Teach, Lead or Leave: What to do when you can't do it anymore - Paperback

by Jenny Cole (Author)

After 12 years as a principal, Jenny Cole walked out mid-meeting and never returned. That spectacular moment of burnout taught her everything she needed to know about the impossible choices facing educators today.

Teach, Lead or Leave is the honest, practical guide for every big-hearted teacher and leader who has ever whispered, 'How much longer can I keep doing this?' It's not a book about convincing you to stay or go - it's about helping you make a conscious, informed decision that aligns with who you are and what you need to live a deeply satisfying life.

Backed by personal stories, research-backed frameworks, and real experiences from educators across Australia, Jenny offers six distinct pathways forward. Whether you choose to stay and reshape your role, step into leadership, pause to rest and reset, pivot sideways within education, ease out with grace, or leave entirely, this book provides the support you need to move from restlessness to intentional action.

Complete with reflective prompts, practical tools, and frameworks for understanding your values, strengths, and purpose, Teach, Lead or Leave is the coaching conversation every educator deserves when facing one of the most important career decisions they'll ever make.