No Excuses Leadership

Everybody's Fool

Tradition is important.  It’s a great catalyst for creating a comfortable and inviting culture on your campus.  A long standing tradition at many schools, especially elementary schools, takes place when principals set forth a challenge to their students in return for doing something crazy.  “If you raise $1000 in pennies, I’ll kiss a pig” or “If you recycle a ton of aluminum cans, I’ll make my office on the roof of the school for a day.”  If you are a principal, you’ve no doubt participated in such hijinks.  If not, what are you waiting for?

TAKE ACTION

The phrase “Nobody’s Fool” is often offered as a compliment for leaders who won’t be taken advantage of by others.  This can certainly be a valuable personality trait, but not nearly as important as our ability to be “Everybody’s Fool” from time to time.  It’s a sign of great confidence when the leader of the entire organization lets their guard down and allows others to laugh with and at them.  When was the last time you decided to foster fun and laughter by being Everybody’s Fool?

BE BOLD

An amazing person and leader, Deanne McLaughlin is a principal with enough passion for kids and confidence in herself to be the focus of fun and laughter.

Principal Deanne McLaughlin spends her day taped to the wall as part of her school's annual "Stuck for a Buck" school fundraiser.