to get in the way while dealing with students or school boards. It would be best to remain logical and rational when dealing with people. If some conflict arises, it’s your responsibility to resolve the matter in a calm and collected manner.
Be Proactive
Being proactive allows you to understand your students’ issues as a principal. It means that you should always look for innovative solutions and be open to new ideas from others. Proactivity helps you create a positive school environment without being too overbearing or inflexible, making it much easier to resolve any disputes that may arise among your faculty members or students.
Be a Good Listener
As a school principal, you must deal with many people. Being a good listener allows you to understand the wants and needs of those around you, which then helps you create better solutions for them.
As a leader, you must ensure that your pupils feel at ease sharing their difficulties with you, which is only possible if they know they can trust and confide in you. You must have the necessary interpersonal skills to interact with your students, faculty members and parents.
Many school principals are unaware of their lack of expertise in this area. They must get help from other teachers or get outside assistance if it seems like you’re not able to cope because without knowing how to listen, you won’t be able to resolve the issues your students are having.
Do your Research
An essential skill you’ll need as a school principal is to conduct the necessary research required to understand the issues at hand fully. Gathering sound information will help you make better decisions, enabling you to improve circumstances for everyone involved. It’s also crucial that you know what’s happening in your school to ensure that you take the appropriate steps to resolve any problems while encouraging positive change.
Be a Versatile Leader
To become an exemplary school principal, you must be prepared to adapt and try anything new. Various types of schools are there in the world today, which means you must be willing to learn how to work with a variety of people from diverse backgrounds. It would be best to learn everything there is to know about education today because this will help you become the best principal you can be.
Conclusion
So, what makes a good school principal? The qualities are many and varied, but all of them boil down to one thing- the ability to lead and educate effectively. If you’re looking for a new position as a school administrator or are just curious about what goes into being a great school principal, these qualities will give you an idea.
Do any of these stand out to you like something that you possess? We would love to hear from you in the comments below!