"The information presented is true to life; school principals will see themselves on every page. The strategies presented to ′fix′ or avoid our mistakes really do work! You don′t have to be a new principal to benefit from this one." Kaye Peery, Superintendent Maxwell Municipal Schools, NM "I wish this book had been written many years ago to help me with my first principal′s position. It is an indispensable resource for new and seasoned principals to avoid the pitfalls of administration." Ron Joekel, Executive Director Emeritus Phi Delta Kappa International Learn to navigate the principalship by avoiding the major roadblocks that can arise along the way! Don′t let bad decisions and unnecessary oversights ruin your school day—or worse, your career! Marilyn Grady examines the twenty most critical mistakes principals make, and provides the strategies you need to avoid them. By surveying both teachers and administrators, and applying her own experiences as both teacher and a principal, the author examines the crucial errors from the following seven key categories: People Skills—managing interpersonal relationships and communication People—working with staff and parents Principal—examining professional behaviors inherent in the position Job—juggling time demands and heavy workloads Tasks—looking more closely at administrative duties Personal Issues—focusing on family and health Fatal Attractions—addressing judgment errors that can be disastrous for your career While everyone makes mistakes, you′ll have the crucial insight needed to avoid the biggest ones!

Table of Contents:
Introduction Acknowledgments About the Author I. The People Skills Mistake 1: Interpersonal Shortcomings Mistake 2: Communication Flaws II. The People Mistake 3: Neglecting the Professionals Mistake 4: Mismanaging Parents III. The Principal Mistake 5: Being Too Bossy Mistake 6: Inconsistency Mistake 7: Displaying Weakness IV. The Job Mistake 8: Endless Work Mistake 9: Mismanaging Time V. Tasks Mistake 10: Ignoring the Preparation Mistake 11: Displacing Goals Mistake 12: Decision-Making Dilemmas Mistake 13: Change Dilemmas Mistake 14: Professional Development Vacuum Mistake 15: Failing to Supervise VI. Personal Issues Mistake 16: Forgetting the Family Mistake 17: Ignoring Health Issues Mistake 18: Succumbing to Stress Mistake 19: Etiquette Gaffes VII. Fatal Attractions Mistake 20: Errors of Judgment VIII. The Leader′s Response Response 1: Never to Err Again? Response 2: Over the Horizon Resource A: Building Visibility in the Community Resource B: Verbal Skills Self-Assessment Resource C: Principal Access Self-Assessment Resource D: Principal Self-Assessment References