There’s a phrase I hear often in schools — sometimes spoken out loud, sometimes implied in conversations about staffing and morale:
“We just don’t have the team this year.”
It’s usually said with frustration, and often with good intentions. Yet over time, I’ve come to believe this statement distracts us from a more important question: Have we built the right leadership structures to support the team we do have?
In education, we are blessed with talented, dedicated professionals who care deeply about students and one another. But talent alone does not guarantee a strong team. Teams are shaped — intentionally — by leadership. And one of the most overlooked leadership decisions in schools is how we select, support, and define coaching roles.
Teaching Excellence and Coaching Excellence Are Not the Same
In many schools, instructional coaches and teacher leaders are chosen because they are exceptional classroom teachers. This makes sense on the surface. They know instruction. They understand students. They’ve earned the respect of their peers.
But coaching adults requires a different set of skills.
Great teaching focuses on content, pedagogy, and classroom management. Great coaching focuses on relationships, influence, communication, and growth. Coaches must navigate difficult conversations, support colleagues through change, and lead peers without relying on authority.
When we assume one automatically leads to the other, we place both teachers and teams in difficult positions. Strong teachers are pulled from classrooms they thrive in. New coaches are given responsibility without preparation. And teams struggle not because they lack talent — but because leadership expectations were unclear.
Lessons From Professional Sports
Professional sports offer an important comparison. Many successful coaches in the NFL and NHL were never star players — or players at all. Their expertise comes from studying the game, understanding systems, analyzing performance, and, most importantly, developing people.
They don’t coach based on what they can do; they coach based on what others need to grow.
Schools, however, often do the opposite. We assume the best performer should become the coach. In doing so, we sometimes overlook individuals who possess the leadership qualities that coaching truly demands.
The Hidden Cost of “Cannibalizing From Within”
When we consistently pull our strongest teachers into coaching roles without intentional preparation, we unintentionally weaken two areas:
- The classroom, which loses a strong practitioner
- The coaching role, which may be filled by someone still learning how to lead adults
This is not a reflection of a teacher’s ability — it’s a reflection of a system that conflates excellence with leadership readiness. Leadership is not a reward. It is a responsibility.
The Nonnegotiables of Effective Coaching
If we want coaching to strengthen teams rather than strain them, we must be clear about what matters most. Effective coaches share several nonnegotiables:
- They build trust before pushing change.
- Teachers grow best in environments where they feel respected and supported.
- They lead through influence, not authority.
- Coaching peers requires credibility, consistency, and humility.
- They possess strong emotional intelligence.
- They recognize when resistance signals fear, burnout, or confusion — and they respond thoughtfully.
- They bring clarity to the work.
- Great coaches help teams understand the “why” behind expectations and initiatives.
- They develop capacity, not dependence.
The goal is to empower others to grow confident and capable, not reliant on one person. These qualities are not guaranteed by instructional expertise alone. They require intentional development and support.
Honoring Multiple Forms of Leadership
One of the most important shifts we can make as school leaders is broadening our definition of leadership. Not every strong teacher should become a coach. Not every leader needs a title. Some educators lead best from the classroom — mentoring one colleague, modeling excellence, or quietly shaping culture through daily interactions.
When we honor these forms of leadership, we stop treating coaching as the only pathway to influence. Instead, we create systems that value contribution, growth, and alignment with individual strengths.
A Call for Intentional Leadership
Strong teams are not accidental. They are built through thoughtful decisions, clear expectations, and ongoing support.
As principals, our role is not to simply fill positions — it is to build leadership capacity. That means:
- Selecting coaches based on leadership readiness, not just teaching performance
- Providing training and support for those asked to lead
- Protecting strong teachers who are best served remaining in the classroom
- Creating space for many kinds of leadership to flourish
When we do this well, the narrative shifts. No longer do we say, “We just don’t have the team this year.” Instead, we ask, “How can we better support and develop the team we already have?” That is where real growth begins — for teachers, for leaders, and ultimately, for students.