In this speech, the author discusses how the principals of the public schools of Los Angeles are dealing with their role changes with regard to decisionmaking since the introduction of mandatory school-community advisory councils in each school. All principals involved in the study made use of, to varying degrees, manipulative strategies to influence advisory council members concerning the role of principal as legitimate decisionmaker and/or the degree and nature of council involvement in decisionmaking. Although the principal is an ex-officio, nonvoting member of the advisory council, most principals were found to be heavily involved in the planning of council meeting agendas, and a majority were also found to dominate council meetings. Data suggests that differences in impression management techniques by different principals may be explained by the presence of such conditions as the level of community and council support for the principal, socioeconomic status of the community, leadership ability of the council chairman, cohesiveness of the council itself, career contingencies, and the personality and the leadership style of the principal. (Author/DN)