Principal Mock Interview
Master 27 Principal interview questions covering leadership, school culture, and strategic decision-making.
Question 20 of 27
How did you cope with stress at school?
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Audra Kresinske is an educator with over 7 years experience teaching English and employment readiness skills.
Even if you have never served as principal before, you've likely dealt with stress at work. Share some strategies that have worked for you to cope with stress at work. You may also want to share what you do outside of work that brings you joy and helps keep your stress level manageable. The most successful leaders are able to manage their emotions and deal well with stress, so be sure to communicate your plan to do just that.
Audra Kresinske is an educator with over 7 years experience teaching English and employment readiness skills.
"I take my mental health very seriously and make sure to exercise and get enough sleep every day in order to perform my best. Exercise like yoga and biking help me to blow off steam and unwind. At work, I try to always work ahead of schedule because I know procrastinating can cause me to feel stress. I plan ahead, work ahead, and even when things come up, I do my very best to remain calm and collected. Sometimes that means I need to lock myself in my office for an uninterrupted hour and get work done. I am confident if my abilities to utilize my team, manage personal and professional stress, and remain focused on the job."
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I firmly believe it is essential to release stress at the end of the day by exercising and unwinding with a good book, my favorite movie, or a television program. I also find yard work relaxing. Separation from the stress of work is essential for mental health. Prior planning helps me stay ahead of my work schedule and prevents me from putting things off. Keeping a level head on the job is essential. As the school leader, I set the tone, and all stakeholders look to me for guidance. I have to remain on top of my game and encourage those I lead to find ways of releasing stress that helps them do the same.
Marcie's Feedback
You sound like such a great leader! :) It also sounds like you have established multiple ways to manage the stress that inevitably shows up in your professional life. Mentioning the stress relievers you partake in at home will help the interviewer get to know you better on a personal level (which they will find interesting and memorable). You might also talk about prioritizing and breaking big projects down into smaller manageable tasks if these are also ways you manage stress at school. Excellent response!
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