Here, the authors focus on educators who dare to lead their schools, districts, universities, and educational organizations to new possibilities. The leadership practices of the individuals featured contribute significantly to craft knowledge and to the discourse on contemporary issues of educational leadership. These leaders develop collaborative decision-making processes, push the bureaucratic boundaries, claim power through politics, and live and lead from values. The authors contend that the leadership practices depicted reflect a redefinition of leadership that emanates from a constructive postmodern paradigm aimed at social reconstruction. These leaders are redefining leadership by integrating doing and being. This book is a report of the results of a collective qualitative inquiry into the leadership of eighteen impressive women educational leaders from Illinois, representing a diversity of roles, community sizes, institutional types, and racial perspectives. The chapters intertwine personal stories with the scholarship about leadership. No pseudonyms are used. Although several recent books have been published about the experiences of women as leaders, leadership studies have generally not included women or failed to point to women leaders as role models who could, even should, be emulated by leaders of both genders. It is past time to close the gender leadership gap in educational administration. This book will contribute to the ongoing redefinition of leadership and perhaps after reading this book leaders who dare will move themselves and our culture closer to gender inclusive perceptions of what leadership is and who leaders are.

"The authors' purpose was to record reasons why women educators of different ages, racial classifications, and backgrounds of experience achieved success and moved into positions formerly offered only to men. This book accomplishes much more. It provides inspiration to all readers that leadership is purposeful. The message delivered by the stories of these 18 outstanding educators affirms the ability of women to develop into highly effective leaders. It also confirms the belief that dynamic leadership transcends the boundaries of gender, race, culture, nationality, and creed." - Teachers College Record

"Based upon interviews with 18 outstanding female educators, this volume intertwines personal narrative with scholarship on leadership. The focus is on how women make decisions, how they get things done in bureaucracies, how they define and use power, and how they live their values." - Reference and Research Book News