Principals play a vital role in setting the direction for successful schools. With the emphasis on preparing highly qualified school leaders for the 21st century, this article investigated aspiring school leaders' and their perception of preparedness to serve as instructional leaders, talent and organizational system managers. Particularly, the findings explore how various factors are associated with improving future school leaders' readiness to effectively carryout critical leadership responsibilities. The article concludes with recommendations for developing a well-designed educational leadership training program that prepares and supports future school leaders for an ever changing world.