When the principal has a drinking problem

Q: I adore my principal, but he has a drinking problem that’s getting in the way of his ability to do his job. I want him to get help, but I don’t want to hurt his reputation by reporting him. I also don’t want to jeopardize my own career if he’s retaliatory. If he were my subordinate, I could refer him to our employee assistance program and write him up for things like missing meetings or falling asleep at his desk. Since I don’t supervise him, I’m unclear about my options. And like I said, I’m not looking to get him in trouble. I’m genuinely concerned about him. He’s gone from being happy and invested in the school to checked out and sloppy. It’s pretty obvious that he’s even drinking at work. 

A: The fact that he’s your supervisor does complicate the situation. Whether you approach him directly, talk to human resources or contact your community superintendent, you run the risk of backlash. There also may be no guarantee of anonymity. That said, you care about him and want to do the right thing.

Here are some possible approaches: