Avoiding the Trump Trap: A Primer for Aspiring School Leaders

During the winter of 2017 as I watched the lumbering start to the Trump Era in American government, I was struck by how many “rookie mistakes” in leadership were being played out to a global audience on an almost daily basis. While marvelling at the impending train wreck that was emerging as the Trump style in management and governance, I was struck by the fact that it clearly had no equal as a highly public example of what not to do when taking over a new position of leadership. Over the course of the winter and spring, I wrote a series of blog posts considering all of the potential “traps” that new and aspiring school leaders could fall into. The responses that I received from trustees, Principals, Heads of School and leadership hopefuls convinced me that it would be helpful to republish my posts in chronological order for everyone to consider. From the publication of the first post on St. Patrick’s Day to my final observations on the anniversary of last November’s election, this series of posts reflects the chaotic path charted by the current U.S. administration.
What they present is a cautionary tale for new and aspiring administrators. And, while I don’t believe that any school leader would perform as erratically as the forty-fifth President, this real life caricature has clear parallels in the pitfalls suffered by a great many struggling Heads and Principals as they try to find their footing in a new and challenging role. It is my hope that it might provide both a warning and a road map to avoid the worst of these presidential missteps.