For American education to meet the challenges of the 21st century, skilled leaders are needed to transform struggling schools into high quality learning communities. Of all the tasks school administrators face, perhaps the greatest is developing quality teachers. We must energize, encourage, and motivate them and show them that the destination is worth the journey. This book describes how leaders use the change process to build relationships that lead to systemic reform. It identifies this process from analysis of conditions through: Vision, Team building, Developing an action plan, Overcoming resistance, Evaluation. Zimbalist believes that the pursuit of change is a personal journey toward an improved condition and that the human factor is the most powerful ingredient in any form of social interaction. It's about understanding, accepting, working with, motivating, and respecting people in any social environment. So how do school administrators keep the faith when consumed with the battle inside the arena? What do we say to overworked teachers who are pushed to the brink of a career change? Through humorous and personal stories, The Human Factor answers these questions and more.