TY - JOUR AB - Educators have a comparative advantage over other professionals when it comes to leadership development. They should exploit it in the years ahead to improve the enterprise for which they are responsible. Whether they can capture the moment, take advantage of their deeper understanding of teaching and learning and skirt some of the expensive miscues that prevent others from being an effective force in leadership development remains to be seen. This article assembles and discusses the components necessary for making the most of the present set of circumstances. It explores the terrain of contemporary initiatives in leadership development, critiques the assumptions on which they are based, and makes a case for the more cost‐effective deployment of experiential approaches to educating leaders. VL - 12 IS - 2 SN - 0951-354X DO - 10.1108/09513549810204450 UR - https://doi.org/10.1108/09513549810204450 AU - Kaagan Stephen S. PY - 1998 Y1 - 1998/01/01 TI - Leadership development: the heart of the matter T2 - International Journal of Educational Management PB - MCB UP Ltd SP - 74 EP - 81 Y2 - 2024/03/28 ER -