Campuses are often in flux. When school leaders seek immediate solutions for problems, the status quo gives way to the next big thing. The new program brings excitement and hope yet some anxiety as teachers scramble to learn and apply it successfully. In a few short months, however, when things are not working quite as they should, teacher resolve starts to fizzle. The boom of the new gives way to the bust of undelivered promises. But the recurring conditions in this familiar pattern can be identified and, eventually, changed to result in real, ongoing professional growth. In this article, the authors argue that real professional growth is slow but ongoing and requires content knowledge, critical inquiry, and a professional culture. They discuss an approach to instructional leadership which is designed to ensure that the highs and lows of "next big thing" professional development efforts are replaced by the tempered process of a professional learning community. When principals adopt this approach that focuses on content, inquiry, and community building, teachers will make slow but steady improvement.