Leading Futures

School leaders can play powerful roles in igniting student learning, but all too often policy-makers have advocated technical approaches to leadership development that are blind to the cultural and contextual dynamics of schools. Leading Futures provides the intellectual armamentarium for a refreshing contrast to this general pattern. Based upon an ambitious international study of school leadership practices—including those in under- investigated nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Russia—the authors provide a series of nuanced analysis in a single book that will catapult the whole field of educational leadership forward. This book is true tour de force that will be read and re-read many times by all of us endeavouring to keep abreast of the exciting new transformations in education around the world today.

-- Dennis Shirley

Leadership is undoubtedly one of the most important factors in producing successful and widespread educational change. But leadership does not look the same in all contexts and cultures. Leading Futures brings together scholars and writers on educational leadership from around the world to remind us that more and better comparative studies are needed that look at leadership from many angles. The editors of this book are themselves leaders of change on a global scale. Like them, this book challenges all of us to rethink all the things we thought were universally true about leadership and its effectiveness. A mustread for anyone who wants to extend their understanding of leadership beyond their own domain.

-- Andy Hargreaves

While it has been readily acknowledged for some time that school leaders play a significant role in educational success, their roles and quality of leadership have become even more significant in the present context of important new demands being made on schools, teachers and pupils. Significant and ambitious reform initiatives are being launched by governments globally in response to globalization’s opportunities and challenges. Leading Futures is a very welcome contribution to studying leadership challenges in this new context. Drawing on an international study of school leadership, its careful attention to the interplay of culture and context throws up interesting insights, which will move the study and practice of school leadership forward in significant ways. An important new book that deserves wide readership and careful study.

-- S. Gopinathan
This book is true tour de force that will be read and re-read many times by all of us endeavouring to keep abreast of the exciting new transformations in education around the world today. 
-- Dennis Shirley

"A must read for anyone who wants to extend their understanding of leadership beyond their own domain."

-- Andy Hargrea