The Principal's Handbook

In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook Summer Reset Series, we explore the mindset and habits of the perfectionist principal. You'll learn how perfectionism shows up in school leadership through overthinking decisions, constantly revising work, fear of mistakes, and spending too much time trying to get everything just right.

Using the TEA Cycle, we examine how perfectionistic thoughts create stress, anxiety, and delays that impact both leadership effectiveness and personal well-being. This episode offers practical strategies to help you let go of impossible standards, focus on what matters most, and take action with confidence. If you've ever felt like your work is never truly finished, this episode will help you reset your approach and lead more effectively.

Get free resources at PrincipalFreebies.com.

Learn more about today's sponsors, Playworks and IXL:

We’re proud to be sponsored by Playworks, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with evidence-based practices that help schools improve the health and well-being of children by increasing opportunities for physical activity and safe, meaningful play.

If you’re a school or district leader struggling with the challenge of chronic absenteeism, as so many are across the U.S., you may not realize that structured recess is a research-backed approach to keep kids in school. In fact, a UC Berkeley study of Title I schools found that those partnering with Playworks had significantly lower chronic absenteeism rates. Further, Mathematica research demonstrated that Playworks schools spent 27% less time transitioning from recess back to learning, saving teachers valuable instructional time. 

These results are possible for your students, too. Learn how Playworks can help you improve student-educator relationships, belonging, and attendance by signing up for a quick no-obligation conversation. 

We’re also thrilled to be sponsored by IXL. 

IXL’s comprehensive teaching and learning platform for math, language arts, science, and social studies is accelerating achievement in 95 of the top 100 U.S. school districts. Loved by teachers and backed by independent research from Johns Hopkins University, IXL can help you do the following and more:

🚀 Ready to see why leading districts trust IXL for their educational needs? Visit IXL.com/BE today to learn more about how IXL can elevate your school or district.