A rich description of the ways in which an effective principal utilizes symbolic leadership to develop shared school meanings and purposes is presented in this paper. Methodology involved the following: (1) individual and group interviews with 42 teachers, several other staff members, and the principal of an effective urban elementary school enrolling 800 students; (2) principal observation; (3) document analysis; and (4) teachers' logbook analysis. Findings indicate that this effective principal used empowerment through understanding and autonomy and a whole-language, hands-on process approach. In his first years at this school, the principal motivated improvement in language arts achievement; now there was an emerging mathematics and science emphasis. Most effective was the principals' use of symbolic language, resources, and time to enhance symbolic leadership. A limitation of the findings is that they constitute the researchers' constructed reality of the multiple realities existing within the school and the ethnographic description. An interview guide and taxonomy of symbolic leadership forms are included. (25 references) (LMI)