Coming soon · Book Profile
What Great Principals Do Differently Twenty Things That Matter Most Third Edition
An internationally bestselling guide distilling the twenty attitudes and daily behaviors that distinguish the most effective school principals from their less effective peers.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
Drawing on years of research studies comparing effective and ineffective principals, decades of consulting in schools, and his own experience as a principal, Todd Whitaker argues that what separates great school leaders is not what they know but what they do—every day. Through vivid stories, memorable metaphors (the ice cream truck, Aunt Sally at the dinner table, the highway patrol), and practical exercises, the book identifies twenty load-bearing principles: focus on people not programs, take responsibility as the variable, treat everyone with respect, be the emotional filter for the school, teach rather than tell, hire and retain talent, base every decision on the best teachers, make it cool to care, and understand that leadership is a consistent daily practice rather than a one-time event. Perfect for new and veteran principals alike, it offers a timeless, re-readable road map for shaping school climate and culture and doing what matters most for students.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A school principal (new or veteran) who wants to be an effective, respected leader who genuinely improves their school and the lives of students and teachers.
- The problem
- Rising demands, mandates, testing pressure, teacher shortages, and negative or ineffective staff make it hard to actually improve the school. The principalship is lonely and often swamped in negativity; leaders doubt whether they are doing things right and how they are perceived.
- The plan
- Focus on people, not programs, and accept that you are the variable responsible for the school.
- Develop an accurate sense of self and treat everyone with respect while filtering the school's tone positively.
- Improve teachers by teaching and modeling, and hire, recruit, and retain the very best talent.
- Base every decision on your best teachers, understand high achievers, and address negative or ineffective staff.
- Set clear expectations at the start of the year and lead consistently—every day—to shape climate and culture.
- The payoff
- A school where it is cool to care and everyone is treated with respect and dignity. · Great teachers are attracted, retained, and empowered, and the school becomes more like its best people. · The leader has clarity, confidence, and accurate self-perception, and consistently shapes a positive climate and culture.
See our guide
Additional reading
- Leadership on the Line · R. Heifetz & M. Linsky
The book heavily draws on Heifetz's distinction between 'technical' problems (with known solutions) and 'adaptive' challenges (requiring new learning), which defines the core work of leading in a culture of change.
- Organizational Culture and Leadership · E. Schein
Schein's formal definition of culture as a group's learned response to problems is used as the foundational concept, framing the book's central argument that changing this embedded culture is the leader's primary task.
- Turning the Flywheel: A Monograph to Accompany Good to Great · J. Collins
The 'flywheel' concept is a key metaphor used to explain how the book's five leadership components work together to create compounding, accelerating momentum for change.
- Six Simple Rules: How to Manage Complexity Without Getting Complicated · Y. Morieux & P. Tollman
Their research on the 'Complexity Index' is cited to diagnose the problem of organizational 'complicatedness,' which the book's principle of 'coherence making' is designed to solve.
- Where Teachers Thrive: Organizing Schools for Success · S. M. Johnson
Johnson's deep research on successful school cultures provides specific, empirical evidence for the book's claims about the power of collaborative professionalism and hiring for cultural fit.
- How to get your school moving and improving · S. Dinham (2008)
Provides practical guidance for school leaders on implementing school-wide improvement, which aligns with the book's call for collective responsibility.
- Leaders of learning: How district, school, and classroom leaders improve student achievement · R. DuFour & R.J. Marzano (2011)
Focuses on the role of leadership in creating a culture of learning and using evidence to improve student outcomes, a key theme of the book.
- Evidence based teaching: A practical approach · G. Petty (2009a)
Offers another perspective on using research evidence to inform practical classroom teaching, complementing Hattie's meta-analysis approach.
- Student-centred leadership · V.M.J. Robinson (2011)
Explores the specific leadership practices that have the highest impact on student outcomes, reinforcing the book's emphasis on instructional/learning leadership.
- The inspired teacher: How to know one, grow one, or be one · C.F. Steele (2009)
Expands on the book's themes of passion and inspiration in teaching, providing a model for teacher development.