Creating a Culture That Thrives: Your First 100 Days

Here you are. The new principal. The leader of a school with its own rhythms, stories, and scars. The question isn’t whether you’ll shape the culture. You already are. The real question is: will you shape it on purpose?

Culture is the current beneath the surface. It carries people forward—or pulls them apart. It’s not on the mission statement hanging in the foyer; it’s in the conversations happening in the staff room, the hallways, and the pickup lines. If you’re not intentional about it, the status quo will be happy to run the show.

First things first: Build trust. Not by grand speeches or sweeping changes. By showing up. By listening. By paying attention to the little things—the peeling paint on the handball court, the unspoken frustrations of a long-serving teacher, the pride in a parent’s voice when they talk about the school fete. Trust isn’t a transaction. It’s a practice.

In those first 30 days, you’re not solving problems. You’re gathering clues. What’s valued here? What’s overlooked? Trust is built when you notice, when you care, when you do something small—but meaningful.

Then, define the direction. What’s the story this school wants to tell? Not the safe, polished one. The real one. The one people will feel in their gut. Co-create a vision that matters. Not for the brochure but for the people who show up every day. And don’t forget the non-negotiables. What are the lines we will never cross, the values we’ll always fight for?

Finally, embed the change. Culture doesn’t live in slogans; it lives in systems. What you praise, what you reward, what you ignore. Empower others to lead, to take ownership, to make the vision theirs. And when someone lives out the values, shout it from the rooftops. What gets celebrated gets repeated.

But beware...

• Move too fast, and you’ll trip.
• Ignore resistance, and it will grow in the shadows.
• Overcommit and you’ll burn out before the real work begins.
• Settle for “good enough,” and that’s exactly what you’ll get.

A thriving culture isn’t about perfection. It’s about momentum. One intentional step after another. By Day 100, you’ll have built more than trust, more than a vision—you’ll have built belief. The belief is that this school can be better than ever. Belief that together, you can make it happen.

Your school is waiting. Will you step into the opportunity?

To keep reading this article on building a thriving culture, check my blog for insightful posts about strategy, leadership, culture, and other school-critical topics.