When every initiative feels urgent, leadership becomes scattered. The real problem is often not a lack of time, but too many competing priorities. If everything is a priority, nothing gets your best leadership.
Why too many priorities weaken leadership
Schools carry a long list of demands: academic achievement, behavior, attendance, teacher morale, parent communication, school safety, special education, professional development, culture, technology, social media, district initiatives, and state priorities. All of these matter. But leaders cannot focus on all of them all of the time.
The cost of constant shifting is simple: frustration, inconsistency, and slower progress. Scattered attention creates scattered results.
Focus on the priority that creates the biggest ripple effect
School leadership is more effective when one initiative is protected long enough to work. That does not mean ignoring everything else. It means deciding what matters most right now and giving it sustained attention.
A useful question is this: if you could only focus on one or two improvement areas, which would create the biggest ripple effect?
Leadership has to fit the building
What works in one school may not fit another. Leadership changes based on available resources, staffing, systems, and professional development support. A school with an assistant principal, a social media person, or more support staff will not have the same leadership demands as a school where the principal is leading most things alone.
Comparing your priorities to another school can lead you in the wrong direction. The better approach is to focus on what your building actually needs and what your team can realistically sustain.
Consistency beats constant change
Improvement does not come from changing direction every time a new idea appears. It comes from staying with a focus long enough for it to take root.
That may mean choosing one subject area, one behavior focus, or one instructional priority and working on it consistently. Strong leadership is not about chasing every good idea. It is about knowing which idea is the right one for this building right now.
Ask the hard question
Before adding another initiative, ask what is already competing for attention. Then decide what should be subtracted so the main priority can move forward.
That is the heart of Leadership by Subtraction: less noise, more clarity, and more impact.
- Identify the initiatives currently pulling attention in different directions.
- Choose the one that will have the greatest impact.
- Protect that focus long enough to see results.
- Match your priorities to your school’s actual resources and needs.
Effective principals do not improve everything at once. They lead with intention, narrow the focus, and create momentum where it matters most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main problem with having too many priorities as a principal?
It makes leadership scattered and reactive, and nothing gets the full attention it needs.
What should principals focus on instead of trying to improve everything at once?
One high-impact initiative that can create the biggest ripple effect in the building.
Why does leadership look different from school to school?
Because resources, staffing, systems, and professional development support are different in every building.
What is the idea behind Leadership by Subtraction?
To remove noise and competing priorities so leaders can focus with clarity and have more impact.
For more context, listen to the original episode of The Principal's Handbook: The Hidden Cost of Too Many Priorities as a Principal.