In going ahead and showing the way, leading can be seen as a process of changing. The busyness of day-to-day leadership in schools and other educational facilities bears witness to the necessity of leaders' "thinking on their feet" as they strive to resolve multiple issues. However, the constant pressure or stress of this lifestyle has its price for leaders, with burnout, chronic illness and early retirement rates increasing. In responding to this debilitating state of affairs, this article explores an alternative and more holistic way in which leaders can engage in the process of changing. It proposes that "change" is more than a one-off event and that the process of "changing" involves leaders participating in inner as well as outer work to enable a sustainable leadership that is personally and professionally empowering.