What are the top three leadership goals that we should all seek to master? It’s a crucial question for each leader and one others often ask of us. I firmly believe that each of us at independent schools is a leader. Whether we lead a school, an academic division, a classroom or even our own businesses (that would be me), each of us should aspire to become a better leader.
In thinking about the new year and what my personal leadership goals are for 2026, I did a Google search for the top leadership skills for the coming year. The answers might surprise you:
- Effective Communication
- Leading with Empathy
- Strategic Awareness
- Delegation
- Problem Solving
- Adaptability
- Decision Making
- Motivation
- Team Building
- Integrity/Strong Ethical Judgement
Each of these skills is important for us to focus on, whatever our role at a school. The list helped me pinpoint my top three skills for 2026.
1. Leading with Empathy. We live in an increasingly complex and politically charged moment in time. As leaders we are looked upon for guidance, grace and vision. My late father, a Conservative Rabbi who had a pulpit in Tucson, Arizona (where I grew up) for over 28 years, taught me at an early age that each and every one of us should always lead with empathy. It’s one of the single most important traits of an effective leader. Will your leadership team, your faculty and your colleagues “walk through” fire for you? Will you in turn do the same for them? It all begins and ends with empathy.
2. Strategic Awareness. As leaders of complex educational institutions and businesses, the environment around us is changing rapidly. The ever-changing landscape of technology, human capital and market conditions have a major impact on the leadership decisions that we will or won’t make in the coming year. As the Head of School, President or CEO it is our job (and your Boards will expect it to be) to have a keen sense of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that our respective organizations are facing. Can you fill out your own SWOT chart right now? If not, then you are likely falling down when it comes to strategic awareness.
3. Integrity and Strong Ethical Judgement. Nothing is more important than our word. Think about the hundreds of decisions that we make for our organizations and ourselves on a monthly basis. Each one should pass the “smell test.” It’s really that simple. The moment we comprise our integrity and ethics, we cede the moral ground to others. Your integrity is your calling card. Protect it at all costs.
Leadership is not easy. Centering our leadership on key values that resonate with us personally and connect to our school’s culture and community will help us become better leaders and people.
What are your top three from this list? How will you focus on them in the coming year? I encourage you to take some time to think deeply about how you will approach this list and reflect on what you can do to make yourself a more impactful leader in 2026.
