Bill Toungette, the assistant principal at Woodland Middle School in Brentwood, Tenn., has seen his fair share of bosses come and go.
Toungette applied for the principalship at Woodland and other schools, but the timing—or fit—never aligned. Then, four years ago, when the principal post at Woodland opened again, he decided he was too close to retirement to pursue it, and instead encouraged a younger female peer to apply. She ultimately got the job.
Retirement wasn’t the only reason, though.