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Habits of Resilient Leaders - Book Cover

Habits of Resilient Leaders

Personal Practices That Drive Professional Impact

Foreword by Dominique Smith
Learning Forward co-pub

Focusing on personal and professional growth, this must-read guide provides actionable strategies to cultivate resilience and ensure long-term sustainability in leadership.

Full description

Habits of Resilient Leaders - Book Cover
Product Details
  • Grade Level: PreK-12
  • ISBN: 9781071962862
  • Published By: Corwin
  • Year: 2025
  • Page Count: 192
  • Publication date: May 13, 2025
Price: $36.95

Review Copies

This book is not available as a review copy.
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Description

Description

Build resilience, lead with purpose, and thrive in any challenge.

Education leaders face mounting pressures and unprecedented challenges, with many feeling the strain of constant change and uncertainty. Habits of Resilient Leaders offers a practical framework and proven habits that extend beyond self-care and managerial skills, arming leaders with tools to foster improved well-being, empower their teams, and create a positive impact in their schools and districts.

Addressing the growing attrition rate among K–12 leaders globally, this book provides actionable strategies to cultivate resilience and ensure long-term sustainability in leadership. Key features include

  • Practical strategies for fostering resilience, maintaining your well-being, and addressing challenges without impacting your health
  • Guidance for developing habits for boundary-setting, cultivating vision, managing change, and leading with optimism and emotional intelligence
  • Authentic examples of habits in action and reflection activities to support implementation

With a focus on personal and professional growth, this must-read guide supports education leaders to rediscover their "why," maintain stability for their teams, and foster thriving environments for students, staff, and their broader communities.

Author(s)

Author(s)

Lindsay Prendergast photo

Lindsay Prendergast

Lindsay Prendergast brings nearly two decades of experience in global education, where her roles have ranged from leadership coach to principal, consultant, and classroom teacher. As the Assistant Director of Strategy & Development with the Danielson Group, she collaborates with districts, schools, and educators to promote equitable teaching and learning through the Framework for Teaching. Lindsay’s work centers on leading systems change and advancing instructional leadership with practical and impactful insights. Recognized as an ASCD Emerging Leader and Champion in Education as well as an AAIE Fellow, Lindsay is an established thought leader who frequently shares her expertise on leadership development, growth-centered supervision, and assessment practices through ASCD, Learning Forward, Edutopia, AAIE, EARCOS, AMLE, Cognia, and more. She co-authored bestselling Habits of Resilient Educators: Strategies for Thriving During Times of Anxiety, Doubt, and Constant Change (Corwin, 2024), as well as dozens of articles and manuscripts in the field of education. Driven by a commitment to impactful change and global competence, Lindsay’s work empowers educators to navigate complex challenges, fostering environments where both teachers and students thrive.

Piper Lee photo

Piper Lee
Piper Lee has more than twenty-five years of experience in education, including teaching, administration, instructional coaching, professional learning facilitation, and leadership coaching. Her passion for student and adult learning and improving effective teacher instruction and student success in learning ignited her pursuit of working as an instructional leadership coach nationally.

Over the course of her career, Piper has served students, families, teachers, leadership teams, and undergraduate and graduate students. Most recently, Piper has been supporting district leaders, principals, and educators in one of the largest school districts in the country. While partnering with educators across the country, Piper has learned and lives the philosophy that rigorous relationships help to create transformative schools and impact every aspect of our lives. Piper received her bachelor of arts degree in Elementary Education, her master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and her education leadership certification and licensure from Winona State University in
Minnesota.
Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Chapter 1: Build Boundaries, Not Walls

Chapter 2: Fill Your Bucket First: The Habit of Self-Care

Chapter 3: Be the Vision Caster

Chapter 4: Check Your Blind Spots

Chapter 5: Habits of Lead Learners

Chapter 6: High Expectations for All

Chapter 7: Data Habits of an Evaluative Thinker

Chapter 8: Feedback Habits to Fuel Your Impact

Chapter 9: Don’t Travel Alone

Chapter 10: Manage Change or It Will Manage You: The Habits of a Resilient Leader

