5 Myths That Keep Great Educators From Pursuing the Principalship
Curious about becoming a principal, but not sure what’s fact and what’s fiction? This blog debunks five myths about school leadership and offers an honest view of the principalship.
If you’re an educator who’s ever considered stepping into school leadership, you’ve likely encountered a few “truths” about the principalship.
Maybe someone’s told you, “Leadership isn’t for everyone,” and you’ve started to wonder if that means…you.
Maybe you’ve wondered, “Will I miss the classroom too much, or working directly with students?”
Or you’ve thought, “I didn’t take the traditional path to get to where I am—does that mean there’s no chance for me to be a school leader?”
The reality? Most of what people assume about principals—and how they become principals—is actually based on a lot of outdated information, limited views of who can be a school leader, and a misunderstanding of what it takes to lead a school well. This is true especially with how much has changed—and will continue to change— in the education landscape.
So, let’s set the record straight. Whether you’re actively pursuing a leadership role, or just starting to imagine what might be possible for you, here are five myths that deserve to be challenged—as well as the truths that aspiring principals really need to hear.
Myth #1: You have to be naturally charismatic to be a good leader.
Truth: Effective principals lead in a myriad of different ways.
We tend to think of principals as bold, extroverted, and magnetic personalities, the kind of leaders that command attention in every room they’re in. And while some leaders certainly fit that description, many don’t. And that’s not a weakness, it’s very much a strength.
Some of the most impactful principals are introverts—people who are thoughtful, steady, and quiet. They leverage their strengths through active listening, fostering collaborative environments, and building trust. Sure, maybe they don’t thrive in the spotlight, but the day-to-day of the principalship isn’t under the bright lights. It’s in the informal ways you connect with students, staff, and parents throughout the day.
It’s not the volume of your voice or the polish of your delivery that matters. The people in your school aren’t looking for a performance. They’re looking to connect with someone real.
Myth #2: Getting an advanced degree is enough to prepare you.
Truth: Leadership lives in the gap between knowing and doing.
You can write a brilliant paper on the nuances of instructional strategy, and still freeze in a room of teachers and staff with competing priorities. You can ace all your coursework, and still struggle to lead a difficult conversation with grace. The truth is, no degree, no matter how rigorous, or how prestigious the school is where you obtained it—can fully prepare you for the relational and emotional parts of school leadership.
This is because being a principal is about more than checking boxes. It’s about learning to show up in the “messy middle,” everyday. To respond to conflict in a way without losing your calm, to coach a struggling teacher without judgement, and to guide your school through uncertainty without having all the answers—that’s the kind of learning that happens in the work.
(It’s a big reason why we’re so proud of the New Leaders National Aspiring Principals Fellowship. It is a program that focuses on real-time mentorship, cohort-based learning, and job-embedded coursework.)
Myth #3: There’s only one “right path” to becoming a principal
Truth: Schools don’t need one kind of leader. They need the leader you become.
You might not have started your education journey the way your peers did. Maybe you worked as an instructional coach, a counselor, or a staff member that’s always supported schools and students behind the scenes. Perhaps you’ve taken a detour—or several. And, maybe that’s made you question whether you’re even allowed to consider school leadership.
But here’s the thing: schools are full of students and adults with diverse stories. Why shouldn’t school leadership further reflect that fact? As New Leaders National Aspiring Principals Fellowship alum Iris Ferrufino says, “Much of my ambition in pursuing school leadership comes from me wanting to be for our students the person that I did not have.”
The most impactful principals aren’t carbon copies of some idealized mold. They’re people who’ve learned to lead from where they are, and the experiences they’ve had. In that way, your specific path is your unique differentiator. Whether you’ve supported students through grief as a school counselor or coached teachers through vulnerability and growth as an instructional coach, there are so many learnings that might come through an untraditional path, but ladder up to the principalship all the same.
Myth #4: If you care about students, you should stay in the classroom.
Truth: Principals don’t lose their connection to students, they multiply it.
This myth lingers because the heart of teaching is so personal. The daily moments of connections you have with your students. Witnessing those “a-ha” moments and breakthroughs. The close relationships you build with your fellow teachers. Walking away from all of that can feel like a loss.
But stepping into leadership doesn’t equal stepping away from impact. It expands it. The Wallace Foundation’s report, How Principals Affect Students and Schools, confirms this by saying that students learn “more substantially in both reading and math in schools with more effective principals.”
That impact comes not just from the decisions you make, but from the culture you shape, the tone you set in the hallways, the inclusion you champion in classrooms, and the way you make every student feel seen, not just the ones on your roster. As a principal, you’re still in relationship with students, but now you’re creating the environment where every student can thrive, and where every teacher feels supported to do their best work.
Yes, you might miss some of that one-on-one magic. But you’re also forging a different kind of impact, one rooted in the same purpose and belief that brought you into education in the first place.
Myth #5: Principals are able to control everything in a school
Truth: Principals have deep responsibility, but limited authority.
It’s easy to imagine a principal as the ultimate decision-maker. But in reality, the role is far more nuanced and far less autonomous than many people assume.
One principal explains it this way: “We have this ability to lead our buildings, but of course that has to be balanced with what the expectations are of the division at large, while also being mindful of what the community and parents expect from us.” School leaders sit at the center of multiple systems: district mandates, state policies, local board decisions, staff capacity, and community needs. Authority isn’t unilateral, it’s shared.
That’s not to say you’re powerless. But the power you wield isn’t in top-down command. It’s in your relationships, your ability to build trust, and your stakeholders to move the work forward, even when control isn’t on the table.
The real story of school leadership
If these myths have ever made you second-guess your leadership potential, you’re not alone. But the principalship isn’t about fitting a mold. It’s about showing up with purpose, learning in real time, and leading with the strengths you already carry.
Ready to take the next step? The New Leaders National Aspiring Principals Fellowship offers job-embedded coaching, real-world practice, and a supportive peer networ so you can grow into the kind of leader your school needs most.
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