Effective principals take personal responsibility for the success of the school and motivate the
community by modeling a relentless pursuit of excellence. Because of this, they are reflective in
their practice and strive to continually improve, learn, and grow, acknowledging mistakes while
remaining focused on solutions. When a strategy fails, they analyze data, assess
implementation, and talk with stakeholders to understand what went wrong and how to adapt
future strategies. Keeping staff inspired and focused on the end goal is crucial while supporting
effective change management. It is important for the principals to have strong communication
skills and be willing to listen to others and create opportunities for staff and stakeholders to
provide feedback. By treating all members of the community with respect, they can develop
strong and positive relationships.
The impact of effective principal leadership on school productivity, instructional quality, and
student achievement is instrumental in developing a purposeful community. Accordingly, a
principal's first priority is to work with teachers and key community leaders to develop and
maintain a strong, intentional, and purposeful community. Waters & Cameron (2007) suggests
that:
”Everything that happens in a school happens within the context of a community. School
communities are comprised of students, parents, teachers and other school staff members,
central office administrators and support personnel, the school board, other social agencies,
and businesses. The more this diverse community is able to coalesce around shared purposes,
the more sustainable and effective the school's change efforts will be.”