We’ve all heard the advice: new year, new you.
As we approach 2026, lots of people would have you believe that the changing of the calendar requires great changes in your behaviors to improve your life.
As educators, it’s much harder to return to school in January, and make sweeping changes in how and why you do things. Part of the reason is our calendar year. Most of the wholesale changes came in August or September at the beginning of the school year. The other reason is that routines and procedures have been in place for many months. Even if you try to present a brand new you, students may revert to what has already been learned, processed, and repeated in the first 80-100 days of school.
For school leaders, it might be an opportunity for a different mantra: new year, new glue.
Some of the glue (the systems, routines, and procedures) that you put in place back in August might have dried out, or may be a little brittle at this point in the year. Teachers are tired. Students are rambunctious. And, as the school leader, you are exhausted. The glue won’t hold simply by your energy alone.
You need systems.
Standard communication loops.
Decision making frameworks.
Delegated and automated routines.
When your glue is built upon solid systems, you have the ability as the school leader to focus on vision and relationships without putting things back together all day.
So this year, let’s avoid new year, new you. If it’s you who is the only thing holding your school together, you’re just stuck.
Get unstuck.
Build systems that automate.
Build systems that delegate.
Build systems that endure.
New year, new you glue.
Rich
Start building the glue today. Pick up a copy of Autopilot: Practical Productivity for School Leaders to build systems and become more productive in your school or district.
