You Can’t Fix What You Can’t See: Why Leaders Need the Balcony View
Jul 24, 2026
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Why staying “in the work” is keeping you from leading the work.
There’s a difference between being in the work and leading the work.
I’ll never forget the moment I learned that lesson the hard way. I was a brand-new principal, running on adrenaline, answering every call, fixing every problem, and trying to keep the whole building afloat through sheer willpower. I thought that was leadership. I thought that was what “good principals” did.
Then my Superintendent looked at me and said something I will never forget:
“Patterson, I know you can dance, but I need you to get off the dance floor.”
Okay — he didn’t say it exactly like that 😆 But that’s exactly how it hit me. Because he was right. I was in everything but I couldn’t see anything.
You said it clearly. You said it kindly. So why are you having the same conversation again?
You did the walkthrough. You had the conversation. You were clear about what needed to change, you were respectful, and you even followed up with an email.
Two weeks later, you walk back into that classroom, and it looks exactly the same.
It's tempting to decide the teacher isn't committed or isn't ...
Why expectations without follow-through turn into suggestions, and what to build instead
Picture the first week of school. You stood in front of your staff and laid out the expectations for the year. Learning targets posted and referenced in every classroom. Consistent hallway transitions. Data meeting norms everyone agreed to. People nodded. A few teachers took notes. You walked out of that P...
There is a certain relief that comes when the first few days of school go well.
Staff are back, students are moving through the building, transportation is running, classrooms are settled, and the systems you spent the summer planning seem to be doing exactly what you hoped they would do.
After months of preparation, it is tempting to look around and think, We did it.
And you should celebrate ...
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