Leadership is a hot-button issue these days. Reformers depend on it. The public believes that it is what schools need more of. And private sector CEOs think they know exactly what it is and are anxious to share that knowledge with the "poor unwashed masses" of educational leaders. It is not surprising, then, that so many people are trying to make a living peddling their latest insights about effective educational leadership. In this article, the author discusses the meaning of leadership and the evidence about effective leadership practices. (Contains 4 tables.)