While leadership styles have been extensively examined, cultural biases implicit within research methodologies often preclude application of results in foreign contexts. To more holistically comprehend the impact of culture on leadership, belief systems were empirically correlated to both transactional and transformational tendencies in public schools from 38 different countries. Results revealed that desires to obey authority and tradition are strongly correlated to both leadership styles. These values may clarify expectations, thereby facilitating effective leadership and organizational behaviors on a global scale. Respect for others, a desire to work for social good, and a need to act both independently and creatively were significantly related to the transformational approach. These values indicate that an individualistic and egalitarian self-concept fosters transformational behaviors. Finally, lack of gender egalitarianism and emphasis on monetary gain predicted the presence of transactional strategies, suggesting that clear role differentiation is required to successfully utilize rewards and punishments. Collectively, study of cultural beliefs yielded new insights for the enhancement of educational leadership, training, and evaluation.