Book Information
Teacher leadership has been associated with positively impacting student success, improved faculty morale, and increased teacher retention and job satisfaction. However, many PreK-12 teachers still feel as though they are “just a teacher” and must leave the classroom to become a true leader. Based on the premise that leadership isn’t about a title but about influencing others through character, courage, and service, this book will help you expand your ability to positively affect students and colleagues within your school, district, and community.
Designed for individuals, groups, or entire districts, this book offers practical, “Use on Monday” strategies that focus on your personal and professional growth.
Inside, you’ll learn how to:
- Develop a powerful personal mission statement
- Manage conflict with courage and consistency
- Promote a positive culture and climate based on your core values
- Develop authentic professional relationships
Whether you’re already in the classroom, preparing to become a teacher, or an administrator looking to develop leadership capacity among your staff, this book is your essential roadmap.
Book Reviews
Dr. Jochum’s “You Don’t Have to Leave to Lead” redefines what it means to lead as an educator. Grounded in research and rich with real-world insight, it celebrates the power teachers already hold to shape culture and inspire change without stepping away from their students. Dr. Jochum embodies the character, courage, and heart he writes about, making this book both a reflection of his leadership and an invitation for others to lead where they are.
Tabatha Rosproy
2020 National Teacher of the Year
Over the past 10 years, I have advocated for teacher leadership and voice in school districts. You Don’t Have to Leave to Lead gives a roadmap on how to do this and captures the essence of what great teaching and leadership are all about—service, influence, and purpose. Dr. Jochum reminds us that true leadership begins in the classroom, where teachers inspire change and build capacity every day. His work provides both practical tools and renewed vision for empowering educators to lead from their current position. This book is a powerful affirmation that the heart of leadership in education beats strongest in our teachers.
Dr. Randy Watson
Kansas Commissioner of Education
Chris Jochum gets it. He understands that leadership in education isn’t about titles, it’s about influence, courage, and service. You Don’t Have to Leave to Lead shines a powerful light on the leadership already living inside our classrooms. As someone who has spent my career helping schools strengthen culture, climate, and commitment, I can tell you this book is a must-read for every educator who wants to make a difference right where they stand. It’s real, it’s practical, and it will remind you why you chose this work in the first place.
"Stand Tall" Steve Bollar
Education Leadership Expert, Author, and Speaker
What an inspiring and rich collection of wisdom for the ‘game changing’ focus on Teacher Leaders and the reality and potential to impact and change lives by the thousands. With a rich, well researched, and practical framework provided by an exemplar practitioner, Chris provides credible, practical, and impactful insights into a role that can easily drive transformative impact. As we know from decades of research in the world of education, those districts that stand out know that the role of teacher leaders is a critical difference maker at the building and district level–and on generational impact. Thanks for also highlighting that the belief and mindset of teachers as leaders is real –and it starts at the top with leading by example.
Brad Black
President & CEO, HumanEx Ventures
For every educator who’s ever felt weary or unseen, Jochum’s words reignite purpose and offer actionable ways to lead and make an impact right from where you are. Educators don’t need to become more, who they are is already enough.
Jacki Mjoen
Middle School Math Teacher
Chris is a leading voice in education, and his book doesn’t disappoint. Chris lays out a blueprint for stronger leadership in our schools, not by hiring an outside organization but by empowering teachers to realize their potential and their influence on campus. Chris takes the plan from an idea to implementation through a workshop framework, sound advice and practicality. His book is easy to read and you will find yourself shaking your head in agreement while reading!
Todd Bloomer
Author, Coach, Mentor, Leader, Father, & Husband
A powerful, research-based guide that empowers teachers to lead from where they are. Dr. Jochum blends timeless scholarship with actionable strategies and reflection, inspiring educators to grow with confidence, clarity, and purpose. A must-read for every teacher ready to elevate their influence and impact within their classroom, colleagues, and school community.
Dr. David Arencibia
Author, Speaker, Trainer, and National Principal of the Year Finalist
What makes this book exceptional is its unwavering belief in the capacity of teachers to lead from within. The author provides a clear, practical, and inspiring roadmap for educators who want to expand their influence while remaining deeply connected to students and instruction.
