The DNA of the Principalship: Conflict and Guilt in the Genetic Code
The genetic code of the principalship is written in the instructional, managerial, and political roles that each school leader must perform daily*.
Venn diagram of 3 overlapping roles
These overlapping and competing roles create a dilemma of identity: Am I a manager, a politician, or instructional leader? If I am all three, which do I do best? Which do I need to do more? Reconciling the conflicting demands of these overlapping roles is the daily task that principals wrestle with silently. Because these are familiar, I will describe them briefly.
Instructional role. Historically, the title of “principal” comes from the phrase “principal teacher,” that is, a teacher designated by a school board to manage the non-classroom tasks of schooling a large number of students and
