Do you think you could be a school principal?

Later this month, I’m keynoting to all 600 principals in the Chicago Public Schools. Do you think you could handle being a school principal?  If so, imagine a scenario where…

You were responsible for the safety of 1,000 kids for 180 days a year.
You had to manage 50 staff members, each with their own needs, challenges, and developmental needs.
You had a local school board that you had to keep happy, or you could get fired.
You had an administration above you that you also had to keep happy.
Your school board and administration changed every few years so you couldn’t be sure what upper management looked like.
You had to ignore gossip about you among staff, parents, and students.
You didn’t have one person in the building that you could 100% share everything with because ultimately the buck stops with you.
You hadn’t seen your own kids for three straight nights because you got home at 8:30 and your kids were asleep by 8.
You were supposed to be an expert on Common Core, manage the budget, handle operational issues, lead the team, and inspire the students.
You couldn’t remember the last time you weren’t exhausted.

With all these demands, our principals show up every day and  lead. Only they know how much they’ve sacrificed to serve, and I admire them tremendously for everything they do.