In recent years, the role of the school superintendent has evolved significantly. Today, many superintendents operate not only as Chief Educational Officer (CEO) but also in a capacity similar to Chief Executive Officer in the business world. As the heads of some of the largest organizations in their communities, superintendents are tasked with managing multi-million-dollar budgets, overseeing large teams of educators and staff, and ensuring the academic success of students. While we often hesitate to draw parallels between education and business, it’s becoming increasingly evident that the most effective superintendents think and lead much like the CEOs of major companies, blending educational expertise with strategic business acumen. It is also important for them to speak the language of the business world when dealing with them too, but that is another article that will be forthcoming.
Through conversations on my podcast, Lattes and Leaders, with several exceptional superintendents from across the country, I’ve observed a common thread: the best superintendents share many of the same traits that make for outstanding CEOs, particularly when it comes to leadership qualities that drive team success. These leaders think like CEOs—not just managing operations but focusing on the long-term vision, aligning goals, and making decisions that impact entire districts. While traditional IQ certainly plays a role in their success, it is their relational intelligence—the ability to build trust, maximize team strengths, and develop strong relationships—that truly sets them apart. These superintendents understand that leadership is about much more than overseeing operations; it’s about creating a culture of collaboration and trust that empowers everyone within the district to work toward common goals.
From building strong teams to fostering trust and maximizing the strengths of staff, we’ll examine how effective superintendents combine visionary leadership with relational intelligence to drive their districts forward.
Visionary Leadership: Leading with Purpose
One of the most critical traits that superintendents and CEOs share is visionary leadership. In both education and business, leaders must not only manage day-to-day operations but also chart a course for the future. Superintendents, like CEOs, are responsible for setting the direction of their school districts and ensuring that every stakeholder understands and aligns with that vision.
Successful superintendents have a clear, long-term vision for the district’s future—one that prioritizes student achievement, equity, and growth. They are forward-thinking, anticipating trends and changes that may impact the educational landscape, and they use this insight to adapt their strategies accordingly. Whether it’s implementing new technologies in the classroom, fostering inclusive education practices, or addressing changing student demographics, visionary superintendents are always looking ahead and guiding their districts toward a better tomorrow.
These superintendents don’t only focus on their own vision—they work collaboratively with their teams to build a shared vision that everyone can rally behind. This approach helps to create a unified direction for the district, which is essential for fostering collective buy-in and alignment among teachers, staff, parents, and the community.
Practical Tip:
- Create Vision Sessions: Host bi-annual vision workshops with staff and community members to revisit and refine the district’s vision, ensuring it stays relevant and inspires collective buy-in.
- Celebrate Milestones: Regularly share progress updates on long-term goals using newsletters, social media, or town hall meetings to keep stakeholders informed and engaged.
Relational Intelligence: The Heart of Leadership
While traditional IQ and technical skills are important, relational intelligence truly sets exceptional superintendents apart. Relational intelligence—the ability to build trust, understand others, and foster meaningful connections—is the foundation of successful leadership. Superintendents who excel in this area create a culture of collaboration and trust, empowering everyone in the district to work toward shared goals.
Research consistently highlights the link between relational trust and organizational success, particularly in education. For example, a study published in Educational Administration Quarterly found that schools with higher levels of trust between leadership and staff demonstrated greater collaboration and academic achievement. Superintendents with strong relational intelligence create a culture of collaboration and empowerment. They listen to concerns, provide support, and demonstrate empathy in every interaction. This approach fosters an environment where staff feel valued and motivated, students feel supported, and parents feel included.
Instead of relying solely on a top-down approach, relational intelligent leaders prioritize shared leadership. By involving others in the decision-making processes, they cultivate a sense of ownership and alignment across the district.
Practical Tips:
- Building Trust: A superintendent who regularly visits schools, engages in informal conversations with staff, and acknowledges their contributions publicly builds trust organically. For instance, holding monthly “listening tours” allows leaders to gather insights directly from those they serve.
- Aspirational Conversations: These conversations are designed to show staff that they are valued by actively listening and seeking their input. By regularly engaging with key staff members, superintendents can demonstrate their support and commitment to continuous improvement. During these conversations, ask open-ended questions such as:
- “How can I help you?”
- “What do you see that we do well?”
- “What can we do better?”
This approach helps build trust, fosters a culture of collaboration, and ensures that staff feel heard, valued, and supported.
