If you’re leading a school today, you’re probably living in two worlds at once. You’re listening closely to teachers, hearing their exhaustion, their ideas, their very real needs. And then you’re meeting with district leadership navigating mandates, initiatives, timelines, and platforms that often come faster than anyone can implement.
We hear this from school leaders everywhere:
“I’m stuck in the middle. And no matter what I do, someone is unhappy.”
You’re not wrong. And you’re not alone.
The Leadership Squeeze
Districts are planning big-picture strategy, studying compliance issues, state requirements, and budget realities. Teachers are managing the daily heartbeat of the school in the form of student needs, instruction, behavior, parent communication.
And right in the middle stands the principal, trying to translate one world to the other.
It looks like:
- Teachers asking for time, clarity, and actual support.
- District offices pushing out new tools, data expectations, and initiatives.
- Principals trying to honor both truths without burning out their staff or themselves.
This squeeze is real. It’s heavy. And it often goes unspoken because principals feel like they’re supposed to “just make it work.”
Why This Tension Matters
When principals are stretched thin between competing demands, the whole system feels it:
- Teachers feel unheard.
- District leaders feel misunderstood.
- Principals feel like they’re constantly choosing which side to disappoint.
We believe the middle shouldn’t be a pressure point. It should be a bridge.
Here’s how we can start building that bridge.
Solutions: What Principals Can Do to Lead From The Middle
1. Translate, Don’t Just Deliver
A principal’s job isn’t to pass down mandates. It’s to make sense of them. When leaders take time to explain the why, the purpose, and the real impact on instruction, teachers feel more grounded and less overwhelmed.
2. Bring Teacher Voice Upstream
One of the greatest leadership moves you can make is ensuring teacher feedback reaches the district before decisions are finalized.
Try:
- A rotating teacher advisory council
- Quick two-minute surveys
- Small pilot groups before full implementation
When teachers help shape the work, they’re more likely to support it.
3. Advocate with Courage and Clarity
Districts need principals who speak candidly about what’s realistic and what isn’t. Leadership isn’t just implementation. It’s advocating for the conditions your staff need to thrive.
Saying “this is too much at once” is not defiance. It’s responsible leadership.
4. Protect Teacher Time like a Core Value
Every minute you give back to a teacher is a minute invested in students.
Simplify meetings. Cut outdated tasks. Streamline processes. Make it easier for teachers to do what they do best.
5. Bridge the Narrative
Principals are the only role that truly sees both realities. Use that vantage point to build understanding:
- Share teacher successes at district meetings.
- Share district challenges with staff honestly and respectfully.
- Create empathy both ways.
Schools are healthier when everyone understands each other’s story.
A Final Word
Principals aren’t just stuck in the middle. They are the middle. You are the connectors, the storytellers, the protectors of culture, and the advocates who help shape what teaching and learning look like every day.
And while that tension can feel isolating, remember this:
The middle is also where leadership matters most.
The Principal’s Desk, Assistant Principal’s Desk, and The School Counselor’s Desk was founded by Dr. David Franklin. Dr. Franklin is an award winning school administrator, education professor, curriculum designer, published author and presenter at national and international education conferences. He is also the co-author of “Can Every School Succeed” and the #1 Amazon Best Seller in Education Administration: “Advice From The Principal’s Desk”.
THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK 