The purpose of this book is to not only persuade leaders that action research is leadership, but that leadership can be more deliberate in promoting human dignity when leaders engage in a reflective process of continuous improvement.

An action research frame of mind is the impetus for efforts toward continuous improvement — dissatisfaction with what is the beginning of improvement! The caveat is that leadership is not a position, leadership is action. Those who want to make their work better, their service better, their clients, customers, stakeholders, children, or students better — are leaders, with or without a bureaucratic or hierarchical position.

Professional leadership, executive leadership, company leadership, and everyday leadership requires action and reflection on those actions to determine the effectiveness of the continuous improvement process.

The rationale for this book is to provide leaders at all levels with a framework that progresses through six steps of action and research from considering the challenge faced by the leader within an organization to reflecting on the improvement and next steps to continue the improvement process — thus Leading Up: From Problem to Possibility.