Building High-Performing Teams
One of the key elements of relational intelligence is understanding and leveraging the strengths of others. Great superintendents, much like great CEOs, know that they cannot do everything on their own. Success lies in maximizing the collective strengths of their teams—whether it’s the administrators, teachers, or support staff within the district.
Successful superintendents are skilled at recognizing the unique strengths of each team member and assigning roles that play to those strengths. By doing so, they empower their staff, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability that drives performance. Just as a CEO delegates authority based on the expertise of different departments, superintendents understand the importance of empowering their leadership teams and allowing them to take ownership of initiatives.
A key aspect of maximizing team strengths is also fostering a culture of collaboration. Superintendents with strong relational intelligence create an environment where people are encouraged to work together, share ideas, and solve problems as a team. They know that no single individual can address all the challenges a district faces. By facilitating teamwork and collaboration, these superintendents create a culture where innovation thrives, and solutions are often reached more quickly and effectively than if tackled alone.
Practical Tips:
- Strength Mapping: Use tools like StrengthsFinder to identify team members’ strengths and align tasks with their expertise.
- Peer Mentorship: Pair newer staff with experienced mentors to promote knowledge sharing and professional growth.
- Cross-Department Collaboration: Host quarterly brainstorming sessions with diverse teams to tackle district-wide challenges collectively.
Visible Leadership
One of the most important ways that the best superintendents build relational intelligence is through being present and visible in schools. These leaders understand that effective leadership is not just about managing from an office or a boardroom; it’s about being seen, interacting, and listening to the people they lead. Successful superintendents make it a priority to spend significant time in schools, engaging with teachers, staff, students, and parents.
This visibility sends a powerful message: the superintendent is invested in the day-to-day operations of the district, and they are committed to supporting schools directly. Whether it’s visiting classrooms, attending school events, or simply walking the hallways to interact with students and staff, these superintendents make themselves accessible and approachable. They don’t just stay behind closed doors—they roll up their sleeves, observe firsthand what is happening, and listen to those who know the district best.
Spending time in schools also allows superintendents to gain valuable insights into the challenges that teachers and students face on the ground. These leaders don’t just make decisions in a vacuum; they make informed decisions based on direct input from the people they lead. They understand the pulse of the district because they are there, engaging with staff and students and seeing the real-time impact of policies and initiatives.
The best superintendents also use their presence in schools as an opportunity to celebrate successes and show appreciation for the hard work of teachers, staff, and students. By recognizing achievements, big or small, they reinforce a culture of positivity and motivation that helps sustain momentum toward achieving the district’s goals.
Practical Tip:
- School Visits: Dedicate specific days each month to visiting schools, attending events, and interacting with staff and students.
- Celebrating Success: Highlight achievements during visits by posting shout-outs on social media or in district-wide communications.
Data-Driven Decision-Making
While relational intelligence and trust are at the heart of effective leadership, successful superintendents also know the value of data-driven decision-making. Much like a CEO who uses data to guide company strategy, superintendents leverage data to inform decisions about curriculum, resource distribution, and performance evaluation. But they understand that data is just one piece of the larger puzzle in the complex endeavor of educating children.
The most effective superintendents don’t treat data as the end-all, be-all. Instead, they view it as a valuable tool that, when combined with relational intelligence, can support more thoughtful and strategic decision-making. They know that data provides insights into trends, gaps, and opportunities, but that it must be interpreted through the lens of real-world context, including the nuances of each student’s experience and the broader dynamics at play in the district.
In practice, this means using student performance data to identify achievement gaps, but also recognizing the importance of relationship-building and emotional support in addressing these gaps. The best superintendents balance data with their understanding of the human element—the teacher-student relationships, school culture, and community support—that shapes educational success. They ensure that data is valid, age-appropriate, and used to create meaningful interventions, while also remembering that it cannot replace the human connections that truly drive student growth.
By combining data with strong relational leadership, superintendents can make informed decisions that empower educators, meet the needs of students, and foster an environment where both learning and relationships thrive. Ultimately, the most successful leaders see data as a tool to support their mission, not the mission itself.
Practical Tips:
- Contextualize the Data: Frame data within the context of district goals and student needs to ensure it’s viewed as part of a larger strategy, not just numbers.
- Empower Through Trust: Use the trust you’ve built with your team to encourage open, honest discussions about data, ensuring everyone feels included in the decision-making process.
