This Isn’t in the Job Description—But It’s the Job

Grief. Pressure. Accountability. Leadership anyway.

I dare you to tell the truth about school leadership...

That one minute you’ll be planning PD—and the next, you’ll be helping students and staff process the death of a child in your school.

That you’ll be expected to lead award ceremonies, field day, and year-end celebrations… while carrying unimaginable grief.

They don’t tell you that even when your school is thriving, you can still be labeled “struggling.”

They don’t tell you that the people who praise your leadership one day might quietly reassign you the next.

They don’t tell you how quickly a story can shift—when you don’t control the narrative.

But here’s what I’ve learned—from my own experience as a principal, and now from coaching school leaders across the country:

➤ The hardest part of school leadership isn’t the work itself.