Leadership coaching is a process for principals who seek to become transformational leaders within their field. Leadership coaching involves high levels of reflective practices and additional tools for leaders to utilize to enhance their effective leadership practices. The purpose of this study was to identify coaching models that would be critical in guiding principals to become transformational leaders. The study identified three coaching models for principals to share their beliefs about coaching and effective leadership practices. The coaching models supported the concept of helping effective leaders reach their next level of competence with clarified thinking or meaningful action to achieve ongoing goals. This was a qualitative phenomenography research study. The researcher conducted interviews with 15 K-8 principals by sharing scenarios of leaders receiving support from three different coaching models. The coaching models utilized were transforming coaching, cognitive coaching and peer coaching. The following questions were addressed: RQ1. What do principals see as effective principal coaching practices? RQ2. How do principals view coaching to improve their leadership practices? RQ3. How do principals define leadership coaching and effective leadership strategies? An analysis of the qualitative data revealed the following recommendations. It is recommended school districts provide principals coaching support to become transformational leaders by utilizing effective coaching models. It is recommended school districts support a coaching model providing dedicated time to principals by including job embedded professional development on effective leadership practices. It is recommended a new leadership model be developed and utilized to support principals' growth in leadership skills. This new model might be titled the Blended Leadership model and it would include an external coach who would develop action plans and action steps with leaders to move an initiative forward in the organization. The other component of the Blended Leadership Model would be to incorporate a peer coach as internal support with structured time for principals to meet in each other's schools to walk through classrooms, and ask open ended questions to clarify principals' thinking, and problem solve. The peer coach component of the Blended Model would promote collegiality, trust and positive culture. [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.]