The mental aspect of school leadership plays an important role in the success of high school principals, according to Ernie Mendes, a former teacher and psychotherapist. That’s the message he delivered in his Assembly session, “Effective Mindsets for Resilient Leadership.”

Principals need to understand who they are and that what they do makes a difference. Their values have to align pretty closely with what they are supposed to represent as a leader. “That’s important when you are going through the hard times and you ask yourself, ‘Why am I even doing this?’’

School leaders have to have a “sense of knowing themselves.” They have to be aware of their strengths, gaps, emotional state and stress level, and they have to manage all of them effectively to be a successful leader.

Principals also should have “healthy rules for success that are realistic,” Mendes told the group. Expectations can be high, but rules for success must be achievable. They allow a leader to know that he or she accomplished something today, this week, or this month, he said.

Mendes also focused on emotions, cautioning principals that “emotions matter.” He pointed out that emotions “leak,” and we aren’t as good at hiding our emotions as we think we are. “They come out in how we speak and in our gestures,” and can impact actions and conversations with others.

Mendes can be contacted at [email protected].