This qualitative research study focused on examining the lived experiences and defining moments of K-12 school principals that have contributed to their authentic leadership development, along with how they foster authenticity in their daily lives through the use of self- awareness, relational transparency, balanced processing, and an internal moral perspective. The study used the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire in order to determine a cross-section of elementary, middle, and high school principals in Erie County, Pennsylvania defined as authentic leaders. Subsequently, the researcher contacted three of the highest scoring principals in each cross-section in order to conduct this phenomenological study through the use of semi-structured interviews. The researcher then transcribed, coded, and analyzed the content of the interviews to develop themes and identify key elements that contribute to the cultivation of authentic leadership in school principals. Through this study, the researcher aimed to better understand the development of authentic leadership and to identify the factors that impact its growth in an educational context. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]