This book, intended to be a hands-on guide and training tool, contains basic principles for new principals. Following an introduction, each of the book's 10 chapters focuses on one of the essential components of personal effectiveness. A highly effective principal is: (1) a communicator; (2) an educator; (3) an envisioner; (4) a facilitator; (5) a change master; (6) a culture builder; (7) an activator; (8) a producer; (9) a character builder; and (10) a contributor. Each chapter contains vignettes describing highly effective principals, true stories of principals on each of the 10 traits; a set of behaviors and habits, or benchmarks, for each of the traits; ideas, reflections, and advice regarding each of the traits in the words of more than 30 highly effective principals; and thoughts, epigrams, and aphorisms from a wide variety of noted thinkers, theorists, and philosophers regarding the 10 traits. Also included is a checklist of the nearly 100 benchmarks that define the 10 traits and a facilitator's guide for those who may want to use the book in professional development workshops or education courses. (WFA)