Education journals, conferences, and new books everywhere emphasize how important teacher leaders are to effective teaching and learning in schools. With so much visibility, many principals might be tempted to simply designate teachers as “teacher leaders” and wait for the benefits of teacher leadership to take root in a school. However, rushing in without understanding what skills, dispositions, and strengths are required of the school leader for teacher leaders to be successful is likely to lead to confusion and frustration – climate conditions that are the very opposite of those in successful schools. As with leading all change, the leader’s first job is to know him or herself – particularly those areas that might be blind spots – and to plan for addressing areas that are not strengths. This brief features a tool that leaders can use to help them avoid this pitfall with a clear self-assessment. Read the brief now!