29 Years in the Classroom and the Corner Office. Now I'm In Your Corner.

As a principal you have a distinct position. You are the only one in your building taking this on. Depending on your district you may or may not have trusted confidants in job alikes. In fact my best professional friends are those who shared the job and the same bosses as me.

That's the job. You're too senior for the lounge, too junior for the superintendent's inner circle, and too "the boss" for anyone on your own campus to complain to honestly. So people stop calling. Not because they don't like you — because there's nowhere structurally safe to land. The loneliness isn't a personality problem or a sign you need to be more approachable. It's what happens when a role has no peer built into its daily schedule.

Fix it with a standing appointment, not a hope. Pick one other site leader — a former colleague, someone from your cohort, whoever — and put a recurring 10-minute call on both calendars, every other week, no agenda required. Treat it like a board meeting: it doesn't get bumped for a fire drill. If you don't already have that person, ask your last three PD sessions who felt like they got it, and send the text today.

You don't need more resilience. You need one recurring appointment that isn't about anyone but you.

Leading with Logic

Let me be that person.