By Andre J. Wicks, Founder and CEO of Everyday Principal, author of What Is Standing in the Way, Consultant and Leadership Coach, and Principal of Carla O. Peperzak Middle School.
Effective school leadership hinges on finding the right balance between compassion and accountability. A principal who is both supportive and holds staff and students to high standards creates an environment where well-being and performance thrive. Compassion fosters relationships and trust, while accountability ensures that excellence is achieved and maintained. When balanced, these two leadership qualities promote a school culture where every individual is valued, motivated, and capable of performing at their best.
Compassion in Leadership: A Necessity for Connection
Compassionate leadership means understanding the experiences, challenges, and emotional needs of staff and students. It’s more than just being kind—it involves empathy, active listening, and taking steps to support the well-being of the school community. When leaders show compassion, they strengthen relationships, build trust, and encourage open communication.
Research shows that leaders with high emotional intelligence (EI) are more successful in fostering trust. Boyatzis, Smith, and Blaize (2006) found that leaders who demonstrate empathy and compassion create environments where team members feel valued. This is particularly relevant in schools, where the emotional demands of teaching can lead to burnout if not properly addressed. Compassionate leadership allows teachers to feel supported, reducing burnout and turnover, and creating a positive climate that encourages engagement and job satisfaction.
Accountability: The Cornerstone of High Performance
Accountability is essential for maintaining high standards. It ensures that individuals take responsibility for their work and that performance expectations are met. School leaders who set clear expectations and hold staff accountable for their roles create a structured and organized environment where goals can be achieved.
According to Kouzes and Posner (2017), accountability is central to building an effective organization. In a school, it means ensuring that teachers deliver quality instruction, students meet academic and behavioral standards, and support staff fulfill their roles efficiently. Accountability, however, should not be confused with punishment. It involves providing clear guidance, regular feedback, and opportunities for growth and improvement.
The "Pygmalion Effect," a term from the research of Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968), underscores the impact of high expectations. Leaders who hold their staff and students to high standards, while offering the resources needed to succeed, can foster an environment where achievement is the norm. Accountability is about ensuring that individuals strive for excellence and feel motivated to reach their full potential.
Case Study: Dr. Akil E. Ross Sr. – A Masterclass in Compassion and Accountability
Dr. Akil E. Ross Sr., the 2018 National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) Principal of the Year, is an example of a leader who strikes the perfect balance between compassion and accountability. As the principal of Chapin High School in South Carolina, Dr. Ross transformed the school into a high-achieving institution by fostering a culture that prioritized both emotional well-being and academic rigor.
Dr. Ross believed that compassion was foundational to building trust and engagement among his staff. He made a point to understand each teacher’s personal and professional needs, often taking time to check in with his team one-on-one. His empathetic approach created a sense of community at the school, where teachers felt supported and empowered to share their ideas and challenges.
However, Dr. Ross also emphasized accountability. He set clear expectations for both staff and students and used data-driven performance evaluations to measure progress and address areas of improvement. His leadership demonstrated that compassion and accountability are not mutually exclusive. Under his guidance, Chapin High School consistently performed above state and national averages, and the school became known for its high academic standards and positive school culture.
Balancing Compassion and Accountability for School Success
The key to successful school leadership lies in balancing compassion and accountability. Leaning too far toward compassion can lead to underperformance, while focusing solely on accountability can result in a lack of trust and engagement. When these two qualities are balanced, leaders foster a culture of trust, respect, and high performance.
Fostering Trust and Respect
Compassion and accountability together build a culture of trust and respect. Staff and students who feel supported emotionally, but also understand the importance of meeting expectations, are more likely to trust their leaders. Research by Covey (2006) highlights that trust is essential to effective leadership, and it leads to greater confidence and willingness to take risks. When leaders balance compassion with accountability, they cultivate a school community that trusts in the processes and systems in place, allowing innovation and creativity to flourish.
Boosting Morale and Engagement
Teachers who work in environments where compassion and accountability are balanced feel more motivated and engaged. A Gallup study (2016) found that employees who believe their manager cares about them as individuals are more engaged in their work. This engagement leads to greater productivity, creativity, and a deeper commitment to the school’s goals. For school leaders, ensuring that teachers feel both supported and challenged is essential to keeping them energized and focused.
