3 Decision-Making Rules Elite Principals Use (That Most Leaders Ignore)

THE RUCKUS MAKER MONTHLY THEME: DECISION MAKING

3 Decision-Making Rules Elite Principals Use (That Most Leaders Ignore)

😱 😱 😱 Most principals make their biggest decisions the same way students cram for exams — under pressure, fueled by stress, and hoping for the best.

But you're not a Play-It-Safe Principal. You're a Ruckus Maker.

And while everyone else is making reactive choices that keep their schools stuck in 1995, you're about to learn three ways to make decisions that actually move the needl

Think Like a Chess Master (Not a Checkers Player)

👎 Play-It-Safe Principal: "Let's ban phones in class!"

👍 Ruckus Maker: "What happens after we ban phones?"

Here's what I mean:

• First order effect: Students can't use phones

• Second order effect: They start hiding phones in bathrooms

• Third order effect: Now you've got a new problem AND zero visibility into device use

One Ruckus Maker in our community faced this exact situation.

Instead of banning phones, she created "phone-free zones" and "tech-enabled learning spaces." The result? Higher engagement AND fewer discipline issues.

Let It Marinate (Your Gut Needs a Time-Out)

👎 Play-It-Safe Principal: "You want an answer? You'll get it right now!"

👍 Ruckus Maker: "This deserves careful consideration. I'll have a thoughtful response tomorrow."

Hot take: The best time to make a major decision is never when you feel like you need to make it RIGHT NOW.

Especially in education, where:

• Parents are demanding immediate responses

• Your superintendent wants answers yesterday

• That one teacher is standing in your office expecting a solution

Here's what I tell every Ruckus Maker: Sleep on any decision that makes your heart rate spike or involves more than $1,000. Your brain literally processes information differently after a rest cycle.

Tap Your Board of Advisors

👎 Play-It-Safe Principal: "I'll figure it out on my own. I don't want to look weak."

👍 Ruckus Maker: "Let me run this by my brain trust of innovative leaders who've solved this before.

Fun fact: Less than 25% of principals have a mentor. Even fewer have a network of trusted peers they can turn to for honest feedback.

This is why Play-It-Safe Principals keep repeating the same mistakes. They're trying to reimagine education... in isolation.

The most successful Ruckus Makers? They've got a brain trust of other innovative leaders who've been there, done that, and aren't afraid to tell them when their brilliant idea might actually be a disaster waiting to happen.

(This is exactly why our Mastermind members solve their biggest challenges in weeks instead of months — they've got a board of advisors in their corner every single week.)

And right now we have an incredible opportunity (including a complimentary ticket to our summer live event in Sacramento + other bonuses) when you join the mastermind by Jan 28th.

Here's the Truth About Leadership Decisions

Your school's future isn't determined by any single choice. It's built on the compound interest of hundreds of small decisions made way before you need to make them.

Speaking of decisions you should make before you need them...

Want to ensure the 25-26 school year is your best year yet?

Whether you are moving campuses or landing your first principal position, smart leaders are already blocking time to draft their entry plans for next year.

And if you’ve never created a plan (or have in the past and abandoned it) …

I'm launching a digital course that shows you exactly how to create a solid 90-day plan that will transform your campus.

Because when it comes to next school year, hope isn't a strategy – but a solid plan is.