ABSTRACT
In order to give the text relevance and locate educational leadership at the point of practice, this chapter reports on research which asks leaders to identify the key components and challenges involved in leading today. Four macro-level challenges are identified, namely maintaining quality, motivating staff, leading learning and creating a balance between work and a healthy lifestyle. Each of these four aspects of leadership is explored and the ideas of authentic and situational leadership theory applied to illustrate how leadership theory contributes to aid a better understanding of these challenges. A good practice case study is offered to illustrate how effective leaders might enable their staff to address current concerns around teacher workload.
