With growing evidence about the critical period of birth to age 5 for child development and learning, the imperative to professionalize the early childhood education workforce has never been greater. In this follow-up to "The New Early Childhood Professional: A Step-By-Step Guide to Overcoming Goliath", the authors share lessons learned from their work with thousands of practitioners. They focus on four Guiding Principles for leading change: the need to "Respect" diverse opinions, to seek "Equity," and to acknowledge the field's "Strengths" while doing the hard work to enhance "Competence." This book: (1) defines each Guiding Principle and examines how it impacts individual practitioners, early childhood programs, public policies, and professional systems; (2) identifies potential asymmetrical conflicts related to the Principles to demonstrate the imbalances that exist; (3) presents a diversity of voices from the field of early care and education; (4) provides a summary with a bottom-line analysis focused on achieving balance; (5) offers strategies for "facing Goliath" designed to accelerate a new reality for the field; and (6) includes questions for reflection to help readers relate each Principle to their own circumstances. With a strategic emphasis on building professional communities, strengthening professional capital, and working together to craft solutions, "Guiding Principles for the New Early Childhood Professional" presents a clearer vision of a unified future in early childhood care and education. [Foreword by Marcy Whitebook.]