Dr. Rodrick Lucero
Executive Director/Professor, Texas A&M University President/CEO, National Center for Clinical Practice in Educator Preparation
Chris Jochum’s You Don’t Have to Leave to Lead is an empowering and practical guide that reminds educators their influence begins in the classroom. Drawing on research and experiences Jochum provides actionable strategies to help teachers lead with purpose and impact from within their schools. The book celebrates educators as already enough—equipped with the mindset and ability to drive meaningful change. Inspiring and deeply grounded in practice, it’s a must-read for anyone seeking to strengthen leadership and community in education.
Dr. Jim Sutfin
2020 Nebraska Superintendent of the Year (Retired)
I highly recommend Dr. Jochum’s book to both current and aspiring leaders. Each section demonstrates Dr. Jochum’s deep expertise.
Dr. Matt Seimears
President, Lower Columbia College
Book Intro
I define leadership as influence though character, courage, relationships and service and believe it’s possible to improve people’s lives by improving their leaders. While great leaders are necessary for any organization to be successful, leadership isn’t for everyone. Therefore, I wrote this book to be a practical, real-world guide to leadership, which starts with a deep and critical understanding of yourself, your purpose, passion and interests and the extent to which you are willing to serve others each and every day by making sacrifices, addressing conflict, building relationships and effectively communicating.
While this book is set within the context of serving as a department chair in higher education, the principles and guiding questions are applicable to practically any leadership role within a college, university, public school system or private organization.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Dr. Walter Gmelch
Preface
Chapter 1: Becoming a Department Chair
Chapter 2: People Are Your Business
Chapter 3: It’s Not All About You
Chapter 4: Leadership Requires Courage
Chapter 5: Culture Matters
Chapter 6: The Culture You Inherit
Chapter 7: The Culture You Create
Chapter 8: Conflict Preparation
Chapter 9: Conflict Application
Chapter 10: Conflict Scenarios
Chapter 11: Crisis Leadership
Chapter 12: The Importance of Hiring: Part I
Chapter 13: The Importance of Hiring: Part II
Chapter 14: Student Leadership
Chapter 15: Mentoring and Moving On
Conclusion
Book Reviews
Christopher Jochum’s The Department Chair: A Practical Guide to Effective Leadership provides a guide to administration that both new and experienced department chairs will find valuable. The advice it contains is instantly applicable and practical for all types of institutions: large and small, public and private, growing and struggling. It’s exactly the sort of book I wish I’d had when I was first starting out as an academic leader.
Dr. Jeffrey L. Buller
Senior Partner, ATLAS Leadership Training
The Department Chair: A Practical Guide to Effective Leadership is a timely resource written from an experienced and highly successful department chair to readers who are considering or already serving as chair. Dr. Jochum succinctly guides readers to reflect on their motives for serving and the awesome responsibilities of leading faculty, staff and students and follows with a practical and ethical approach to effective leadership with numerous illustrative real-world examples. His guide is an important contribution in a critical area of higher education leadership that has received far too little attention to date.
Dr. Neal Schnoor
Chancellor, University of Nebraska at Kearney
The Department Chair: A Practical Guide to Effective Leadership by Christopher Jochum with its focus on the chairs leadership which requires courage, character and relationships is a welcome addition to the chair literature. The book contains many questions and challenges to chairs and potential chairs as to their motivation and fitness for the work. Jochum understands that chairs will only go as far as departmental people will take them so selection, thoughtful development and authentic relationships are critical. Following the suggestions and reflections can go a long way to being a departmental servant leader.
Dr. Daniel W. Wheeler
Professor Emeritus of Leadership Studies & Former Department Head, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
The Department Chair: A Practical Guide to Effective Leadership by Christopher Jochum, is as useful as it is relevant for examining effective leadership within higher education settings today. Dr. Jochum brings two decades of experience as a teacher education scholar and administrator to his comprehensive text and illuminates philosophical issues that face administrators (and their often unintended consequences), while it provides avenues for confronting them practically. At this historic moment—when institutional accountability for diversity, equity, and inclusion that is prodigious instead of perfunctory is being made at a range of educational institutions—the case studies, critical questions, and analyses contained in The Department Chair: A Practical Guide to Effective Leadership provide us with a concrete path onward
Dr. Jared R. Rawlings
Director of the School of Music, University of Maryland