Leadership From the Middle: The Beating Heart of Educational Transformation

by Andy Hargreaves

Overview

In the face of a global pandemic, catastrophic weather events, war, racism, and attacks on democracy, how should educational leaders respond? How can leaders enable their schools and districts to be agile, safe, and effective places of learning that help young people develop the knowledge and character that will empower them to shape their futures? While some schools and districts have taken top-down or bottom-up approaches, renowned education scholar Andy Hargreaves explores a new type of leadership – "leadership from the middle" – which becomes a driver of transformational change. Drawing from research with educational leaders across the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, Hargreaves discusses a type of leadership that regards obstacles as opportunities, embraces leadership paradox, and is collaborative, inspiring, and inclusive. This ground-breaking book unpacks not only what this type of leadership looks like, but also how it is most effective in addressing complex problems and in educating young people to develop diverse global competencies to prepare them for their futures.

Winner of “Society of Professors of Education 2025 Outstanding Book Award Honorable Mention”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138926875
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	08/17/2023
Series:	Routledge Leading Change Series
Pages:	196
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Andy Hargreaves is Research Professor at Boston College, USA and Visiting Professor at the University of Ottawa, Canada. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Education. Andy’s books have attracted eight Outstanding Writing Awards, he holds three honorary doctorates, and he has been honoured in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada for services to public education and educational research.

Table of Contents

About the Author  Preface  Chapter 1: Looking for Our Leaders  Chapter 2: Leadership Paradoxes  Chapter 3: Leading In the Middle  Chapter 4: Leading Districts From the Middle  Chapter 5: Around and About the Middle   Chapter 6: Leading Networks From the Middle  Chapter 7: Leading Systems From the Middle   Epilogue: Your Leadership  Sources

Editorial Reviews

“Leadership from the Middle is a valuable resource for leaders seeking to foster a culture of innovation and engagement within their school systems. Hargreaves provides insightful strategies and practical stories of experiences to empower leaders to create change. The writing is clear, concise, and accessible, making it suitable for a broad audience. This book is perfect for those looking to navigate the complexities of modern leadership and provide guidance for improving their school leadership teams.”

--J. Walker, St. Louis Community College for CHOICE, May 2024

"Hargreaves has written a tour de force about the 'roles of the middle in educational system change.’ Always well-grounded in his personal work with practitioners around the world, Hargreaves provides the array of possibilities, the ins and outs of various contexts, and enough guidance to lead you to the kind of leadership that fits your circumstance, and then to be vigilant about its performance. Leadership from the Middle is a book teeming with insights—exactly what proactive leaders should want."

--Michael Fullan, Professor Emeritus at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto

"Hargreaves writes so well that you always want to read more. This book is no exception as he shows with enviable clarity why our perception of school and system leadership has lacked effectiveness for want of really enabling leadership　from　the middle. I just wish I had read it at the beginning of my career. It should be a set text for all system and school leadership courses and will be invaluable to serving Principals, Headteachers and CEOs especially if they help their staff by example to lead using the seven principles outlined in the epilogue."　

--Tim Brighouse, Former Commissioner for London Schools

"In Leadership from the Middle, Hargreaves theorizes leadership for our troubled times, persuasively arguing for reframing obstacles as opportunities and embracing the paradoxes of leadership practice.　 With engaging stories, powerful examples from everyday life and educational practice globally, he carefully marshals his own and other scholars’ research, to weave a compelling framework for rethinking leadership practice from the middle.　 The book makes an original and important contribution to a growing body of work that theorizes leadership as practice rather than as person, place, or position. A must read for any practitioner, policymaker, or researcher keen to improve the practice of leadership."　

--James Spillane, Spencer T. and Ann W. Olin Professor in Learning and Organizational Change at the School of Education and Social Policy, Northwestern University

"Leadership from the Middle recognizes how a new type of leadership exercised by networks, districts and at the regional and local level can make a difference in education and in the lives of our students. With a combination of research, examples and personal experiences across many different countries, Hargreaves vividly demonstrates how education systems are evolving and how we can transform them to be more inclusive, collaborative and ready for the future. Those leading education change at national, regional and local levels will not only enjoy the charismatic read, but also learn about the potential that leadership from the middle can have to transform teaching and learning."

--Beatriz Pont, International Education Policy Specialist

“Leadership From the Middle expands on the idea that helping students thrive in the complex world in which we live requires imperfect but relentless leadership dedicated to uplifting the human spirit. LftM is about leaning into ambiguity and embracing the new possibilities. Every superintendent and district level leader interested in system transformation should read this book. Andy Hargreaves paints a compelling picture where government, district, and school leaders play reciprocal roles in improving the life chances of all students.”

--Kevin Godden, Superintendent of Schools, Abbotsford School District, British Columbia, Canada

"From the opening pages Hargreaves presents a skilful description of the complexity and significance of leading from the middle with articulate artistry. Leading from the middle, rather than in the middle is more than a subtle nuance. Hargreaves has crafted a beautifully descriptive emphasis on the organic rather than mechanical aspects of LfM, cultivating an environment where those within can do their best work. This fresh mindset employs new metaphors for educational work and those who lead it. When leading from the middle becomes part of a whole system - leading off, up, through paradox, together, inclusively, sustainably, for good - it increases inclusion and advances equity. So, what are we waiting for?"

--Dr. Barbara Watterston, CEO, Australian Council for Educational Leaders

“I hope that Hargreaves’s work and legacy will inspire more scholars to continue unpacking the complexities of education systems in action worldwide.”

--from Comparative Education Review by Juan David Parra, Erasmus University Rotterdam

From the Publisher