Product reviews for The Unexpected Leader

The Unexpected Leader is a must-read for those who find themselves thrust into an unfamiliar leadership role where they don't quite “fit”. Iesha's honest account of her own journey into leadership is humbling and uplifting, offering hope to those who may be struggling with the challenges that the role can bring. And by carefully weaving her own experiences around the narratives of other “unexpected” leaders, her moral integrity shines through as she shares a set of key principles to help leaders lead with values-driven integrity, even during the toughest of times.

Iesha's alternative model of what leadership can look like is much needed, helping us to recognise that leaders don't have to fit into a pre-defined mould. It is the perfect antidote to the many management books that offer off-the-shelf solutions to improving standards without paying due attention to the fact that leadership is a messy, difficult and sometimes fraught experience.



I hope that as more people read this book, it brings them the tools and confidence to fully embrace their strengths as unexpected leaders. There is plenty here for the education sector as a whole too as it grows in its ability to recognise and nourish these individuals on their journeys.