"Taking the Lead" is an initiative of The Center for Career Development in Early Care and Education at Wheelock College, working in partnership with other national organizations and government policymakers. The initiative is intended to build the capacity of the early care and education field to improve program quality by: (1) improving access to leadership development opportunities, building infrastructure, and expanding skills of new and existing leaders; and (2) advancing the development of a director credential for administrators/directors of early care and education programs. This 26-minute videotape presents interviews with emerging leaders, mentors, and collaborators at 4 of the 10 "Taking the Lead" sites nationwide to illustrate important lessons and guidelines culled from 2 years of intense leadership development activity. Each of the four programs used a novel approach to leadership training embedded in community values: using mentors in church-based child care programs in Virginia and Chicago, developing a professional association in Massachusetts, initiating a director credential in Oklahoma, and developing leadership training using traditional Eskimo values. Five essential elements of leadership common to the four programs are identified as predictive of program success: (1) community partnerships; (2) cultural/community context; (3) relevant/innovative content; (4) mentoring; and (5) opportunities to exercise leadership. An accompanying facilitator's guide describes the videotape, provides a list of pre- and post-viewing discussion questions, and suggests ways that facilitators might focus on the five essential elements of leadership development. The guide also lists quotations from the videotape to be used as the basis for writing assignments or as topics for discussion groups. (KB)