The Biggest Mistake Principals Make Between Now and the End of the Year

This time of year is tough. Testing is here, everyone is tired, and most days feel like you’re just trying to get to the end of the day without anything blowing up. I’ve been there, and here’s the biggest mistake I used to see principals make during this stretch of the year. They wait. They wait to reflect, they wait to plan, and they wait to fix things. They tell themselves they’ll deal with it after testing or once the year is over, but that time never really comes.

What usually happens is you hit the end of the year exhausted, roll into summer needing a break, and before you know it, you’re right back in August dealing with the same issues. Same problems, same frustrations, same conversations, just a new group of students. And here’s the part that makes it worse. The longer you wait to fix a problem, the fewer options you have, and most of those options aren’t very good. You end up making quick decisions, last-minute moves, and having conversations you should’ve had months ago.

Sometimes leaders convince themselves that they’ll just move people around next year and that will solve things. In my experience, it rarely does. Moving people doesn’t make issues disappear, and avoiding honest conversations doesn’t help anyone. Telling people the truth, clearly and respectfully, actually helps them decide if this is the right place for them. That’s leadership.

The strongest principals I’ve worked with use this time of year differently. Instead of avoiding problems, they start paying attention. They reflect on what actually worked, where things consistently broke down, what caused frustration for their staff, and where time was lost. And they don’t try to figure it all out on their own. They ask. They pull together a small group of teachers, maybe a few parents or paras, and ask a simple question: what do we need to do better next year? You’ll get more clarity from that one question than hours of thinking by yourself.

This isn’t about building a perfect plan right now. It’s about getting started. Start sketching your calendar. Start thinking about your meetings and how you communicate with your staff. It doesn’t have to be finished, but it does have to begin. Starting creates clarity, and clarity reduces stress.

If you do nothing else between now and the end of the year, don’t wait. Pay attention to what’s happening around you, tell the truth when it needs to be said, ask for input, and start building. Your future self will thank you in August, and more importantly, your staff will feel the difference.

Find me if you need me,

John