You don't need all the answers

Context:

Most school leaders were trained to be the chief problem-solver. The fixer. The one with the plan.

But this mindset creates a dangerous bottleneck …

When everything flows through you, everything waits on you.

Bad idea.

Why it matters:

When you position yourself in this way, your staff stops thinking critically. They stop innovating. They stop leading.

The unintended consequence?

You become essential… and exhausted.

The Reframe:

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers.

It’s about creating a culture where the best ideas win — no matter where they come from.

Ask better questions.

Make space for others to lead.

Say “I don’t know. What do you think?” more often.

• You’ll build a school that thinks for itself.

• You’ll build leaders who grow without you.

• You’ll build something that lasts.

The best leaders don’t hoard answers. They multiply them.