As leaders, one of our most significant responsibilities is not only to have a vision for success, but also to communicate it clearly, consistently, and in a way that inspires others to take action. Over my years as a teacher, assistant principal, and principal, I’ve learned that when staff know where we’re headed and why, they rise to the occasion. A shared vision makes the difference between surviving the school year and thriving as a community.
Every leader can take steps to make their vision come alive. Here are a few approaches that have worked for me, and that you can try in your own practice.
Keep Your Message Simple and Memorable
Every leader needs a “stump speech” — a simple, memorable way of sharing what matters most to them. I’m not talking about jargon or lofty mission statements. It’s about being able to say, in plain language, “This is who we are, and this is what we stand for.”
Write down the three things you most want your staff to remember about your vision. Test them out loud. Share them at the beginning of the year, and then return to them often in staff meetings, newsletters, and conversations. When I shared mine, I discussed our responsibility to provide students in our community with the same quality of education we’d demand for our own children. Simple, but powerful — and staff remembered it.
Remember, especially if you are new to a campus or stepping into a leadership role, staff needs to know what matters to you personally. For example, when I was a principal, I valued punctuality but understood that life sometimes gets in the way. I wanted people to show up on time, of course, but I was flexible when unexpected issues came up. After I left, the leader who replaced me had a different approach—she placed a stronger emphasis on strict punctuality. I encouraged her to communicate this clearly to staff from the beginning, so they understood that being on time wasn’t just a rule, it was something that mattered to her. When staff know what you value, they’re less likely to be surprised or feel singled out when you hold them accountable.
Build Consistency with House Rules
A vision is only as strong as the systems that support it. That’s where house rules, or standard operating procedures, come in. These are the agreed-upon ways we’ll work together — not just rules for students, but shared norms for adults.
Identify a few routines that would reduce confusion and build consistency. Create a clear, shared template or checklist for each one. Model the routines yourself and hold everyone accountable, kindly but firmly. When people are familiar with the “house rules,” they spend less time guessing and more time focusing on the students.
House Rules are simply the ideas from your stump speech put into action. For example, in my stump speech, I discussed how I wanted staff to provide the same high-quality education for our students as they would expect for their own children. To put that into practice, one of the House Rules was to praise in public and correct in private whenever possible. If students needed to be corrected for their behavior, it was to be done in a respectful tone, addressing the student directly rather than yelling out across the classroom or down a hallway.
Make Communication Predictable
One of my guiding beliefs is this: all behaviors exist within a relationship. Communication is the bridge that keeps those relationships strong.
Staff want to know what’s happening, and they don’t want to search for it. That’s where bulletins, newsletters, and agendas make a difference. Pick one day of the week for your staff bulletin and stick to it. Keep it simple with headers, bullet points, and a predictable format. Include celebrations, reminders, and a quick look ahead. The goal is not just to inform but to set the tone: “We’re in this together, and we’re moving forward.”
The one time I thought it was time to refresh the standard format for my weekly bulletin to staff, I learned that some things that are working should be left alone. My new format was difficult to decipher, and the staff asked me (respectfully) to go back to the old format because it was clear and they knew just where to find the information they needed. Change can be great! However, in communication, consider that some things do not need to be changed to be more effective.
Show That You Know Your People
Great leaders know that vision isn’t just about tasks — it’s about people. The more you understand the individuals on your team, the better you can communicate with them.
One tool I’ve found helpful is the concept of appreciation languages at work. A quick quiz can reveal whether someone values words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, or small tokens of appreciation. Adjust how you affirm and support staff based on what motivates them. This simple step can reduce miscommunication and build a culture where people feel truly valued.
It is also essential that we operate from a strengths-based perspective rather than focusing on deficits. While we may have staff (and students, and families) who are not communicating effectively, we should work from what they are already doing well and build on that rather than begin by trying to tackle their needs. One way to do this is to focus on the similarities between us rather than the differences when we communicate. As a principal, I worked with people who, in many ways, were very different from me on a surface level. When I took the view that I would focus on commonalities first, I found out that I had a lot more in common with most of my people than I had differences. The step of viewing people through the lens of commonality goes a long way in improving communication.
Take Extra Care with Written Messages
Emails, memos, even texts — these small pieces of communication add up to a big part of how staff perceive you as a leader. And not all written communication lands as intended.
Before hitting “send,” ask yourself: Is this clear? Is this kind? Is this necessary? If your message is emotionally charged, step away and reread it later. Use subject lines that clearly convey the purpose, and keep paragraphs concise. Every written word is a chance to reinforce trust and clarity.
Communicate Vision in Daily Actions
Communicating your vision isn’t about one big speech or a single meeting. It’s about the daily, intentional ways you connect vision to practice: the stump speech that gives direction, the house rules that create consistency, the bulletins that keep everyone aligned, the personalized ways you affirm staff, and the thoughtful communication that builds trust.
It requires reflection, structure, and a willingness to persevere, even when it feels repetitive. But remember: repetition is what makes a vision stick.
A Call to Reflect
As you think about your own leadership, pause and ask yourself:
- If someone asked my staff today what is important to me, could they answer clearly?
- What am I doing, week by week, to reinforce that vision in ways people can see and feel?
- How am I finding ways to get to know my people and communicate with a focus on similarities rather than differences?
Take time this week to write, share, and live your vision. Your staff — and your students — are counting on you.
