Book excerpt: Strengthen and hone your strategic leadership skills for effective school planning! This is an essential guide for new and veteran school leaders focused on strategic planning, data-driven decision making, and transformational leadership. A comprehensive and practical handbook, it provides nine steps to strategic planning, plus guidelines for promoting a vision and mission, using data to empower and implement change, evaluating school programs, and moving from micro-political to transformational leadership practice. This last volume in a seven-part leadership series features examples, and best practice, including: Insightful questionnaire and response analysis Case study with reflective questions "What You Should Know About" sections framing each chapter Self-assessment resources for leadership effectiveness "In-Basket Simulations" exploring real-life examples For leadership that can empower and transform a school community, this insightful volume provides a sure-footed path for leaders seeking to foster and manage effective and lasting change.