Preparing Leadership Teams for Quick Decisions

As any leader who has been on a campus for any period of time knows, school leadership is full of moments that you didn’t plan for on your calendar. For instance, a parent arrives angry and unannounced, demanding immediate attention; a situation involving a student changes course quickly; an urgent safety concern arises; or a staff member requires immediate support.

These situations require campus leaders to make rapid, aligned decisions in the moment. It seems impossible to prepare for. How are we supposed to know what will pop up? But the truth is, during the quiet(ish) moments, running through scenarios can help us approach a moment of crisis with improved clarity and alignment. 

Intentional Practice is Key

Just as we schedule fire drills to ensure everyone knows their role before an emergency occurs, we can incorporate intentional practice for the unexpected into our leadership routines. In Advancing Educational Leadership (AEL), these are referred to as “Rattlesnake Alerts.” They are short, scenario-based challenges designed to sharpen leaders’ thinking, response, and communication under pressure. When we practice them regularly, they stop feeling like “gotcha” moments and start functioning as proactive leadership reps. 

And it’s worth doing more than once or twice a year. Making this a monthly routine, even 10–15 minutes during a leadership meeting, helps keep you and your team sharp. It enables leaders to explore the consequences of different decisions before experiencing them in real-time. It also provides an authentic way to develop new leaders, giving APs, counselors, instructional coaches, and even teacher leaders opportunities to think through scenarios they may one day face as the person at the head of the campus. 

Practical Principal Tip: Add “In-the-Moment Scenarios” to Your Leadership Team Agenda 

Consider adding a monthly agenda item to your Leadership Team Meeting: 

In-the-Moment Leadership Team Practice (10–15 min)

Scenario discussion & reflection protocol 

Over time, these discussions build shared judgment, improve alignment, and strengthen your team’s ability to respond calmly during actual situations. 

Best Practices to Support This Routine 

Before digging into a scenario, establish norms that create psychological safety: 

Protocol Norms 

• Take risks: This is a practice space, not an evaluation. 
• Stay curious, not judgmental: Assume positive intent and focus on learning. 
• Equity of voice: All voices, all roles, all perspectives matter. Be sure to share your insights and leave space for others to do the same.  
• Maintain confidentiality: To ensure psychological safety, what is said here stays in the room. 
• Growth mindset: We’re here to get better, not to be perfect. 

Guiding Questions for Leadership Team Scenario Practice 

As your team works through each situation, use these questions to anchor the conversation: 

1. What policies or protocols apply here? 
2. What is the immediate priority? 
3. Who needs to be involved or informed? 
4. What resources are available to us? 
5. How will we ensure the safety and well-being of students and staff? Have we considered all parties impacted by the scenario? 
6. What are the potential short-term and long-term consequences of our response? 

These questions help leaders move from reactive to proactive thinking, even in high-pressure moments. 

Optional Extension:

Leadership Gaps, because real life doesn’t always happen when the whole team is present. 

Add an extra layer to the scenario. Some examples might be: 

• “How does our plan shift if the principal is off campus?” 
• “What if the counselor is unavailable?” 
• “What if the assistant principal is tied up with another situation?” 

This helps build distributed leadership and prepares your team for moments when someone else must step forward with clarity and confidence.