Study after study has concluded that no matter how competently managed a school may be‎,‎ it is the bringing together of leadership and learning that makes the difference between ordinary and extraordinary performance‎.‎ Strengthening the Heartbeat offers leaders a clear and compelling way to help their schools achieve extraordinary results‎.‎ The proven principles outlined in this book can help any school build a culture of leadership and learning‎.‎ Thomas J‎.‎ Sergiovanni‎-a leading thinker in the educational leadership arena‎-shows how a strong heartbeat is a school‎'‎s best defense against the obstacles leaders face as they work to change schools for the better‎.‎ But strengthening the heartbeat of schools requires that we rethink what leadership is‎,‎ how leadership works‎,‎ what leadership‎'‎s relationship is to learning‎,‎ and why we need to practice both leadership and learning together‎.‎ Filled with illustrative examples‎,‎ Strengthening the Heartbeat shows how to build trust that leads to the creation of a vision and the building of a covenant that brings together principals‎,‎ teachers‎,‎ parents‎,‎ and students to honor shared values‎,‎ goals‎,‎ and beliefs‎.‎ When leaders are able to strengthen the heartbeat‎,‎ their schools become stronger and more resilient‎.‎ These qualities help leaders to share the burdens of leadership with others‎,‎ to create collaborative cultures‎,‎ and to be continuous learners‎.‎ Leadership inevitably involves change and change inevitably involves learning‎.‎ Using this book‎,‎ school leaders will have the tools they need to make their schools the best they can be‎.‎