In 1991, Dr. Lorraine Monroe founded the Frederick Douglass Academy, a public school in Harlem, in the belief that caring instructors, a disciplined but creative environment, and a refusal to accept mediocrity could transform the lives of inner-city kids. Today the Academy is one of the finest schools of its kind in the country, sending graduates to leading colleges and universities. Monroe succeeded in her experiment by developing a unique leadership method through decades as a teacher and principal in some of America's toughest schools, which she calls the "Monroe Doctrine." In this plainspoken book, Monroe describes her journey as an educator and the evolution of her understanding of leadership through pithy, memorable rules and observations. She offers spiritual and practical advice on how to create a great school or transform a troubled one - however formidable the obstacles. She also shares her own remarkable life story; one which demonstrates how the vicissitudes of life can become great opportunities for growth and achievement.