| This article reports on a broad-scale study in the field of leadership and gender. It is based on research into some 400 male and female principals in Victoria, Australia, between 1996 and 1999. While confirming previous claims that there are significant differences in the perceptions and beliefs of male and female leaders, it acknowledges the importance of organizational cultures and values systems. It argues for a sophisticated research lens which comprehends the complex interactions between principals and the contexts in which they work. Findings with regard to students, teachers and parents are explored with reference to variables such as level and size of schools, sectorial values and student gender. These are linked to an argument that male and female leadership in Australian schools takes multiple forms and that differences within a gender can be as important as differences between them. |