Principals juggle a lot of roles: teacher, organizer, facilitator, administrative legal expert, and more. Laws and regulations outline each of these jobs, yet they still leave room for personal style. Strong leadership comes from knowing when to step into which role—and doing it well. That takes solid know-how plus the sensitivity to make every role feel genuine. In other words, managing roles is at the heart of a principal’s leadership.

Finding the right mix of roles—and playing them convincingly—calls for knowledge and a bit of stagecraft. This book guides you through that process. It examines the core tasks of school leadership through a “roles” lens, explores where roles can conflict, and explains when it’s wise to delegate and share leadership with others in the school.