Top 10 Ways to Prepare a New School Administrators for Success
- One of the biggest mistakes I made as a school leader was assuming talented administrators knew how to build their own success plan.
I thought:
"They're smart."
"They have experience."
"They'll figure it out."
Sometimes they did.
Often they struggled unnecessarily.
What I've learned is this:
The first 90 days belong to the supervisor.
Your job isn't just to hire great people.
Your job is to create the conditions for their success.
Here are ten ways to do that.
1. Build the First 90-Day Plan for Them
Don't tell a new administrator to create a transition plan.
Create one together.
Outline:
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Key relationships
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Critical meetings
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Learning priorities
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Early wins
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Major responsibilities
The first 90 days should be intentionally designed.
2. Clarify Success Before Day One
Most administrators are hired with a job description.
Few are given a definition of success.
Answer:
What does success look like at 30, 60, and 90 days?
3. Introduce Them to Key Relationships
Schools run on relationships.
Create intentional meetings with:
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Leadership team
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Department leaders
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Key teachers
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Parent leaders
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Board members (if appropriate)
Relationships accelerate trust.
4. Give Them a Listening Tour
The first month should be focused on learning.
Provide questions such as:
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What's working?
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What's not?
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What should never change?
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What needs immediate attention?
Listening builds credibility.
5. Explain the Unwritten Rules
Every school has a culture.
Some expectations aren't in any handbook.
Help new leaders understand:
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Communication norms
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Decision-making processes
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Historical sensitivities
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Community expectations
6. Identify the Landmines
Every organization has challenges.
Don't let your new administrator discover them accidentally.
Discuss:
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Sensitive personnel situations
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Community concerns
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Ongoing initiatives
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Potential conflicts
Preparation prevents surprises.
7. Schedule Weekly Coaching Meetings
Do not wait until evaluations.
Meet weekly.
Ask:
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What's going well?
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What's challenging?
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What support do you need?
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What are you learning?
Coaching accelerates growth.
8. Define Decision-Making Authority
Nothing frustrates new leaders more than uncertainty.
Clarify:
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What they can decide
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What requires consultation
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What requires approval
Empowerment begins with clarity.
9. Create Early Wins
Confidence matters.
Identify projects where they can experience success quickly.
Early wins build momentum and trust.
10. Develop the Leader, Not Just the Position
Most onboarding focuses on tasks.
Great onboarding focuses on leadership.
Help them grow in:
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Communication
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Delegation
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Feedback
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Prioritization
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Team development
You're not simply filling a role.
You're developing a future leader.
Final Thought
Looking back, I realize that many onboarding failures weren't hiring mistakes.
They were leadership mistakes.
I assumed people knew what success looked like.
I assumed they knew how to navigate the culture.
I assumed they could build their own roadmap.
Today I believe something different:
The first 90 days belong to the supervisor.
The better the onboarding, the greater the probability of long-term success.
Don't Just Read This—Implement It
Reading about onboarding won't improve your leadership.
Implementation will.
One of the biggest mistakes I made as a leader was assuming talented administrators could create their own roadmap for success.
Today, I use AI to help leaders accelerate planning, identify blind spots, and create customized onboarding experiences. Want the AI prompt I use to create customized 90-day onboarding plans for new school leaders?
Download the New Administrator Success Blueprint by filling out the form below.
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