Dr. Andy Szeto: Ten Words for Emerging School Leaders

When I was a graduate student in educational leadership, two of my professors ended their final class with something small but unforgettable.  One read Gandhi’s timeless reminder: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”  Another shared a letter written to her by a former student - a quiet way of showing us that leadership is ultimately measured by impact, not position.

Those moments stayed with me.

So now, as someone who is teaching emerging school leaders, I close every course with my own version of that tradition: a set of simple “Be…” words. Over the years the list has grown, but the intent remains the same. These are not theories or frameworks. They are habits of mind that guide real work, especially when the day gets messy.

Below are the ten words I share with my students - each a single anchor, each paired with a reflection I continue to practice, refine, and sometimes relearn.

Kind

Be kind. The Golden Rule works most of the time. Kindness builds community faster than any formal initiative. Small gestures - a thank-you note, a check-in, an acknowledgment - can shift the tone of an entire day. And often, it really is that simple: many things in a school get done more easily when you ask nicely. A respectful, human request opens doors that complex strategies often cannot.

Supportive

Be supportive. People grow when they feel safe. Staff need space to try, adjust, and improve. Support is not about rescuing; it’s about creating conditions where growth is possible and sustainable. And support takes many forms - sometimes it’s getting the copier fixed, sometimes it’s a quiet pep talk in a hallway. Real support meets people where they are and helps them move forward.

Organized

Be organized. Systems protect people. Clear routines, consistent follow-up, and a reliable calendar help reduce anxiety and keep the work moving. But organization extends beyond systems - it includes your desk and the environment around you. A cluttered workspace often signals a cluttered mind. When the spaces around you are intentional and orderly, you communicate professionalism and model the clarity you expect from others.

Punctual

Be punctual. Time is a resource you cannot return. Beginning and ending on time communicates respect for the many responsibilities your staff carry. And it is difficult to hold anyone accountable for punctuality if you do not model it. Leaders lose credibility when expectations and behavior don’t align.

Time management is one of the most understated leadership practices. Often, work doesn’t fall through because of capability - it falls through because of mismanaged time. And mismanaged time is nearly always within a leader’s control. A culture that honors time must start with the leader.

Curious

Be curious. Ask questions. Visit classrooms. Listen more than you speak. Curiosity helps you see beyond assumptions and understand the stories behind the data. It keeps the school from becoming stagnant and invites continuous improvement.

Curiosity also ties directly to vision. Leaders cannot shape a compelling vision if they stop learning. Staying curious - and staying current with emerging trends, research, and strategies - keeps your leadership informed, relevant, and responsive to a field that evolves quickly. Curiosity, anchored in vision, signals to your team that growth is continuous and expected.

Responsive

Be responsive. Know what requires immediate action and what can follow a process. Emergencies need swift decisions; everything else benefits from clarity and timely communication. I have never understood why leaders delay or fail to answer emails. It’s a small act that prevents small issues from becoming big ones. A quick acknowledgement - “Received, thank you,” or “I’ll follow up tomorrow” - keeps teams aligned and prevents confusion.

Being responsive also means responding to needs with accountability. Do not ignore poor performance. Be a truthteller for our students. When something is not working, name it, address it, and support improvement. Silence or avoidance erodes trust; honest responsiveness strengthens it. Responsiveness is not about being available 24/7 - it’s about maintaining momentum, clarity, and integrity in how the work moves forward.

Equitable

Be equitable.  Students and staff have different needs, histories, and circumstances, and equity requires us to respond accordingly. Being fair means being transparent, consistent in your principles, and thoughtful about context. It also means guarding against favoritism, which quietly erodes trust. Your team deserves honesty, clarity, and expectations that make sense. People may not always agree with your decisions, but they should understand how and why they were made - and trust that you considered both individual needs and the broader community.

Collaborative

Be collaborative. You cannot lead a school alone. Build teams that complement your strengths and perspectives. Collaboration is about shared ownership, not unanimous agreement. And remember: the leader creates the conditions where collaboration can thrive. Encourage questions. Ask them yourself. When you model inquiry - “What am I missing?” or “How do you see it?” - you build a culture where others feel safe to think aloud, challenge ideas, and contribute authentically.

Reflective

Be reflective. Each day offers lessons - if you pause long enough to notice them. I often spend a few minutes replaying the events of the day, especially after making decisions under pressure. I also replay important or difficult conversations to see whether I handled them well, communicated clearly, or missed opportunities to listen differently. Sometimes that reflective time is paired with music or catching up on small tasks, but I still ask myself: What could I have done better? Did I show up the way I intended? Reflection doesn’t require a formal routine; it simply requires paying attention to your own impact and being willing to adjust tomorrow.

Related to reflection is thoughtfulness.  Thoughtfulness shows up in preparation, communication, and the way you consider the ripple effects of decisions. Leaders who take time to think ahead build trust that lasts. Thoughtfulness helps you lead with intention rather than reaction.

Prepared

Be prepared. Prepared leaders meet deadlines, plan for meetings, and show up ready to discuss, contribute, and move the work forward. Preparation is a form of respect - it signals that you value people’s time and that you’ve thought beyond your own needs to anticipate the needs of your stakeholders. And in administration, there is often no manual for many of the tasks you will inherit or discover. You will have to create systems, design processes, and think beyond the “teacher mindset.” Be prepared to lead - by thinking ahead, surfacing potential challenges, and entering each day ready to create clarity in work that can feel undefined or unpredictable.

Closing Thoughts

Leadership is not a title; it’s a daily practice made visible through small, deliberate actions. When I hand my students these ten words at the end of each course, I remind them that leadership is earned moment by moment. These words won’t solve every challenge, but they will shape how you navigate them - with steadiness, clarity, and humanity.

Carry them into your first year as an administrator, and you’ll find that leadership becomes less about authority and more about the kind of person your school can rely on.

And if these ideas resonate, check out my new book Leading Before the Title, available from The Worthy Educator Press, and my writing at drandyszeto.com.

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