Finding Focus in the Middle of the Mess

Do you ever get home at the end of the day and think, I was busy all day, but I’m not sure I actually did anything that mattered?

That’s school leadership sometimes.

You walk in ready to work on something important, and before you even sit down, your day has taken a completely different direction. A parent drops in unannounced. A student gets sent to the office. A staff member needs to vent. You’re pulled in every direction—and somewhere in the middle of all of it, your purpose takes a back seat.

It’s messy. But you’re not doing anything wrong.

This blog isn’t about fixing everything. It’s about finding a little clarity in the middle of the noise. Because when things get overwhelming, we don’t need a brand-new strategy—we just need to come back to what matters.

Here are five reminders that have helped me find focus when everything feels like too much.

1. Know what matters right now

Not everything is urgent. But it sure feels like it, sometimes, doesn’t it?

In school leadership, every issue is someone’s top priority. That doesn’t mean it needs to be yours. And if you’re not careful, you’ll spend your day bouncing from one thing to the next, solving problems but never actually leading.

This is where having a focus helps. What are the top two or three things you want to be true about your school in the next 30–60 days? Maybe it’s strengthening your culture. Maybe it’s supporting a few key teachers. Maybe it’s getting your systems tighter.

Pick your focus—and come back to it every week. Use it when planning meetings, setting your schedule, or deciding what to delegate.

It doesn’t mean you ignore everything else. It just means you stop letting other people’s urgency become your distraction.

2. Your story matters more than you think

The longer you're in leadership, the easier it is to feel like you have to keep a wall up. You don’t want to share too much. You want to stay professional. I get that. You want to act like you have it all together and have all of the answers.

But here’s the truth: your story is one of the best leadership tools you have.

Not the polished parts—the real ones. Why you got into education. What kind of teacher you were. The moments that stretched you. The mistakes that shaped you.

You don’t have to have a dramatic story. You just have to be honest. And when you lead from that place, people feel it.

Start small. Mention a time you struggled with something your teachers are facing now. Share how you used to approach discipline and what changed. Be open about how your values were formed.

When your team sees that you’re not just leading from a handbook, but from experience and growth—they follow more closely. They trust more deeply.

3. Be clear—even if it’s not perfect

Ever seen a staff completely shut down during a new initiative rollout? Half the time, it’s not the plan they’re reacting to—it’s the lack of explanation.

When people don’t understand the why, they fill in the blanks themselves. And it rarely goes well.

You don’t need a long speech or a fancy PowerPoint. Just be honest.

“This is why we’re making this shift. It ties into where we’re headed as a school. And I know it may feel like a lot, so let’s figure it out together.”

That kind of clarity builds trust. And trust builds momentum.

Even when people don’t love a change, they’ll give you grace if they understand how it connects to a shared goal.

So before you roll something out, ask yourself:

• Have I explained the why?

• Have I shown how it connects to what we value?

• Have I invited their voice, even if the plan is already set?

That’s how you lead with people, not just over them.

4. The culture shows up in the small stuff

Big themes and mission statements are great. But your culture is built in how people are treated in the hallway, how conflict gets handled, and what gets ignored or addressed.

People are watching what you do way more than what you say. So if you want a kind staff culture, model kindness. If you want consistency, be consistent. Little things count more than we realize.

If you say that community or kindness is one of your school’s values, are you living that in how you lead meetings? Are you showing up with consistency?

And here’s the hard truth: if we say one thing and do another, people notice. Culture isn’t built on what we say. It’s built on what we do.

Start small. Pick one value and look for it in action. When you see it? Say it out loud. Tell the story. Celebrate it.

That’s how values stick.

5. You don’t need to start over—you just need to come back

Sometimes, leadership feels off. You’re showing up, but your energy’s low. You’re working hard, but your heart’s not in it.

That doesn’t mean you’re burned out. It might just mean you’re disconnected from your purpose.

This is the point where many leaders feel like they need to do a big reset. Change everything. Start over.

You don’t. You just need to come back to your why.

Ask yourself:

• What kind of leader do I want to be today or this week?

• Where do I feel stretched thin—and what do I need to say no to?

• What really matters to me right now, even if no one else sees it?

Purpose is what you return to over and over again, especially when things are messy.

Finding focus in the middle of the mess won’t come from a new plan—it comes from remembering what still matters and leading from there.

And the good news? You don’t need to wait until next month, next break, or next year. You can start again this week. Right where you are.