High school principals' behaviour towards developing leadership skills: A sample of bartin province

The purpose of this research is to examine the behaviours of high school principals on developing their leadership skills. Thus, the study shed light the current and newly appointed high school principals on developing their leadership skills. From this aspect, this research is important. It is also important because there is no other study in the literature on the behavior of school principals to develop leadership skills and it will a guide for those who will make new studies on this subject. This study was carried out in a single case study model, which is one of the qualitative methods. While forming the study group of the research, the easily accessible sampling method based on volunteering was used. The research data were collected with the individual interview technique. A semi-structured interview form was used as a data collection tool. While preparing the semi-structured interview form, a literature review was made and expert opinion was asked for. The data obtained from the interviews were analyzed using the content analysis method. As a result of the study; it has been concluded that there are opportunities for school principals to develop their leadership skills through individual development activities, formal-informal trainings and development activities, and to train themselves as educational leaders. Having easily accessible individual development activities, no time and space restrictions, experience for development, experience provided by learning and doing and social development activities (colleague solidarity, experience sharing, manager observation, exchange of ideas), formal-informal trainings and studies for leader development and professional development opportunities (mentoring, coaching) are important in terms of leader development. In addition, it has been concluded that some of the school principals see themselves in the role of management, some in the role of leadership and others in the role of situational behaviours (leader, principals or manager), and that school principals who will act as educational leaders should also have some personal, social and managerial characteristics. Key Words: Leadership, Educational Leadership, Administrator, Leadership skills, School principal.