The first 30 days of school can make everything feel urgent, but effective leadership starts with knowing what matters first. In this episode, we’ll focus on the foundations that need your attention right away: clear behavior expectations, clarity for new teachers, and making sure staff understand the curriculum they are expected to teach. We’ll also talk about what can wait, including interventions, MTSS, and other systems that may be better introduced once the school year is underway. Leadership by Subtraction isn’t about ignoring important work—it’s about sequencing the work so you can build a strong foundation without overwhelming yourself or your staff. We’re 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:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 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.

Too many principals spend the school year just trying to survive. In this episode, you'll learn four practical strategies to make your leadership more sustainable by simplifying your work, protecting your time, building a life outside of school, and growing your confidence. If you're tired of constantly feeling overwhelmed, this episode will help you focus on what matters most so you can lead with more clarity, energy, and purpose all year long.Highly RecommendedFree workshop: From Self-Doubt to ConfidenceThe 8 to 4 PrincipalThe Discipline Toolkit We’re 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:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 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.

In this episode, you'll learn the first principle of Leadership by Subtraction: subtract the noise. As a principal, it's easy to feel like every email, interruption, parent concern, and staff request deserves your immediate attention, but not everything is urgent or important. This episode explores how constant reacting keeps school leaders from focusing on the work that has the greatest impact and shares three simple questions to help you filter out distractions, protect your time, and lead with greater clarity and purpose.Join the group coaching program Leadership by Subtraction HERE. Get the Leadership by Subtraction Starter Kit HERE. We’re 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:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 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.

In this episode, we explore why so many principals feel like they're constantly putting out fires and why the real issue often isn't time, but too many competing priorities. You'll learn how trying to improve everything at once leads to scattered leadership, overwhelmed staff, and slower progress. Barb shares lessons from her own leadership journey and introduces the idea of focusing on one high-impact initiative at a time to create lasting change. If you're ready to stop reacting and start leading with greater clarity and purpose, this episode is for you.Join the coaching program Leadership by Subtraction HERE.  We’re 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:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 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.

Principals don’t need more information—they need space to think, reflect, and actually implement what matters most. In this bonus episode, I share why group coaching is so powerful for school leaders and how learning alongside other principals can help you feel less alone, gain clarity, and create real change.If you’re ready to stop adding more to your plate and start focusing on what matters most, join me inside Leadership by Subtraction. You’ll get coaching, accountability, and a community of principals who understand the work.Click here to join Leadership by Subtraction. We’re 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:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 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.

In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, we explore why becoming a better leader isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing less with greater intention. You’ll learn how trying to tackle too many initiatives at once can create burnout, reduce momentum, and keep your building from making meaningful progress. The episode introduces the Leadership by Subtraction framework, helping you identify the one area that will have the biggest impact on your school through three simple reflection questions. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by competing priorities, this conversation will help you lead with more focus, clarity, and confidence.Join the Leadership by Subtraction Waitlist HERE.  We’re 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:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 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.

Self-doubt is something every principal experiences, but it doesn't have to define your leadership. In this episode, I share my ACT Framework to help you recognize the thoughts fueling your self-doubt, uncover what's causing them, and replace them with confidence-building beliefs. You'll learn practical strategies to stop second-guessing your decisions, navigate difficult conversations with greater confidence, and trust yourself as a leader. If you're ready to lead with more clarity, confidence, and peace of mind, this episode is for you.Get my free workshop: From Self-Doubt to Confidence HEREGet The Confident Principal Reset: A 14-Day Action Plan and Mini-Course We’re 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:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 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.

In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook Summer Reset Series, we explore the patterns and habits of the self-doubting principal. Through the example of a principal who struggles with second-guessing decisions, seeking approval, and comparing herself to others, we uncover how self-doubt impacts leadership effectiveness. Using the TEA Cycle, we examine how thoughts create emotions and actions that either build or erode confidence. You'll learn practical strategies to strengthen self-trust, make decisions with greater confidence, and stop letting mistakes or feedback define your leadership. If you've ever questioned yourself as a leader, this episode will help you lead with more clarity, courage, and confidence.Find out your confidence score with the FREE Confidence Scorecard for Principals.Get The Confident Principal Reset: A 14 Day Action Plan for PrincipalsGet free resources at principalfreebies.com.  We’re 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:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 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.

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. We’re 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:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 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.

In this episode of The Principal’s Handbook, we explore the challenges of being a people-pleasing principal and how the need for approval can impact leadership decisions. You'll learn how people-pleasing shows up through avoiding difficult conversations, watering down feedback, delaying decisions, and taking responsibility for other people's emotions. Through the TEA Cycle, we examine how thoughts about disappointing others create anxiety and lead to actions that weaken leadership effectiveness. The episode offers practical strategies for leading with clarity, confidence, and values instead of seeking approval. If you've ever worried about upsetting staff, parents, or teachers, this episode will help you lead with greater courage and authenticity.Get free resources at PrincipalFreebies.com. We’re 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:Simplify and streamline technologySave teachers’ timeReliably meet Tier 1 standardsImprove student performance on state assessments🚀 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.