Consequential Leadership
An Illustrated Guide on Leading for Impact
1st Edition
Published on 18. March 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
208 pages
978-1-0719-9864-9 (ISBN)
Description
Lead lasting change for your entire learning community
School leadership requires more than good intentions-it demands consequential actions that produce positive and meaningful outcomes for students, teachers, and the whole school community. Consequential Leadership is a practical, illustrated guide for busy educational leaders that will help you move beyond compliance to meaningful transformation-efficiently and effectively.
Drawing from extensive research and real-world experience, the authors present five essential leadership imperatives that combine theoretical insights with actionable strategies, all delivered alongside engaging illustrations that make complex concepts accessible and memorable.
The book explores crucial areas that define effective educational leadership:
Five leadership imperatives that include courage and accountability, motivation and collective purpose, evidence-based decision making, professional learning design, and performance conversations
Practical tools and assessments like self-evaluation rubrics, reflection prompts, and a personalized leadership journey map
Real-world applications that bridge research and practice, helping you to implement strategies that drive student achievement and teacher effectiveness
A visual framework that presents leadership concepts through illustrations, charts, and diagrams designed to enhance understanding and retention
Embracing consequential leadership principles will allow you to develop the skills and competencies to create learning environments where students grow academically and personally, teachers thrive professionally, and school communities flourish through collective purpose and shared accountability.
School leadership requires more than good intentions-it demands consequential actions that produce positive and meaningful outcomes for students, teachers, and the whole school community. Consequential Leadership is a practical, illustrated guide for busy educational leaders that will help you move beyond compliance to meaningful transformation-efficiently and effectively.
Drawing from extensive research and real-world experience, the authors present five essential leadership imperatives that combine theoretical insights with actionable strategies, all delivered alongside engaging illustrations that make complex concepts accessible and memorable.
The book explores crucial areas that define effective educational leadership:
Five leadership imperatives that include courage and accountability, motivation and collective purpose, evidence-based decision making, professional learning design, and performance conversations
Practical tools and assessments like self-evaluation rubrics, reflection prompts, and a personalized leadership journey map
Real-world applications that bridge research and practice, helping you to implement strategies that drive student achievement and teacher effectiveness
A visual framework that presents leadership concepts through illustrations, charts, and diagrams designed to enhance understanding and retention
Embracing consequential leadership principles will allow you to develop the skills and competencies to create learning environments where students grow academically and personally, teachers thrive professionally, and school communities flourish through collective purpose and shared accountability.
Reviews / Votes
"Consequential Leadership is exactly the resource leaders like me need. It affirms bold, sometimes disruptive work that truly transforms schools for kids. With its visual clarity and practical insights, it validates our efforts and equips us to reflect, refine, and lead with greater impact and confidence." -- Alyse Zeffiro, Principal "This text brings together a way of thinking about leadership with actionable practices, centered on influencing student outcomes. A reflective read for all leaders." -- Cecilia Wilken, Ed.D., Assistant Director "Consequential Leadership is such an empowering book, especially if you are embarking on a new adventure in leadership. I have often felt overwhelmed as a leader and have found myself asking, "Where do I even begin?" This publication helps you identify areas that make an impactand provides ACTIONS. At times, as a leader, you can find yourself frozen because you are unsure of a process to help you sort out how to prioritize the wave of responsibilities this role requires of you. Reading this helped me to take the swirling responsibilities, categorize them, prioritize them, and create areas of focus and actions-setting up processes and structures that help synergize the work and support teams in building their collective efficacy to support students. Reading and reflecting helps you process and prioritize so you can go from a sense of feeling overwhelmed to a sense of hope and clarity." -- Allyson Burns, Principal "As a K-8 principal, I found Consequential Leadership to be a powerful guide that captures the heart of leading with purpose, clarity, and impact. The practical insights are both relatable and actionable. This book inspires reflection while offering concrete strategies to drive meaningful change in schools. It is essential for daily leadership decisions." -- Susan Summers, Principal
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Thousand Oaks
United States
Publishing group
SAGE Publications Inc
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 178 mm
Width: 253 mm
Thickness: 16 mm
Weight
448 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-0719-9864-9 (9781071998649)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Douglas Fisher is professor and chair of educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Previously, Fisher was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. In 2022, he was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame by the Literacy Research Association. He has published numerous articles on reading and literacy, differentiated instruction, and curriculum design, as well as books such as Your Introduction to PLC+, Welcome to Teaching, How Feedback Works, Teaching Reading, and RIGOR Unveiled. Fisher loves being an educator and hopes to share that passion with others.
Nancy Frey is a professor in educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Her published titles include The Courage to Learn, The Art and Science of Coaching, How Scaffolding Works, and The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning. Frey is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California and learns from teachers and students every day.
Toni Faddis joined Corwin as a full-time professional learning consultant in 2021. Before that, she was a bilingual teacher in elementary and middles schools as well as a Reading Recovery specialist before becoming a principal and principal coach in San Diego, California. In addition, Toni served as the Director of Equity, Access, and Leadership Development at the district level. Toni holds teaching and administrative services credentials in California and earned her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University.
Toni is the co-author of Collaborating Through Collective Efficacy Cycles: Ensuring All Students and Teachers Succeed,PLC+ for Instructional Leaders, How Teams Work, and The Ethical Line, as well as numerous professional articles about adolescent literacy.
