Principal as CEO

Being a principal in an independent school in Australia is a complex and demanding role, multi-faceted and carrying responsibilities akin to that of a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a medium-sized, not-for-profit company, or corporation in Australia. There are no shareholders in not for-profit companies, but in these school-businesses, there is a multitude of stakeholders. An […]

Principals as brand managers

Brand. Principals in independent schools are responsible for establishing their school’s point of difference and sustaining this in the market-driven context which is independent schools in Australia. These principals are building an image of the child’s future. The whole management of the brand/image is an integral part of the role of a principal but adds […]

The principal as CFO, know it!

Independent school principals in Australia are CEOs. They must run their schools as large businesses, just like a CEO of a large not-for-profit company. If they fail to manage the financial performance of the school and manage whole school operations effectively to meet the financial bottom line, their schools are at risk, and can become […]

Independent School Principal – CEO

CEO. Independent school principals in the common vernacular in Australian schools and chief executive officers (CEO), as understood in not-for-profit businesses and corporations. As in the corporate world, principals in independent schools sign a formal contract of employment with the board which stipulates the terms and conditions of appointment; duties and responsibilities; the principal’s relationship […]

For a Principal to be effective – context matters

The foundation for the effectiveness of the principal in large, P-12, autonomous, independent schools in Australia, hinges on the Board making a quality decision about the person they appoint to lead the school.  The board’s most important role is to appoint and work with the Principal and this relationship is crucial to the school’s success. […]

Relationships, rather than authority or superiority, are at the heart of leadership.

A principal fosters connections, trust and collaboration between all groups within a school community. In this way, people work for each other. The principal ruthlessly protects people, encouraging connection, collaboration and collective ownership, nurturing a safe environment of trust, respect and family. He recognises leadership wherever it occurs; it is not restricted to a single […]

Staying calm under pressure tells a lot about a leader

Joyce E.A. Russell (the Senior Associate Dean at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business) writing in the New York Times, June 19, 2016, reminds us of what we can do to better control our emotions when life throws us a curveball?