Redefining Success for Women in School Leadership

For decades, women have been breaking barriers in education leadership, yet the expectations placed on us often feel heavier than the role itself. A “successful” woman principal is too often defined as someone who does it all—leading the school, being constantly available, managing staff and student needs, and still carrying the weight of family responsibilities at home. This version of success is unrealistic, and it comes at a cost.

Women in leadership frequently experience burnout at higher rates because the bar is set impossibly high. We are expected to be both firm and approachable, decisive and nurturing, tireless at work and present at home. These conflicting demands create pressure that quietly pushes women out of leadership roles, reinforcing the very glass ceiling we are trying to shatter.

What if we redefined success for women principals? Success shouldn’t mean sacrificing health, relationships, or personal identity to meet someone else’s standard. Instead, it should mean leading with balance, building systems of support, and sustaining ourselves so we can continue to make an impact.

True leadership for women in education lies not in doing it all, but in modeling what it looks like to set boundaries, care for ourselves, and show that well-being and strength can exist together. By changing how we define success, we open the door for more women to step into leadership and stay there—not just for a few years, but for the long term.