Epilogue

References Cited

Reviews

Reviews

Quote by Jennifer Benson, Assistant Principal, Rochester Public Schools: This timely book explores essential leadership topics with practical guidance and reflective insights. A must-read for education leaders, it promotes collaboration, emotional well-being, and growth. From refining coaching systems to embracing feedback, it equips leaders to adapt, thrive, and foster thriving communities—offering a transformative journey toward resilience and sustainable leadership excellence.
This timely book explores essential leadership topics with practical guidance and reflective insights. A must-read for education leaders, it promotes collaboration, emotional well-being, and growth. From refining coaching systems to embracing feedback, it equips leaders to adapt, thrive, and foster thriving communities—offering a transformative journey toward resilience and sustainable leadership excellence.
Jennifer Benson
Assistant Principal, Rochester Public Schools
Quote by Mark Hillman, Director of Teaching and Learning, Georgetown International Academy: This book is like hiring your own personal leadership coach. The authors understand that real learning follows a metacognitive cycle of self-reflection, goal-setting, and new learning and it means that the very practical lessons for leadership from this book won't be read and forgotten – they will lead to powerful changes in your leadership practices.
This book is like hiring your own personal leadership coach. The authors understand that real learning follows a metacognitive cycle of self-reflection, goal-setting, and new learning and it means that the very practical lessons for leadership from this book won't be read and forgotten – they will lead to powerful changes in your leadership practices.
Mark Hillman
Director of Teaching and Learning, Georgetown International Academy
Quote by Jessica Johnson, District Administrator, Dodgeland School District: This book is a must-read for every school leader looking to nurture their resiliency skills, while empowering educators to do the same. Discover practical strategies to lead with self-care, grace, and resilience, even in the most challenging times! This book will help you be the leader every educator needs.
This book is a must-read for every school leader looking to nurture their resiliency skills, while empowering educators to do the same. Discover practical strategies to lead with self-care, grace, and resilience, even in the most challenging times! This book will help you be the leader every educator needs.
Jessica Johnson
District Administrator, Dodgeland School District
Quote by Jessica Lee Lovell, Principal, Sierra Vista High School: Habits of Resilient Leaders offers educators a roadmap to self-care and personal sustainability. Packed with practical strategies for daily, weekly, and yearly leadership challenges, this book compassionately reminds leaders that prioritizing themselves isn't selfish—it is essential. A must-read for educators seeking sustainable success, it’s like having a supportive coach in your corner.
Habits of Resilient Leaders offers educators a roadmap to self-care and personal sustainability. Packed with practical strategies for daily, weekly, and yearly leadership challenges, this book compassionately reminds leaders that prioritizing themselves isn't selfish—it is essential. A must-read for educators seeking sustainable success, it’s like having a supportive coach in your corner.
Jessica Lee Lovell
Principal, Sierra Vista High School
Quote by Lynn Macan, Retired Superintendent: This is one of the best books I have had the privilege to read in some time. It offers suggestions for how to thrive as a leader within one of the most challenging eras in education. It is chock-full of strategies and suggestions that can be immediately implemented and measured for impact.
This is one of the best books I have had the privilege to read in some time. It offers suggestions for how to thrive as a leader within one of the most challenging eras in education. It is chock-full of strategies and suggestions that can be immediately implemented and measured for impact.
Lynn Macan
Retired Superintendent
Quote by Debra Paradowski, Associate Principal, Mukwonago High School: This book provides a roadmap for leaders by defining resilience as actively leveraging difficult experiences for personal and organizational growth. It provides the right habits; leaders can create a positive and empowering environment that benefits everyone involved. This is a resourceful tool that won't sit on a shelf.
This book provides a roadmap for leaders by defining resilience as actively leveraging difficult experiences for personal and organizational growth. It provides the right habits; leaders can create a positive and empowering environment that benefits everyone involved. This is a resourceful tool that won't sit on a shelf.
Debra Paradowski
Associate Principal, Mukwonago High School
Quote by Katie Ann Schafer, Principal, Pine Island Middle School: This book is ideal for school administrators and aspiring leaders seeking practical tools to balance personal well-being with professional impact. It is a comprehensive, empowering resource that inspires growth, resilience, and lasting change in schools. Ten thoughtfully crafted chapters provide simple strategies for school leaders to balance priorities, overcome challenges, and elevate their impact on school communities.
This book is ideal for school administrators and aspiring leaders seeking practical tools to balance personal well-being with professional impact. It is a comprehensive, empowering resource that inspires growth, resilience, and lasting change in schools. Ten thoughtfully crafted chapters provide simple strategies for school leaders to balance priorities, overcome challenges, and elevate their impact on school communities.
Katie Ann Schafer
Principal, Pine Island Middle School
Quote by Leslie Standerfer, Assistant Superintendent of Academics, Buckeye Union High School District: As a veteran administrator, this book helped me reflect on where I have been as a leader (strengths and weaknesses), where I am now, and what I can do to be better moving forward. It left me energized and reminded me of my why for being an educational leader.
As a veteran administrator, this book helped me reflect on where I have been as a leader (strengths and weaknesses), where I am now, and what I can do to be better moving forward. It left me energized and reminded me of my why for being an educational leader.
Leslie Standerfer
Assistant Superintendent of Academics, Buckeye Union High School District
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    Other Titles in: Leadership | Reflective Practice | Social/Emotional Leadership