Who Really Shapes a School’s Culture……Building or Leadership!

A Good Principal Doesn’t Try to Please Everyone; A Good Principal Makes the Right Decisions.

By Desk Editor Published on Sep 10, 2026

Junaid Abdul Qayum Shaikh

A school’s real identity is not defined by its building, furniture or facilities. Its true identity is reflected in the behaviour of its people, the level of trust within the team and the quality of its leadership. Running a school is easy. Building a strong school culture is the real challenge!

A school building, beautiful classrooms, good furniture, a well-designed curriculum, technology and modern facilities can be copied to some extent. But a strong, positive and value-based school culture is not so easy to copy. School culture is not created by a circular, rule, policy or meeting. It is built every day through people’s behaviour, decisions, habits, conversations and, most importantly, the way the school leadership works. How a principal responds when a teacher makes a mistake, how complaints from parents are handled, how the leadership stands with its team during difficult situations, and how it decides between what is right and wrong—all these things shape the atmosphere of the entire institution.

The real test of leadership begins when a mistake or problem appears. If a principal immediately reacts with anger, scolding or blame whenever a teacher makes a mistake, a dangerous culture can slowly develop. People stop trying to solve problems and start hiding them. Teachers become afraid to ask questions, begin to see complaints as a threat and may try to avoid responsibility. A wise leader, however, asks different questions: “Why did this happen? How can we prevent it from happening again? And what would be a better solution?” This approach can turn a culture of fear into a culture of learning.

But there is another extreme that can also harm an institution. Some principals listen carefully to teachers’ problems but do not take practical steps to solve them. On the surface, this may appear to be a very gentle and positive approach. But if every problem is simply heard and no decision is taken, school administration gradually becomes weak. Sometimes, when retirement is only a year or two away, a principal may prefer to avoid difficult decisions and maintain pleasant relationships with everyone. But a school does not simply need a leader who keeps everyone happy. It needs a leader who has the courage to make the right decision based on fairness, principles and the best interests of students, even when that decision may not please everyone.

Another serious problem arises when flattery is valued more than performance. If employees who avoid work, irresponsible individuals or rude students are tolerated simply because their parents are influential or have good relationships with the administration, hardworking teachers may gradually lose trust in the system. Similarly, if some parents make demands or suggest rules that can damage academic discipline, the principal’s responsibility is not to accept every demand. The decision should be based on students’ best interests, school principles and fairness.

There is an important difference that every school leader should understand: Listening to a complaint is good leadership, but automatically believing every complaint is not. A good principal listens to all sides, checks the facts, understands the situation and then makes an impartial decision. If a complaint is made against a teacher, deciding only on the basis of the complainant’s statement is not justice. At the same time, ignoring a teacher’s side simply because the other person is a parent or an influential individual is also unfair. The real standard of leadership is not relationships—it is justice and fairness.

A powerful idea from the famous book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” is the importance of being proactive. The same principle can be applied to schools. A strong team does not simply say, “There is a problem.” It also asks, “What could be a possible solution?” When a principal encourages teachers to ask questions, think independently and look for solutions, teachers stop being people who simply follow instructions. They become active problem-solvers who contribute to the development of the institution.

Similarly, the book “Leaders Eat Last” highlights the connection between leadership and trust. The same is true in a school. True leadership is not simply about holding a position. A principal who respects the team, guides teachers when they make mistakes, shares responsibility and stands with the staff during difficult times creates a sense of ownership among teachers. Then a teacher does not simply think, “This is the school’s problem.” Instead, the teacher begins to think, “This is my institution’s problem, and I should play my part in solving it.”

To understand a school’s culture, simply asking, “How do you like the environment of our school?” is not enough. The real answer can be seen in everyday behaviour. When a problem occurs, does a teacher bring only the problem, or also suggest a possible solution? Do people openly admit their mistakes, or try to hide them? Does the team take initiative, or wait for instructions for every small task? Are hardworking and irresponsible people held to the same standards of accountability? These behaviours are the school’s real report card.

Parents are important stakeholders in a school, but keeping parents happy and accepting every demand they make are two completely different things. Parents should always be heard respectfully, but decisions must ultimately be based on the child’s education, character development, discipline and the overall interests of the institution. If a student’s mistake is ignored simply because the parents might become upset, the damage is not limited to one teacher or one classroom. It can weaken the discipline of the entire school. Likewise, if a hardworking teacher is constantly pressured simply to avoid complaints, students ultimately suffer because the quality of education is affected.

There is one basic truth that every leader should remember: “Your team is a mirror of your habits.” If a principal gets angry at every problem, the team will start hiding problems. If the principal avoids making decisions and leaves everything to others, the team may also avoid responsibility. If flattery is rewarded more than performance, the value of hard work will gradually decline. But if the principal demonstrates fairness, trust, accountability, initiative and problem-solving through everyday actions, these values will slowly spread throughout the team.

A good principal does not merely run a school; a good principal creates an environment where teachers feel confident enough to bring problems forward instead of hiding them, learn from mistakes, students understand discipline, parents are heard respectfully, hard work is appreciated, and decisions are made in the best interests of students and the institution—not according to personal preferences or flattery.

In the end, a school’s real identity is not defined by its building, furniture or facilities. Its true identity is reflected in the behaviour of its people, the level of trust within the team and the quality of its leadership.

Running a school is easy. Building a strong school culture is the real challenge!

Author is a Solapur Columnist, Author and Educationist. He can be mailed at junaidsirsolapur@gmail.com