Managing the weight of school leadership responsibility

As a school leader, it can feel like you’re carrying a tremendous weight of responsibility on your shoulders. The many facets of educational leadership and the different roles you need to take on, not to mention the fact that you’re shaping the educational future of countless students (just to add to the pressure!) can feel like a huge load, pushing down on you. Carrying that burden of responsibility can make it harder to do your job and takes a toll on your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. 
Why we feel this way

Stress and other nasty consequences  

One of the most obvious and perhaps most commonly talked about issues caused by the burden of immense responsibility is stress. The long hours you put in, the constant juggling of tasks, meetings and teaching responsibilities add to that load. And let’s not forget the small matter of interacting positively with students, parents and colleagues! These unending demands and expectations can lead to high levels of stress which overtime, if left unchecked, can result in stress-related issues like burnout.  

The personal cost 

All too often, school leaders find themselves sacrificing their personal lives for the sake of their school. When that heavy weight is pressing down on you, it feels impossible to walk away and leave it to be dealt with another day. How many times have you left your office later than you intended because you just felt the uncontrollable urge to answer one more email or complete that important document. And in doing that, you missed out on something like an exercise class, a drink with a friend or a meal with your family that would have actually boosted your wellbeing instead of draining it? 

Decisions, decisions… 

The sheer number of decisions you have to make as a school leader can be mind-blowing! Each decision that lands on your desk adds to the load and can make it feel even heavier and more difficult to deal with, which can lead to decision fatigue. Have you ever noticed how hard it is to make even simple decisions about what’s for dinner or what to watch on TV after a long day at school? The cumulative effect of making numerous decisions, whether big or small, can mean your ability to do so deteriorates over time and, if this isn’t addressed, can impact your ability to do the job effectively. 

Not-so-splendid isolation 

While most schools are pretty busy places with plenty of opportunities (sometimes too many!) to interact with other people, if you feel isolated in your role as a school leader you are definitely not alone. It can be hard to find the right person to confide in about the challenges you face for fear of losing face, authority or your reputation.  

It’s exhausting! 

Dealing with the diverse needs and challenges of students, parents and staff can be emotionally draining. You can easily find yourself in the middle of an emotionally charged event where you need to keep your cool and defuse the situation and these can really take their toll and add to your emotional exhaustion which depletes your levels of wellbeing. 

Time to lighten the load 

The responsibility that you hold as a school leader is undeniable, as is the negative impact that burden can have on many aspects of your professional and personal life. But you can gain control over how you carry the weight of that responsibility. 

Whether you work in a small or large team, creating a culture of open communication and collaboration where there is no fear of judgement or reprisal can help, as this allows you to speak honestly about your challenges and work together to solve them.  

Sometimes, however, this isn’t enough, or maybe your school is simply not set up this way yet. In that case, seeking out support from a coach, who’ll become your non-judgmental partner with no connection to your school and no agenda beyond your continued success as a leader is a great option. The freedom to talk about your challenges, failures, annoyances and wins with someone else will quickly start to make that burden feel lighter and more manageable.