This report presents information from discussions by the Institute for Educational Leadership Task Force on Teacher Leadership, highlighting dilemmas surrounding teacher leadership and suggesting that education's policymakers should exploit the experience and capacity to lead today's schoolteachers. Overall, the system has not been organized to treat teachers as leaders. Many contradictory images of teachers exist (e.g., teachers as the heart and soul of the school versus overworked, isolated employees). Most school superintendents and principals still have patriarchal notions of leadership. Too few teacher training institutions offer courses emphasizing professionalism and leadership. A commonly cited barrier to grassroots teacher leadership is the pervasive role of the national teachers' unions in teachers' work lives. However, the quest for professionalism appears to be gaining serious momentum. There are now countless positive examples nationwide, many in the form of intensified and greatly broadened teacher training programs. If teacher leaders are to successfully become involved in policy formation and decision making, they need help from teachers nationwide, school districts, teacher unions, higher education, business leaders, and the mass media. Steps that teachers can take to begin such efforts are presented, noting questions to ask when getting started. (Contains 25 references.) (SM)