I recently completed in Sydney the 30km Coastrek Charity Walk raising funds for Beyond Blue. Enjoying such a beautiful coastal walk there was plenty time over the 6 hours to think about wellbeing and its importance to health and overall happiness.
As the School year progresses and the end of Term 1 nears, a key discussion point for many School Boards during the term will have focused on Student Wellbeing. This, without doubt, should be a standing item on every School Board Agenda.
An area that may not be getting the same level of attention is the Principal’s Wellbeing. Is Principal Wellbeing on the Agenda? Was this covered off on the School Strategy Planning Days? Is this being managed through the Risk Register? Given the importance of this role should it not be an intrinsic part of the overall Strategy that sits alongside the Student and Staff Wellbeing Programs?
Many Schools may have a new Principal this year and hence, even more important in such a demanding role is to ensure there is a formal framework to support the new Principal. This could be a formalised Principal Wellbeing Program run by an external organisation or an experienced Principal taking on the role of Coach or Mentor for a period of time. In addition to “wellbeing” this program should also cover all the key responsibilities that come with being the Leader/CEO of an organisation (i.e. governance, financial management, building projects and management, risk management, HR practices, …. the list goes on!). In some instances, it may even be that the Principal is organising and managing their own Program…another responsibility to juggle in addition to running a busy School.
The program for the new Principal is likely to be different from that of the experienced Principal, but nonetheless it is just as important to ensure a program is in place and the Board is proactively receiving regular feedback.
Wellbeing in the workplace should be a priority for all employers.
In order for School Principals to lead effectively and maximise student learning outcomes, they must be supported in maintaining their own wellbeing.
If this posting resonates with you, please feel free to reach out to me.
