This paper describes a professional development process for principals centered on collaborative inquiry and reflection around case stories--written and oral descriptions of real-life leadership situations. In small, collegial groups, principals are invited to write, tell, and listen to each other's case stories about dilemmas in the workplace. In contrast to the case study, in which participants learn vicariously through other people's cases, the case-story model invites principals to learn by telling their own personal experiences as practitioners. The story form is a dominant sense-making tool, helping to bridge the gap between action and thought. The basic model requires at least 3 hours and involves 5 steps: (1) freewriting, a warmup exercise on writing about and discussing hot topics in small groups; (2) writing case stories; (3) telling, listening to, and discussing case stories; (4) reflecting as a small-group; and (5) reflecting as a whole-group. The process encourages introspection, fosters collaboration and collegiality, and facilitates group sense-making. Risks include writing difficulties for many, development of polished "war stories," and the danger of "group think." However, possibilities for "real talk" can potentially support underlying and deeper unity among people. (Contains 11 references.) (MLH)