The article reanalyzes findings from a systematic review on the work situation and training needs of middle leaders in schools. Following an update search, 37 articles were analyzed and consistently reveal that middle leaders have trivial jobs that do not build their competence. Researchers conclude that they instead should be instructional leaders, observe teachers' work and give them feedback on their teaching. Having discussed this discrepancy, we ask how middle leaders can become instructional leaders. A thorough analysis of the articles revealed that experience is middle leaders' prime knowledge source. As policymakers and researchers increasingly refer to "the teaching profession," school middle leaders' experience-based, personal job situation was compared to how professions typically relate to knowledge, feel accountable and build leadership from within. In conclusion we argue that, supported by an educational infrastructure, teaching can become a knowledge- and inquiry-based, intellectual activity. The teaching profession and its leaders can collaboratively regain respect for teaching, build leadership capacity and restore societal trust through a transparent and intelligible system of intelligent accountability.