This is a study of how the principal of a middle school with a toxic culture used his growing awareness and practice of Emotional Intelligence (EI) to help transform the culture of the school over a six year period. The time period was broken into three cycles. The first included his work under the superintendent present when he was hired into the district, a second cycle was during a time period when the district was headed by an interim-superintendent, and the third cycle was the time period when he was appointed as superintendent while still serving as the middle school principal.

For each of these cycles, Kottkamp's framework for reflective practice was applied to evaluate the principal's leadership theory-in-use, noting changes. Three evaluation instruments were also used: Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence-Leadership Report taken only by the principal that evaluated the principal's capacity for Emotional Intelligence, the Six Seconds Emotional Intelligence 360 which provides an assessment of how the members of the staff see the principal's use of EI, and the Organizational Vital Signs assessment which evaluates the climate of the school. The last two instruments were taken by members of the staff who had been in the district since the principal's first year. A written survey was also given to teachers who served as Unit Leaders in the school during the principal's first year.

The results indicate that change in the school culture has occurred. The data also suggest that the principal has the capacity for Emotional Intelligence and has developed his use of EI. There is evidence to suggest growth in his ability to develop positive relationships with the staff although there still appears to be some resistance among sub-groups in the school. There also appears to be a different perception between the principal and staff regarding their views of the principal's emotional intelligence performance.