I remember walking onto a campus and watching a maintenance crew pour fresh cement for the new sidewalk in front of the playground. It was smooth and perfect. …And then the next day I came back and saw that there were small, student-sized sneaker prints across it. Yes, they are still there today. The start of the school year is a lot like that wet cement — everything is soft and impressionable. What we do now leaves a mark that lasts all year.
As leaders, you’re busy setting expectations for staff, establishing systems, and making sure students feel safe and welcome. In all that work, it’s easy to forget that you are also setting the tone for how your team will approach energy, boundaries, and well-being. If you run yourself ragged now, you’re silently giving permission for everyone else to do the same–to themselves, and to you.
The good news? You don’t need hours of extra time to set the tone and protect your energy. Even a few intentional minutes each day can help you recharge, model balance for your team, and leave an imprint that strengthens your culture all year long. Here are 3 quick moves to model energy-preserving leadership:
- Lay a Strong Foundation of Focus
- Cement sets best when you don’t keep poking at it. Choose one key initiative to spotlight in these early weeks and keep returning to it, rather than scattering your attention across ten competing priorities. Your clarity becomes everyone’s clarity.
- Cement sets best when you don’t keep poking at it. Choose one key initiative to spotlight in these early weeks and keep returning to it, rather than scattering your attention across ten competing priorities. Your clarity becomes everyone’s clarity.
- Stamp Positivity Into Every Meeting
- Just like those footprints in the cement, the first moments of a meeting leave a lasting impression. Begin staff gatherings by celebrating wins — even small ones — to hardwire a culture of optimism and recognition from day one.
- Just like those footprints in the cement, the first moments of a meeting leave a lasting impression. Begin staff gatherings by celebrating wins — even small ones — to hardwire a culture of optimism and recognition from day one.
- Walk the Path You Want to See
- In wet cement, footsteps lead the way. Make yours intentional: spend 15 minutes each morning visiting classrooms, checking in with staff, and pointing out the good you notice. This builds trust and reinforces the values you want to cement into your culture.
- In wet cement, footsteps lead the way. Make yours intentional: spend 15 minutes each morning visiting classrooms, checking in with staff, and pointing out the good you notice. This builds trust and reinforces the values you want to cement into your culture.
The first weeks of school are when impressions are made — for students, for staff, and for you as a leader. Protect your energy now, and you’ll not only have more to give throughout the year, but you’ll also create a school culture where well-being is part of the foundation, not an afterthought.
If you want four more practical, high-impact tools to start your year calm and confident, check out our free, on-demand strategy session: Summer’s Over. Leadership is Back.
In just 26 minutes, you’ll learn how to:
- Set a realistic boundary you can actually keep — and do it guilt-free
- Recenter your leadership lens to focus on what’s working
- Anchor your energy, even on chaotic days
- Take the first step toward leading the culture you’ve been dreaming about
Watch it anytime — sooner is better. 4 Power Moves to Lead with Calm and Confidence.
The cement is wet right now — every choice you make leaves a mark. Make yours the kind of imprint that supports both your leadership and your well-being all year long!
Written by Sarah Fillion 2025