Book excerpt: As public schools face hard times, disenchantment and the continual barrage of criticism call for more successful schools. The "soft" sides of leadership-trust, imagination, creativity, respect, and dignity-are the critical intangibles that connects people in deep and rewarding relationships to improve the climate for children and their ability to learn. Leaders who connect with people and build exciting relationships are needed, as teachers and other educators feel the loss of public support and esteem. Soft leadership begins with an introspective inquiry into leadership and the obligation leaders have to people, purpose, and relationships. Through the use of poetry and philosophical principles, Soft Leadership for Hard Times provides practitioners with a clear understanding of relationships that touch people and connect them to their calling and purpose. It addresses the need for leadership that does not take a re-engineering and a metrical approach to creating exciting places for teachers and students. This book will be of interest to superintendents, principals, and students of leadership.