In the last 20 years, various authors have drawn attention to the affective aspects of educational institutions, teaching and educational leadership. In this article, the authors intend to connect affects, actions, power and influence, thereby establishing the central place of affects in educational leadership theory and practice; and to develop an affective paradigm for educational leadership theory and practice. To achieve those intentions, the authors have analysed relevant sources and synthesised substantive concepts to develop a theoretical framework and a coherent argument. The authors have also drawn upon their experience as teachers/leaders in diverse educational settings. The article starts by exploring the nature of affects, distinguishing between the different forms, and reflecting on the problematics of researching feelings. In the section that follows, the authors consider the nature of emotions and analyse the role of feelings in initiating social actions. They go on to establish an affective paradigm for analysing, understanding, and theorising educational leadership practice. The authors then illustrate different interpretation perspectives that fall within the paradigm. In the last main section, the authors recap on the analyses and finish with some concluding comments.