Leadership literature is drowning in abstract theories and models of heroic leadership, but an agreed definition of the term is elusive. School leadership suffers from this lack of clarity and consensus. Generic approaches to school improvement dominate the sector, which have left the workforce feeling anything but 'well led'. What exactly should school leaders know and do? How do we put 'substance' back into school leadership?
This book draws on research evidence to explore the specific things that expert leaders know and do, arguing for a notion of school leadership rooted in the realities of leaders' daily experiences. It presents a case for how school leaders can develop their expertise and, in doing so, places domain-specific knowledge at the heart of school improvement efforts.
Leaders With Substance is not a handbook. It sets out to change the way we think of leadership and school improvement. It is both a critique, a manifesto, and a call to arms.
What do we think?
This book provides practical advice and strategies for leaders to create a vision, build relationships, and lead with integrity. Readers will gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be an effective leader and how to cultivate the substance that is necessary for success.
Who it is for
Senior leaders, trust leaders and those who design leadership development, who want an argument for building leaders' subject- and domain-specific knowledge rather than training generic leadership skills. The publisher describes it as drawing on cognitive science to explain how leaders build expertise. By its own account it is "not a handbook": read it to rethink how your school or trust develops leaders, not for step-by-step procedures.
About the book
- Author: Matthew Evans.
- Publisher: Hachette Learning. Paperback (print on demand), 25 October 2019, 250 pages.
- ISBN: paperback 9781912906574; ebook 9781398382985.
Sources: Hachette Learning listing and Hachette UK listing, checked 13 October 2026.