Are you in a leadership position at your school? You are probably swamped, particularly at this time of year, with responsibilities, obligations, supervision and content planning. So without painfully adding one more thing to your list, I encourage you to stop every now and then to reflect on your leadership.

Here are some questions you could use as prompts either for yourself or for your leadership team.

Community

• How many children, parents and teachers did I greet before school started today?

• Do I know and do the local shopkeepers know me?

• Do staff and parents know what I feel strongly about in matters of curriculum or school organisation?

• What is the first impact of the school on visitors?

• Do I really know what impression is given to people who call the school by telephone?

School

• What do I see as the major priority for my school next term? next year?

• What exactly do I do to make staff and students feel proud of their work?

• How often did I go into a classroom last week and work with children?

• What changes have I made in my school since beginning my role?

Organisation 

• Do I keep my desk reasonably clear of accumulated work and other clutter?

• Is my days schedule and activities firmly in my mind when I arrive at school?

• Have I tackled today’s tasks in the most appropriate prioritised sequence?

• Have I spent time today doing things that would have been better delegated?

• What aspect of my current position consumes most of my life?

Staff

• Are my staff kept fully informed on matters affecting them? How?

• Can I say ‘no’ to a teacher without arousing anger in him/her?

• What steps am I taking to ensure that the staff feel that I am interested in their professional development, advancement and personal welfare?

• Do I periodically let my staff know how they are doing, where they excel, where improvements can be made?

• Who is the weakest teacher on the staff? What have I done lately to help him/her improve?

• What activities do I rely on to keep staff morale high?

• Do I actively seek to gain new ideas from staff? How?

Self Reflection

• What is my personal philosophy of education?

• What are my three main strengths as a school leader?

• Which part of my job do I least like and is there anything I can do about it?

• Where do I plan to be in five years time? Ten years from now? What am I doing to achieve this goal?

• What do I like most about being a school leader?

• What has been the most satisfying incident to date in my career as a school leader?

Personal Development 

• What do I do to keep abreast of what’s happening in education today?

• What are the last three books I have read on education?

• What are the six most important personal qualities I should possess as a school leader?

• What are the six most important professional qualities I should possess as a school leader?

• Can I name the book or concept that has most influences me most in my professional career?

• Specifically, what am I doing to prepare myself for my next career step?

• What is the most exciting thing going on today in the field of education?

• Have I attended an updating course, workshop or seminar within the last six months?

Great leaders will reflect on their leadership they offer and strive for excellence within their role. What questions do you regularly ask yourself as a school leader? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.