Win Fast, Lead Strong: Your First 30 Days as Principal

THE RUCKUS MAKER MONTHLY THEME: CULTURE

New Principal? Here’s Your 30-Day Playbook

Stepping into a new leadership role is equal parts thrilling and daunting. While the first 30 days are crucial for setting the tone for your tenure, the truth is, this is an exercise any leader can use to reboot and refresh at any time.

Check out these six essential culture-building moves for every new principal to focus on.

1. Listen and Learn Phase

Before making changes, take time to observe, ask questions, and truly listen. Every school has a unique culture, history, and set of challenges. Gather insights early, and make informed decisions rather than assumptions. Identify your key power players, the folks with informal authority on staff.

Start by asking:

• What’s working well that we should protect?

• What are the biggest challenges our school community faces?

• How do staff, students, and families describe the school’s culture?

• What’s one change that would have the biggest positive impact?

These conversations might take place in the staff room, the parking lot, the office, or the classroom. You can make this a priority by scheduling listening sessions with staff, student leaders, and families in your first two weeks.

Pay attention and learn the key themes.

Look for action items.

With a clear picture of your building's culture you can identify where small, early wins will build trust.

2. Find Early Wins

Building credibility early is crucial. Small, visible improvements show that you’re listening and taking action. These early wins do not need to be major policy changes. They just need to be visible and meaningful.

Look for ways to:

• Remove unnecessary barriers that slow people down.

• Fix small but frustrating problems that staff and students have dealt with for too long.

• Make communication as clear as possible so people feel informed and supported.

Identify one or two quick wins and take action within the first month. Every small success helps build momentum. Over time these moments of progress will create trust and buy-in for bigger initiatives.

3. Make Relationships a Priority

People do not follow a title. They follow a leader they trust. Strong relationships are built through small, daily interactions. Be intentional about getting to know staff, students, and families.

Try these strategies:

• Be present in hallways, classrooms, and school events.

• Spend time listening in the staff room.

• Schedule short, informal check-ins with key team members.

• Show appreciation. A handwritten note or a simple thank-you goes a long way.

Building relationships early creates a foundation of trust, and will make difficult conversations and big decisions much easier in the future.

Make it a priority to meet with at least five different staff members each week for informal conversations.

4. Set Up Clear Communication

Without a plan for communication, even the best ideas will fall flat. Staff, students, and families need to know how and when they will receive updates. Clear, predictable communication reduces anxiety and builds trust.

Consider how you will share information with your partners:

• Staff, through weekly memos, morning check-ins, or scheduled meetings.

• Students, through announcements, student leadership groups, or casual conversations.

• Families, through newsletters, open forums, or personal outreach.

Choose a primary communication channel and ensure everyone knows where to find updates. Establish a strong communication rhythm from the start. Preventing confusion and strengthening relationships will pay dividends across the school community.

5. Celebrate Early Successes

Recognition is one of the simplest ways to build a positive school culture.

When people feel valued they are more engaged, motivated, and willing to go the extra mile for you or your idea.

Make it a priority to highlight successes in your first 30 days.

Here’s a few ideas:

• Recognizing staff contributions at meetings or in school-wide communication.

• Highlighting student achievements, both academic and personal growth.

• Acknowledging small wins as a team, such as a well-run school event or improved classroom routines.

Celebrating success builds morale and reinforces the culture you want to create. Even small gestures can have a big impact. Public recognition of individuals and groups may also be appreciated.

6. Take a Strategic Approach to Challenges

Every principal inherits challenges they did not create.

Some problems will need immediate attention. Others require a more thoughtful, long-term approach. The key is to assess before acting.

Manage challenges effectively by:

• Identifying which problems need urgent attention and which can wait.

• Learn the history behind key issues. What has been tried before? Why did or did it not work?

• Involve others in problem-solving instead of making decisions alone.

• Make a list of major challenges and sort them into categories. Which are urgent? Which are important but not urgent? Which require more relationship-building before action?

Resist the urge to fix everything at once.

Take time to understand each challenge and look for sustainable solutions.

The first 30 days are not about making sweeping changes. But they are about building trust, gathering insights, and setting a strong foundation for long-term success.

When you listen first, with a focus on relationships, you create a school culture where people feel supported and inspired.

By taking a thoughtful approach to challenges you will soon be celebrating successes and setting your sights on the next 30 days!

What is your top priority in your first 30 days?