Educational and healthcare institutions are profoundly human organisations. The smallest can be complex and idiosyncratic, even contradictory. Working and leading in such organisations demands multiple skills and dispositions. We have to balance long term, overarching visions with immediate demands. We have to use limited resources wisely and with imagination. Critically, we are challenged to appreciate the subtleties and nuances of each institution’s distinct character and culture. Vitally, these organisations exist to promote the well-being of our fellow human beings. This e-journal seeks to illuminate how emerging educational and healthcare professionals respond to leadership challenges in a variety of contexts.