Administrative isolation involves the absence of colleagues to share problems, seek advice, offer and receive feedback, and obtain valid information regarding one's professional effectiveness. This condition of administrative isolation is exacerbated for women in administrative roles who are further isolated by their minority status. This paper describes the creation, development, and maintenance of two professional support groups of women managers. The first group was formed with the intent of developing a professional support system, and all of its members came from the same school system. The second group was convened to develop an instrument for obtaining data on administrative effectiveness; implicit in the design, however, was the formation of a professional support system. The members of the group were drawn from different school systems. Additionally, the paper describes the experience of a male group of educational leaders engaged in the development of a professional effectiveness instrument. Impressionistic comparisons are offered between the men's and women's groups. Finally, the two conditions favoring the development and maintenance of such groups are discussed. (Author/MLF)