Dear Principal Hotline,
Iâve been in a great assistant principal position for about four years. When I was recruited by the principal, he told me he planned to retire soon and that his plan was for me to then move into the principalship. And I could not be happier with this job. I get tons of good feedback, lots of autonomy, and have a great relationship with my principal, team, and colleagues.Â
My issue is that I never get any constructive feedback. I know that sounds like a great problem to have, except I know I have stuff to work on. While Iâm quite happy in my role now and am not looking to advance or move for several years, I also want to be strengthening my future possible candidacy as principal of this school. I have had official performance reviews but frankly, theyâre pretty fluffy.
Can you help me find the right wording to basically say, âHey, tell me what you think Iâm bad at or what might stop me from advancingâ?
Sincerely,
In Need of Hard Truths
Dear INHT,
As frustrating as it is, this really is a good problem to have. When weâre clearly failing in some aspect of our job, we hear about itâno matter how much weâre doing right elsewhere. So, obviously, youâre hitting all the right notes. You might just need to change your mindset and the questions you ask.
Stop thinking in terms of âWhat am I doing wrong that no oneâs mentioning?â We all suffer from some amount of imposter syndrome, but living with the belief that youâre somehow failing when youâre clearly not adds unnecessary stress.
Instead, ask yourself, âWhere can I grow?â While youâre at it, ask your principal exactly that question. Youâll want to do this in private, during a requested meeting so that thereâs sufficient time for a real discussion. Make sure he knows ahead of time what it is youâd like to talk about so that he can prepare. It may take some time for him to think of examples and meaningful feedback. If he has time to think about what heâs going to say, youâre likely to have a more helpful conversation.
Donât think that by asking for ways to improve youâre going to cast yourself as a failure. Your performance doesnât exist in a vacuum. Youâre merely asking for an honest assessment from someone who has more experience. If he mentions something that you have no idea how to improve, simply ask, âHow can I improve [this]?â or âWhat should I do to ⊠?â Heâs indicated an investment in your future, particularly in his building. So he should welcome your dedication to your professional growth.
In the meantime, if youâre not already, keep a daily journal about where youâre succeeding and where you feel you can improve. It can be as simple as a $.99 notebook from the grocery store or as complicated as a formal bullet journal. Youâll figure out whatâs best for you. The purpose is to have something tangible tracking how youâre executing your duties along with data compiled by the one person who witnesses 100 percent of your time: you.
Every Sunday, when youâre mentally refreshed, peek at the previous weekâs entries and summarize what you find. If there are any patterns, youâll notice them. Ultimately, reading your successes each week will also help you accept that youâre doing your job well and youâre merely finding new ways to grow.
You may also want to ask your principal if a staff survey would be appropriate. Their responses will provide a different perspective than you typically receive in a performance review or a face-to-face discussion.
Remember, thereâs nothing wrong with asking for constructive feedback. It can be as simple as sending an email saying, âCan we have a meeting to discuss my potential areas for growth? I want to be the best I can be, and I value your perspective.â
Any good principal will value receiving that email.
Each week, our brave school leadership expert answers your toughest questions about the daily adventures and challenges we all face as we strive to make our schools great places for kids to learn. Have a question? Email it to principalhotline@schoolleadersnow.com.
Plus, check out A Day in the Life of an Assistant Principal.