Communication is About Connecting
Effective communication is an essential trait where the roles of CEOs and superintendents align. Just as CEOs must maintain open lines of communication with stakeholders in the business world, superintendents must engage in clear, consistent communication with a wide range of stakeholders: school boards, parents, teachers, staff, and the wider community. But for superintendents, the focus of communication is not just about the message—it’s about connection.
The most successful superintendents don’t just talk; they listen. They understand that communication isn’t a one-way street but a dialogue that requires active listening and understanding. These leaders prioritize feedback, ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard, and they respond with empathy and clarity. This relational approach helps foster a deeper connection with all stakeholders and ensures that people feel valued and understood.
Clear, honest communication fosters trust, which is the foundation of any successful leadership. When superintendents communicate openly, it helps break down barriers and build understanding, particularly when navigating challenges like implementing change or managing crises. When everyone—from teachers to parents—understands the district’s goals, they are more likely to be aligned with the vision and actively support it.
Moreover, by ensuring that communication is two-way, superintendents with high relational intelligence create a sense of shared ownership and investment. Teachers, staff, and community members don’t just hear the message—they feel heard. This strengthens relationships, builds trust, and creates more cohesive teams and communities, ultimately leading to a more collaborative and effective educational environment. For superintendents, communication is not just about delivering information; it’s about building connections that empower the entire district to work together toward common goals.
Practical Tips:
- Multichannel Updates: Use a mix of newsletters, video messages, and social media to keep stakeholders informed and involved.
- Active Listening Circuits: Host quarterly town halls or focus groups to solicit feedback and demonstrate responsiveness.
Crisis Management: Navigating Uncertainty with Empathy
A superintendent who has spent years building strong relationships with their staff will find that this foundation allows them to navigate crises with confidence and clarity. Trust capital—the credibility and confidence that a leader has earned over time through consistent actions and decisions—becomes a crucial asset in these moments. When a superintendent has invested in relationships, demonstrated empathy, and communicated transparently, their team trusts the leader’s judgment, even in difficult situations. This trust allows the leader to guide the team through crises effectively, with everyone feeling supported and aligned in the face of challenges.
In times of crisis, leadership isn’t just about making the right decisions—it’s about how those decisions are communicated and acted upon. Trust capital enables superintendents to make decisions that are not only informed but also aligned with the values of the team. This trust acts as a reservoir from which the leader can draw when tough decisions need to be made, ensuring that the team remains united in purpose and action.
For example, a superintendent might have to make difficult calls—like reallocating resources during a budget shortfall or managing community backlash in response to a controversial decision. If they’ve built trust with their staff over time, the team will not only support the decisions but will be willing to carry them out with dedication and commitment. They’ll understand that these choices are in service of the long-term vision, and they’ll trust their leader to navigate the storm with their best interests at heart.
Moreover, during crises, the leader’s ability to maintain transparency and provide consistent communication plays a huge role in how the team responds. Trust capital also means being open and honest, even when the news isn’t good. When a superintendent communicates with transparency—explaining both the challenges and the rationale behind decisions—the team feels more informed and, therefore, more connected to the leadership process. They trust that the superintendent is working in the best interest of both the students and the district.
In essence, the more trust capital a superintendent has built, the more their team will be willing to follow them through uncertainty, knowing that their leader has the skills, experience, and heart to guide them through any crisis.
Practical Tips:
- Add to the Calm, Not the Chaos: In moments of uncertainty, stay grounded and project calmness. Your clear communication and steady demeanor will help alleviate anxiety and instill confidence in your team.
- Transparent Communication: Be open about challenges and explain the rationale behind decisions. Regular updates will keep staff informed and connected to the leadership process.
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Conclusion
The evolving role of school superintendents mirrors the leadership practices of CEOs, blending strategic thinking with relational intelligence to drive success in education. I believe that relational intelligence will be the most valuable aspect of leadership moving forward, as it enables leaders to build trust, foster collaboration, and navigate the complexities of human dynamics within their teams. By prioritizing visionary leadership, fostering collaboration, and maximizing the strengths of their teams, effective superintendents build a strong, unified direction for their districts. They recognize that leadership extends beyond operations to creating a culture of trust, communication, and empowerment. By combining data-driven decision-making with empathy, superintendents guide their districts through challenges, ensuring long-term growth and achievement. Ultimately, the most successful superintendents understand that leadership is a continuous journey of nurturing relationships, fostering collaboration, and making thoughtful decisions for the future of their schools and communities.
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Further Reading: https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Your-Leadership-Edge-Johnson/dp/1032644079