Findings of a study that examined the relationship between principals' behaviors and faculty commitment to collaborative action research are presented in this paper. Methodology focused on the actions of six elementary, middle, and high school principals who participated in Project LEARN, a collaborative action outreach service of Washington State University, Vancouver. Data were obtained from onsite observations and faculty interviews and surveys. Findings suggest that the principals' leadership behaviors had a primary influence on their schools' organizational cultures and the level of professional discourse. Principals who successfully created transformation in their teachers created partnerships with them in pursuit of teaching and learning and rewarded professionalism. Successful collaborative inquiry is enhanced by a manageable school size, the availability of mentoring opportunities, and administrators who understand the impact of organizational culture on teacher commitment. Four tables and one figure are included. (Contains 29 references.) (LMI)