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The secret to getting more done (while doing less)
Danny Bauer
December 08, 2024 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes
Ever wish you could clone yourself to handle your endless to-do list? Most Play-It-Safe-Principals are drowning in tasks while Ruckus Makers have cracked the code.
Their secret isn't sci-fi – it's learning to let go. And the results are wild: more impact, less stress, and (gasp!) actually leaving work at a reasonable hour 😱
In today's email, you'll learn the exact system successful principals use to multiply their impact without working themselves into burnout.
First time reading? Sign up here and join 5,704 learning to Do School Different 🎉
OFF CAMPUS
Better than test scores: This week’s Ruckus-cast explored metrics that actually matter in education [Listen Online].
Spotting joy: Check out how Dr. Jenn Overstreet took action on last Wednesday’s Do School Different challenge.
Delegation breakthrough: A new masterclass reveals how top principals are using the "genius vs. energy" framework to win back 10+ hours per week for strategic work (while most leaders are stuck drowning in tasks). Sign up here.
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DO SCHOOL DIFFERENT
The Principal Multiplication Trick They Don't Teach in Admin School
Want to know the ultimate "Do School Different" superpower?
It's multiplication—not the math kind, but the ability to multiply your impact across campus without working longer hours.
Here's the truth: Most principals are their school's biggest opportunity AND biggest bottleneck. You're too talented to be stuck doing tasks that drain your energy and steal time from real transformation.
In this Delegation Masterclass, you'll learn:
The 5 levels of delegation (spoiler: most leaders mess up levels 3-5)
My proven Delegation Roadmap that transforms overwhelmed leaders into impact multipliers
The "genius vs. energy" framework that shows exactly what you should (and shouldn't) delegate
Ready to multiply your impact? 👇
TIP OF THE WEEK
Want to clone yourself? Try this instead.
Picture this: It's 7am, and Principal Sarah Martinez is already putting out fires.
A bus broke down. Three teachers called in sick. And the superintendent wants those reports "ASAP." Meanwhile, 47 unread emails mock her from the screen, and someone's knocking at her door about a leaked TikTok video.
Sound familiar?
While most principals are drowning in tasks, a small group of Ruckus Makers have figured out how to run their schools without being everywhere at once.
Their secret? They've mastered the art of letting go.
Why your "open door" is killing your school
"But my teachers need me!" you might say. Here's the brutal truth: Being available 24/7 isn't leadership — it's a recipe for burnout.
As one reformed Play-It-Safe-Principal put it: "I thought being accessible meant being effective. Turns out, I was just teaching my staff to be dependent."
The 3-step system that actually works
The Monday Map: Spend 30 minutes every Monday sorting your tasks into your Impact-Urgency Matrix. Don’t overcomplicate this.
The Trust Transfer: For each task you delegate, include:
The what (clear outcome)
The why (bigger purpose)
The when (deadline)
The support (resources available)
The Release Ritual: Here's the hard part — once you delegate, resist the urge to micromanage. Set check-in points, but let your team own the process.
The real reason you're not delegating
Let's get real: It's not about trust or capability. It's about identity.
Many principals built their careers on being the problem-solver, the go-to person, the hero. Letting go feels like letting down.
Your job isn't to be the hero. It's to build a school full of them.
Leadership is action, not position.
ALBA
Pup in space
CLASS DISMISSED
Whenever you’re ready, here’s 3 ways we can help you Do School Different.
Ruckus Makers should get time to think and strategize. Take the Delegation Masterclass to create “deep work” time in your schedule and multiply your impact . Register here.
The Ruckus Maker Club is a great support for leaders throughout the year as well. Join the waitlist here.
Our flagship experience is the The Ruckus Maker Mastermind. Apply here.
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The Weekend Resource was written by Danny.
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