Enhancing Overall School Performance
When accountability and compassion are combined, schools tend to experience higher performance levels. Compassion alone might make staff and students feel comfortable, but accountability ensures that comfort doesn’t translate into complacency. Leaders who set clear, high expectations and also provide the support needed to meet those expectations inspire high performance.
Bass and Riggio (2006) found that transformational leaders, those who focus on both the emotional needs of their followers and the achievement of organizational goals, are more likely to inspire strong performance. In education, this translates to principals who encourage both empathy and excellence, which leads to success for students and staff alike.
Case Study: Dr. Beth Houf – A Champion of Compassionate Accountability
Dr. Beth Houf, the 2022 NASSP National Principal of the Year, serves as another powerful example of balancing compassion and accountability. As the principal of Fulton Middle School in Missouri, Dr. Houf created a positive school environment by making compassion a core value of her leadership while holding her staff and students to high standards of performance.
Dr. Houf built relationships with her teachers through regular, informal check-ins and by fostering a collaborative culture. She created an open-door policy, ensuring that teachers felt comfortable discussing challenges or concerns without fear of judgment. This approach allowed Dr. Houf to stay attuned to her staff’s needs and provide timely support.
At the same time, Dr. Houf held her team accountable for delivering high-quality instruction and meeting the school’s academic and behavioral goals. She was transparent about her expectations and used data to drive decisions and measure progress. By balancing her compassionate leadership style with clear expectations, Dr. Houf led Fulton Middle School to significant academic improvement, earning a reputation as a school where both students and staff thrived.
Practical Strategies for School Leaders
1. Develop a Deep Understanding of Your Team
To balance compassion and accountability, leaders must understand the individual strengths, challenges, and needs of their team members. Regular one-on-one meetings and informal check-ins help leaders build stronger relationships with their staff and provide tailored support where needed.
Understanding each individual’s unique capabilities allows for realistic expectations to be set, ensuring that accountability is both fair and effective.
2. Set Clear Expectations and Follow Through
School leaders must establish clear, attainable expectations for their staff and students. Setting clear performance goals and following through with regular evaluations and feedback creates a culture of accountability. Leaders must also ensure that staff members have the resources and professional development opportunities necessary to meet these expectations.
3. Provide Constructive Feedback
Giving feedback can be challenging, but it is essential for balancing compassion and accountability. Feedback should be framed as an opportunity for growth rather than a criticism of failure. Constructive feedback, paired with guidance and support, allows individuals to improve while maintaining high standards.
4. Promote Mutual Respect
A balanced leadership approach fosters a culture of mutual respect. When staff members feel supported and understand that they are held accountable in a fair and compassionate way, they are more likely to respect their leaders and colleagues. Mutual respect strengthens the overall school community and improves performance.
Conclusion
Balancing compassion and accountability are essential for effective school leadership. Compassion builds trust and promotes well-being, while accountability ensures that high standards are met and maintained. Leaders like Dr. Akil E. Ross and Dr. Beth Houf exemplify the power of this balance, showing that compassionate accountability can drive school success.
By fostering trust, promoting engagement, and encouraging high performance, school leaders can create environments where both staff and students feel supported and motivated to achieve their best.
References
Bass, B. M., & Riggio, R. E. (2006). Transformational Leadership. Psychology Press.
Boyatzis, R. E., Smith, M. L., & Blaize, N. (2006). Developing sustainable leaders through coaching and compassion. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 5(1), 8-24.
Covey, S. M. R. (2006). The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything. Free Press.
Gallup. (2016). State of the American Manager: Analytics and Advice for Leaders. Gallup Press.
Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2017). The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations. John Wiley & Sons.
Rosenthal, R., & Jacobson, L. (1968). Pygmalion in the Classroom. Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
A tough balance indeed. And one I wrestle with as a high school principal. Great article. I think about our action related to PLC's this year. Each is tasked with developing a student goal that is measurable and time-bound. And the goal should be aspirational, knowing some number of kids will fall short of reaching the goal. BUT the key there is what are we doing for them to reach it? What's the extra action? That's where HS teachers often struggle AND the students might say their teachers do not care or are not compassionate because students are not getting extra attention when needed. We will see how this plays out.