Either through insecurity or fear, we think we must be the Big Principal. If we rely on others to carry the message, then they must be part of the decision-making process. Once they own part of the decision-making process, then they shoulder some of the responsibility. Many school leaders talk the talk yet still cling to the stick of autocracy and control. But when we do, we notice that the people around us leap into action, initiating exciting programs and doing much more than you would have expected.
Ownership is the stimulus.
Yet so many of us still cling to hierarchy and power. Judy Burt, principal of Walton Ferry Elementary School, in Hendersonville, Tennessee, summed up the importance of including others. It ensures that the vision will go on whether I am here to see it happen or not. A school principal definitely needs a sense of humor to be successful, according to Jon Romeo, principal at Mitchell Elementary School , in Woodbury, Connecticut. Principals need to laugh at themselves, laugh with their teachers, and laugh at the wonderful things the students do each day.