During a distinguished academic career, Professor Martin Thrupp alerted diverse audiences to the politics shaping educational practice in Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond. The focus of this commemorative article is on Martin's teaching legacy, in particular, the re-design and enduring impact of a compulsory postgraduate leadership paper at Te Kura Toi Tangata, University of Waikato. Key themes include the three neoliberal policy technologies of markets, managerialism and performativity, and the contested notion of context. Qualitative data from this year's online student cohort illustrate in representative ways the profound influence that adding politics to practice has had on their educational leadership thinking and practice. This attests to the ongoing importance of sociopolitical insight in informed, responsive and successful leadership praxis.