The purpose of this literature review is to produce a list of essential knowledge and skills for beginning principals. Research on the principalship falls into two distinct categories: prescriptive and descriptive. Prescriptive research emphasizes the perceived or idealized role of the principal as "bold innovator" or "creative manipulator." Indepth descriptive research studies, on the other hand, reveal the principal as not so much an instructional leader as a master of human relations, a crisis intervenor, and a listener and counselor. Discrepancies between the perceived and the actual role of the principal could be reduced if the theoretical training of administators better reflected actual practice. Departments of educational administration responsible for preparing administrators should place more emphasis on people-handling skills, and school districts should focus on this quality in selecting principals. Administrative internships, for example, can play a significant role in narrowing the gap between the perceived and the actual. The document concludes with two lists: (1) topics that should be covered in administrative theory courses (including management theory, public and human relations, education technology, and psychology); and (2) skills the researcher believes are necessary for a beginning principal (including motivation, crisis intervention, and delegating). (Author/PB)