Management by wandering around (MBWA) is the catalyst that brings teachers, aides, parents, and administrators together in the pursuit of excellent schools. This book, based on common sense and hundreds of years of experience, offers specific strategies and techniques for using MBWA to obtain excellence. The building blocks of school excellence, caring, openness, trust, and authority of expertise are discussed in chapter I. Practical suggestions are provided, along with an instrument for assessing these perceived building blocks' value. Chapter II discusses the types of leadership theories and styles that are compatible and incompatible with MBWA. Similarities and dissimilarities between MBWA assumptions and the Great Man theory; Theories X and Y; the managerial grid; and conflict management styles are presented. Chapter III deals with vision and the effective school leader and offers practical suggestions for developing a vision and communicating it. Promoting the improvement work ethic and necessity of viewing learning as a lifelong process are addressed in chapter IV. Key focal points to keep MBWA from being aimless meandering are discussed in chapter 5, while chapter 6 treats ways to deal with the marginal teacher. The final chapter reviews specific techniques for managing time and avoiding pitfalls that can trap and immobilize school administrators. Each chapter contains numerous references. Appendices offer winning strategies, sample parent surveys, teacher evaluation aids, sample disciplinary guidelines, and the Administrator Skills Inventory. (MLH)