Passion, vision, relatability—can we ever quantify the facets of successful leadership? Is there sufficient "there-there" behind these feel-good words to transform a school into a culture of learning and bold hope? Yes, and yes!  Inspired by John Hattie’s impressive research, Fisher, Frey, Lassiter, and Smith bring their trademark clarity to turn aspiration into energized action.

For each of the five components that all effective leaders possess—trustworthiness, competence, dynamism, immediacy, and forward-thinking—leaders learn the first steps and bold leaps to mentor others.  Each chapter abounds with professional development tools, including: 

• Self-assessments so you know your baseline
• Pause and ponder questions to envision change
• REAL features to lead with alacrity
• Checklists to stay focused and strategic
• Relevant research to assimilate and share

Now more than ever, schools need to be places where openness and trust are baked into every hallway hello and every meeting, so collective talents can take us farther than we ever imagined. Let Leader Credibility be your guide to steering others to that greatness. 
 

Leader Credibility is a must read for every educational leader. All too often school improvement plans and initiatives fail - not on their merits but on the credibility of the leader. Educational leaders need to be strategic about how they contribute to or derail the success of these initiatives. This book provides a frame for how to build leader credibility and provides many opportunities for structured self-reflection.

-- Randy Clyde * San Bernardino City Unified School District *

This book offers tangible ways to build your leadership credibility and concrete methods for building strong relationships that will cultivate a culture of trust and community. 

-- Betty Zavala * Klein ISD *

I highly recommend this book. Teachers are yearning for great leadership.  This book helps educational leaders analyze the skillset it takes to lead with credibility. 

-- Dawn Massey * Okaloosa County School District *

The authors share relevant research, illustrations, and tools for self-reflection which can be used to impact the daily work of school leaders. By reading this book, leaders will be challenged to think more intentionally about how they build trust, competence, dynamism, immediacy, and how they become more forward-thinking.

-- Alisa Barrett * Greenfield Exempted Village Schools *

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, Doug was an early intervention teacher and elementary school educator. He is a credentialed English teacher and administrator in California. 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, leadership, and curriculum design, as well as books such as The Teacher Clarity Playbook (2nd ed.), Your Introduction to PLC+, The Illustrated Guide to Teacher Credibility, Instructional Strategies to Move Learning Forward: 50+ Tools That Support Gradual Release of Responsibility, and Welcome to Teaching! Nancy Frey is a professor in educational leadership at San Diego State University and a teacher leader at Health Sciences High and Middle College. She is a credentialed special educator, reading specialist, and administrator in California. She is a member of the International Literacy Association’s Literacy Research Panel. Her published titles include 50 Strategies for Activating Your PLC+, The Illustrated Guide to Visible Learning, Welcome to Teaching Multilingual Learners, Teaching Foundational Skills to Adolescent Readers, and RIGOR Unveiled: A Video-Enhanced Flipbook to Promote Teacher Expertise in Relationship Building, Instruction, Goals, Organization, and Relevance.  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. Dr. Dominique Smith is an award-winning educator, author, and school leader who has dedicated two decades to transforming schools into inclusive, safe, and empowering spaces for students and educators alike. He currently serves as Principal at Health Sciences High and Middle College in San Diego, California. Dr. Smith earned his Doctorate in Educational Leadership from San Diego State University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Southern California. His dual expertise in education and social work uniquely positions him to bridge the gap between academic success, emotional safety, and equitable school culture. A passionate advocate for belonging, restorative practices, and leadership development, Dr. Smith has co-authored several influential books, including Belonging in School: Creating a Place Where Kids Want to Learn and Teachers Want to Stay, Better Than Carrots or Sticks: Restorative Practices for Positive Classroom Management, Building Equity: Policies and Practices to Empower All Learners, Leader Credibility, How Leadership Works: A Playbook for Instructional Leaders, and The Restorative Practices Playbook. In recognition of his commitment to fostering safe and supportive school environments, Dr. Smith received the National School Safety Award from the School Safety Advocacy Council. His TED Talk on building authentic relationships between students and teachers has inspired educators across the country to reimagine connection as the cornerstone of effective teaching and learning. Through his leadership, writing, and speaking, Dr. Smith continues to champion the belief that when students feel seen, heard, and valued, they are empowered to thrive — both academically and personally. His work challenges schools to move beyond compliance and discipline toward cultures of belonging, accountability, and restorative growth.