As policymakers worldwide have intensified regulations and expectations to enhance school principals' work as leverage for school improvement, their jobs have become increasingly stressful. The emotional dimension of leaders' influence has been acknowledged as important yet scantly researched in the Latin American context. In the current article we examine emotional meaning making among 12 novice principals engaged with practical tasks involved in school leadership and management. Data were produced through in-depth interviews conducted at the beginning and at the end of their first year in the position. Findings show that negative emotions predominated and that these were mainly elicited in situations involving conflicts with staff. Just half of these participants used emotions as a resource to build community and relational trust with staff, reporting more positive emotions. These findings are discussed in terms of the implications of how emotions impact principals' practices and interactions with staff.