by Dr. Michael Ford, Principal
Every school has a culture. The question is, does yours have the one you want — or the one that just happened? The difference often comes down to whether or not your core values are clearly defined, lived out daily, and used to guide decision-making.
Core values are not slogans for a wall or bullet points in a handbook. They are the deeply held beliefs that determine how people in your school treat each other, approach their work, and respond under pressure. Without them, schools drift. Programs come and go, policies shift, and the culture slowly becomes a reflection of personalities instead of principles.
Why Core Values Matter in Coaching
As a coach and leader, your role isn’t just to develop people’s skills — it’s to keep them anchored to what matters most. When you coach teachers or leadership teams through challenges, referring back to your shared core values provides clarity and unity. It helps remove emotion from tough conversations and ensures decisions are made with long-term health in mind, not just short-term convenience.
In my own leadership journey, I’ve seen how values-driven coaching changes the tone of the entire school. Staff know the “why” behind decisions. Students see consistency in how expectations are applied. And parents notice the alignment between what you say and what you do.
Practical Ways to Keep Core Values Alive
Name them clearly — no more than five, written in plain, memorable language.
Model them relentlessly — your actions are the loudest values statement you’ll ever make.
Weave them into coaching conversations — ask, “How does this choice align with our values?”
Celebrate when they’re lived out — public recognition reinforces what you want repeated.
Core values are your cultural compass. They don’t remove all the storms, but they ensure you’re never lost at sea. As a leader, use them to steer your coaching so that growth happens in the right direction.