In the first article of this series, we introduced the concept of Behavioral Intelligence—the ability to explain, predict, influence, and control our own behaviors and those of others. We explored how the Behavioral Elements framework helps leaders understand the internal drivers that shape their actions and reactions. But understanding behavior is only the beginning. The real power of Behavioral Intelligence emerges when we apply it to the work of leading schools.
In this article, we connect the Behavioral Elements framework to NASSP’s Building Ranks model, a leadership structure centered on two core domains: Building Culture and Leading Learning. These aren’t separate pursuits. Together, they form the essential architecture of a thriving school, sustained by the behaviors and decisions of its leader.
NASSP, Building Ranks: A Comprehensive Framework for Effective School Leaders, downladed from https://www.nassp.org/building-ranks/
Leadership as the Foundation
The Building Ranks logic model is clear: Leadership is the foundational force that drives both adult and student success. The way a principal leads is directly tied to their capacity to build a healthy school culture and guide impactful learning. As the executive summary states:
As principal, you support learning through a school culture where each person—student and adult alike—is understood and supported as he or she works toward his or her full potential…an effective school culture is defined as an environment that nurtures each individual to live the shared norms, values, and beliefs to grow in a safe, caring, and high-performing school community.” Building Ranks, Executive Summary
This is where the MASSP Behavioral Edge comes in. By understanding their dominant and secondary behavioral drives, and knowing when to flex into a less-preferred style, principals can more effectively respond to the dynamic needs of their school community. It’s not about having a single “leadership style,” it’s about choosing the right behavior at the right moment.
Aligning the Four Elements with the Domains of Leadership
Each of the four Behavioral Elements—Fire, Water, Air, and Earth—offers critical tools for enacting the dimensions of Building Ranks. Let’s examine how:
Building Culture: Behavioral Agility in Action
- Fire fuels a bold and urgent commitment to student-centeredness, challenging mediocrity and championing innovation.
- Water strengthens relationships, wellness, and equity by nurturing trust and prioritizing care in decision-making.
- Air supports global-mindedness and communication through creativity, curiosity, and the willingness to embrace new perspectives.
- Earth sustains ethics and consistency, creating predictability and a sense of safety through systems, routines, and long-term thinking.
No single element can build a healthy culture on its own. But when principals recognize which drives are pulling hardest, and when to consciously activate others, they create cultures where every student and adult can thrive.
Leading Learning: Leveraging Drives for Growth
- Fire leaders push for results, set bold visions, and inspire urgency.
- Air leaders promote innovation, foster collaborative leadership, and stretch toward the unknown.
- Water leaders ensure learning is personalized and reflective of human capital, attending to the emotional and developmental needs of staff and students.
- Earth leaders drive strategic management, invest in planning, and support sustainable improvement cycles through reflection and growth.
A leader’s effectiveness in leading learning isn’t about defaulting to their natural style, it’s about discerning the needs of the moment and choosing the behavior that best supports their people and their purpose.
Behavioral Intelligence as an Equity Lever
Importantly, Behavioral Intelligence enhances equity-driven leadership. Understanding how one’s behavior impacts others, especially when navigating cultural contexts, conflict, or community engagement, helps leaders:
- Interrupt bias in decision-making
- Honor multiple ways of communicating and problem-solving
- Balance urgency with empathy
- Ensure each student and adult is seen, known, and valued
In an equity-centered school, flexibility, humility, and intentional behavior are non-negotiables. Behavioral Elements provides a practical framework for making these ideals actionable in day-to-day leadership.
From Reaction to Intentional Action
In a single school day, a principal might need to comfort a grieving student (Water), troubleshoot a scheduling breakdown (Earth), pitch a new instructional strategy (Air), and coach a teacher through underperformance (Fire). Behavioral Intelligence is what allows leaders to navigate those shifts—not reactively, but with intention.
Building Culture and Leading Learning require behavioral agility, the ability to move fluidly across styles in service of a clear purpose. Building Ranks provides the structure. Behavioral Elements helps you activate it.
Reflect and Grow:
Which of the Building Ranks dimensions comes most naturally to you? Which ones challenge your leadership instincts? What Behavioral Element might you lean into more deliberately to grow in that area?
To learn more about how MASSP can help you and your team understand how your behavioral awareness can unlock infinite potential, reach out to tom@massp.com or visit https://massp.com/behavioral_edge/.