Cathy Lassiter, Ed.D., is a consultant and author with Corwin Learning with over forty years in public education. Prior to this role, she served as a middle and high school social studies teacher, award-winning middle school principal and respected central office leader in a large urban district in Virginia. Her published titles include Everyday Courage for School Leaders, How Leadership Works, Leader Credibility and How Teams Work, all published by Corwin. Cathy's consulting expertise includes all aspects of school and central office leadership, school improvement, curriculum, instruction, assessment and professional development. She is a certified consultant in all facets of Visible Learning, Teacher Clarity, and a number of other Corwin service lines. Cathy served as an adjunct professor at The George Washington University, teaching graduate courses in educational leadership. John Hattie, PhD, is an award-winning education researcher and best-selling author with nearly thirty years of experience examining what works best in student learning and achievement. His research, better known as Visible Learning, is a culmination of nearly thirty years synthesizing more than 2,100 meta-analyses comprising more than one hundred thousand studies involving over 300 million students around the world. He has presented and keynoted in over three hundred international conferences and has received numerous recognitions for his contributions to education. His notable publications include Visible Learning, Visible Learning for Teachers, Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn, Visible Learning for Mathematics, Grades K-12, and 10 Mindframes for Visible Learning. Taryl Hansen, NBCT, Ed.D is a visual practitioner and the creator of Frame the Message Ink, LLC (framethemessageink.com). She is an associate trainer for Cognitive CoachingSM and holds a doctorate in Teacher Leadership and Innovation from Arizona State University. Taryl has been trained by Thinking Collaborative and Grove Consultants International, leaders in the fields of learning and cognition. As a live graphic recorder and illustrator, Taryl works internationally to create vibrant and engaging visuals that bring essential elements to the forefront for learners, enhancing retention, driving engagement, and inspiring learners to collaborate in more meaningful ways.
Nancy Frey is a professor in educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. Her published titles include The Courage to Learn, The Art and Science of Coaching, How Scaffolding Works, and The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning. Frey is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California and learns from teachers and students every day.
Toni Faddis joined Corwin as a full-time professional learning consultant in 2021. Before that, she was a bilingual teacher in elementary and middles schools as well as a Reading Recovery specialist before becoming a principal and principal coach in San Diego, California. In addition, Toni served as the Director of Equity, Access, and Leadership Development at the district level. Toni holds teaching and administrative services credentials in California and earned her doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University.
Toni is the co-author of Collaborating Through Collective Efficacy Cycles: Ensuring All Students and Teachers Succeed,PLC+ for Instructional Leaders, How Teams Work, and The Ethical Line, as well as numerous professional articles about adolescent literacy.
Cathy Lassiter, Ed.D., is a consultant and author with Corwin Learning with over forty years in public education. Prior to this role, she served as a middle and high school social studies teacher, award-winning middle school principal and respected central office leader in a large urban district in Virginia. Her published titles include Everyday Courage for School Leaders, How Leadership Works, Leader Credibility and How Teams Work, all published by Corwin. Cathy's consulting expertise includes all aspects of school and central office leadership, school improvement, curriculum, instruction, assessment and professional development. She is a certified consultant in all facets of Visible Learning, Teacher Clarity, and a number of other Corwin service lines. Cathy served as an adjunct professor at The George Washington University, teaching graduate courses in educational leadership. John Hattie, PhD, is an award-winning education researcher and best-selling author with nearly thirty years of experience examining what works best in student learning and achievement. His research, better known as Visible Learning, is a culmination of nearly thirty years synthesizing more than 2,100 meta-analyses comprising more than one hundred thousand studies involving over 300 million students around the world. He has presented and keynoted in over three hundred international conferences and has received numerous recognitions for his contributions to education. His notable publications include Visible Learning, Visible Learning for Teachers, Visible Learning and the Science of How We Learn, Visible Learning for Mathematics, Grades K-12, and 10 Mindframes for Visible Learning. Taryl Hansen, NBCT, Ed.D is a visual practitioner and the creator of Frame the Message Ink, LLC (framethemessageink.com). She is an associate trainer for Cognitive CoachingSM and holds a doctorate in Teacher Leadership and Innovation from Arizona State University. Taryl has been trained by Thinking Collaborative and Grove Consultants International, leaders in the fields of learning and cognition. As a live graphic recorder and illustrator, Taryl works internationally to create vibrant and engaging visuals that bring essential elements to the forefront for learners, enhancing retention, driving engagement, and inspiring learners to collaborate in more meaningful ways.
Content
About the Authors
Introduction
Leadership Imperative #1: Courage, Empathy, and Accountability: The Heart of Consequential Leadership
Leadership Imperative #2: Motivation, Purpose, and the Collective: The Pulse of Consequential Leadership
Leadership Imperative #3: Collect, Analyze, and Action Evidence: The Eyes and Ears of Consequential Leadership
Leadership Imperative #4: Promote, Nurture, and Lead Teacher Expertise: The Hands of Consequential Leadership
Leadership Imperative #5: Nudge, Coach, and Correct Performance: The Voice of Consequential Leadership
The Leader's Journey: The Backbone of Consequential Leadership
Glossary
Endnotes
Index
Introduction
Leadership Imperative #1: Courage, Empathy, and Accountability: The Heart of Consequential Leadership
Leadership Imperative #2: Motivation, Purpose, and the Collective: The Pulse of Consequential Leadership
Leadership Imperative #3: Collect, Analyze, and Action Evidence: The Eyes and Ears of Consequential Leadership
Leadership Imperative #4: Promote, Nurture, and Lead Teacher Expertise: The Hands of Consequential Leadership
Leadership Imperative #5: Nudge, Coach, and Correct Performance: The Voice of Consequential Leadership
The Leader's Journey: The Backbone of Consequential Leadership
Glossary
Endnotes
Index