Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as its effects on education in general, has influenced the leadership landscape of school principals, which may have necessitated adaptations and transitions in their leadership orientation. To better comprehend any variations in the leadership orientation of school principals in response to the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examines leadership orientation in both the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods. Design/methodology/approach: In this quantitative research, the authors collected data from 297 school principals in the Balochistan province of Pakistan using the leadership orientation survey (LOS) in a quantitative research approach. Findings: The results indicated that principals' leadership orientation underwent an observable transition before and after the pandemic. Principals' preferred leadership orientation notably changed from solely political before the pandemic to a combination of highly political and symbolic after the pandemic. Research limitations/implications: Using a survey, the study investigated the transition in school principals' leadership orientation before and after the pandemic. However, the results do not explain what caused the transition in principals' leadership orientation, which is the key limitation of this study. Future research within a qualitative approach can study the factors associated with changes in principles' leadership frames. Practical implications: The overall findings of the study have implications for scholars, policymakers and educational leaders to reexamine and gain a deeper understanding of the leadership roles of principals in the post-pandemic age. This is because principals now operate in a distinct context characterized by new difficulties and opportunities compared to the pre-pandemic period. Originality/value: This is an original study that examined the transition of school principals' leadership orientation before and after the pandemic. The body of literature related to the transition between pre- and post-pandemic is limited both in Pakistan and the rest of the world. This study illuminates the literature in this regard.