The purpose of this paper is to describe actual on-the-job behaviors of a sample of principals working in a large city school district. Specifically, the principals were asked how they define their role and how they use their authority to provide a stabilizing influence for the organization. The key organizational maintenance efforts of principals, revealed by the study, include maintaining disciplinary order in the school, keeping outside influences and staff conflicts under control, and keeping the school supplied with adequate resources. Among the discretionary mechanisms employed are event management, behavior and image control, community involvement, staff reward and punishment, and the principals' use of the system to their best advantage. An extensive review of the literature is included. (Author/LD)