Purpose: This study explores the perceptions of the leadership team on knowledge creation in lesson study (LS) using P. Gronn's concept of hybrid leadership. Design/methodology/approach: This study included teachers from a public elementary school in Japan that has been engaged in autonomous LS for several years. Teachers (n = 8) from the leadership team of the LS practice for four years (2016-2019) were interviewed for the study. Findings: The findings are threefold. First, teachers in the leadership team most often referred to teachers' leadership practices as occurring in the phases of externalisation and combination, which are the important phases in the organisational knowledge creation process. Second, in the context of LS, the study found that teachers in the leadership team used three approaches to take the lead in knowledge creation, approaching the individual and the groups using tools. Third, using the concept of hybrid leadership helped detail the complexity of the leadership practices performed by the leadership team in LS. Originality/value: This study focusses on teachers in the leadership team in LS, which has been an overlooked topic in this field of research. In many Japanese schools where LS has been practiced for many years, leadership teams have been set up with certain expectations. The findings of this study highlight certain leadership team practices that will contribute to the development of a sustainable LS.