By Dr. Michael M. Ford
School culture is not a mission statement or a motivational poster—it’s the lived experience of students, teachers, and staff every day. And more often than not, that culture rises or falls on the quality of leadership.
Culture isn’t accidental. It’s shaped through actions, expectations, and relationships. Leaders set the tone not just with what they say, but with what they prioritize, how they respond to challenges, and how they treat the people they serve. And in today’s schools, that tone can either foster innovation or stifle it.
In my dissertation research, I examined schools where leadership played an active role in reshaping culture for the better. These were not environments where change was forced—they were spaces where innovation emerged naturally because people felt safe, supported, and inspired. It all began with leadership that was intentional, relational, and transparent.
In one standout example, a principal led with open-door policies—not as a gimmick, but as a guiding principle. Weekly staff check-ins, shared decision-making, and ongoing feedback loops were the norm. Teachers knew their input mattered, and students could feel the difference. Classrooms buzzed with energy, not fear. Mistakes were seen as part of learning, not career-ending missteps.
The connection between leadership and innovation is often underestimated. Innovation doesn’t thrive in rigid, top-down systems. It requires space, trust, and a willingness to challenge norms. That’s why school culture matters. When leaders model curiosity, vulnerability, and creative problem-solving, others follow suit.
Culture also determines how schools weather change. In environments where fear dominates, even minor shifts cause disruption. But in healthy cultures built on trust and collaboration, change becomes an opportunity—not a threat. The pandemic exposed this contrast in dramatic ways. Schools with toxic cultures fractured under pressure. Those with strong leadership and trust-based environments adapted, evolved, and emerged stronger.
The most effective leaders understand that culture is the soil in which everything grows—or withers. Innovation, equity, and achievement all depend on the health of that soil. If we want different results in education, we need to cultivate different cultures. And that starts with leadership.
So ask yourself: What does your presence create in your school? Are you planting fear, or possibility? Are you building walls, or pathways? Because every hallway conversation, every team meeting, every policy decision shapes your culture. And culture, in turn, determines what’s possible for your students.
Leadership isn’t just about outcomes. It’s about atmosphere. And when we get the culture right, everything else starts to grow.