The Three P’s Approach to Understanding a Problem

While studying at Teachers College, I took a class on Education Law that was co-listed with Columbia Law School. For those of us in the education program, the professor provided additional readings and took the time to explain foundational legal concepts such as contracts, torts, and property law.

He also offered a simple yet elegant framework for analyzing legal cases: The Three P’s - Power, Process, Product.

In some cases, the key question revolved around power - who had it, who didn’t, and whether authority or jurisdiction had been properly exercised. Other cases turned on process – the procedures, steps, or barriers that determined how actions were taken or blocked. Finally, the product referred to the outcome or judgment—the relief granted and its potential implications for future cases.

The Three P’s are deeply interrelated. Power shapes process. Process influences product. And product can change reality, including power and future processes. This approach helps explain what happened in a case, why it happened, and what it could mean for future cases.

Applying the Three P’s to School Leadership                                                                                                                                                  

In my years as a Head of School, I often found myself analyzing problems through these three lenses. Here are some of the questions I found myself asking. I’ll bet you’ve asked many of these questions as well.

Power: What is each staff person’s scope of authority? Who has influence (aside from their title)? Who really controls the budget? Who else needs to be consulted when any staff member makes a decision?  Which decisions belong to the Board, and which to the Head of School? When can a teacher push back? Who makes the final decision?

Power is not just about authority; it’s also about delegating/accepting responsibility, fostering transparent and effective communication, and nurturing authentic collaboration.

Process: Does the school have a detailed Staff Handbook that not only provides guidance to staff in a variety of expected situations but is also internally consistent? Are there written policies and procedures for: Hiring/firing staff? Admitting students? Expelling students? Filling out report cards? Student safety? Addressing the special needs of students? Getting (timely) approval for school assemblies? Making curriculum changes? Letting parents know about changes to the schedule, tuition, and policy changes? Is it required (not just ‘common’) practice to: Involve others in reviewing important communication pieces? Involve teachers ahead of time in decisions about scheduling, policy, or curriculum?

These are “systems” issues. When handled well, they strengthen culture and build trust. When neglected, they create confusion, frustration, tension, resentment, and disengagement among staff and parents.

Product: How do recent decisions impact student learning? Staff morale? Long-term stability? How does the way school leaders do things impact school culture?

The way a school handles power and process can create a healthy, mission-aligned school. When handled poorly, though, the consequences can be serious: weakened academic performance, diminished morale, strained relationships with parents and donors, and challenges in recruitment, retention, and even accreditation.

From Reaction to Reflection

Problems often present themselves as a “product”—an outcome that crashes into our office and magically erases the rest of our schedule for the day.  It’s tempting to solve it, make people feel better, and (all too often) figure out if there is “someone” to blame. But we know that it’s more complicated than that. We know there is frequently a “long chain of cause and effect” that began long ago and created today’s problem. 

I have found that asking, “How did we get here? Was it a power or a process issue, or both?” reframes the conversation, away from blame and toward understanding. It encourages thoughtful analysis and invites shared responsibility for improvement.

Ultimately, applying the Three P’s helps schools move from reacting to problems to learning from them—creating organizations that are not only more effective, but also more reflective, resilient, and aligned with their mission and core values.


Rabbi Jim Rogozen

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