Day and Leithwood (2007) note that researchers have paid little attention to school leaders' internal lives, with the exception of their values (Begley & Johannson, 2003) and cognitive processes (Leithwood and Steinbeck, 1995). In this paper we revisit the role of personal characteristics through case studies of three principals. As Headmaster of an independent Anglican school in a wealthy Australian suburb, Bruce Davis' high energy and moral purpose developed an outward facing school in which the pace of change was respectful of both relationships and traditions of the school. Michael Perez' optimism and moral commitment to serve the needs of recent immigrant adolescents has established an atmosphere of "critical care" (Anthrop-Gonzales & De Jesus, 2006) in this high poverty U.S. urban school. Students are held to high expectations, yet also provided the emotional and academic supports needed to achieve success. Hope and passion led Rosa Hope to engage Native American and Latino parents in this high poverty suburban elementary school on the U.S. - Mexico border and develop participatory and culturally responsive leadership (Johnson et al., 2011). Despite different contexts, these principals successfully employ optimism, moral commitment and an ethic of care to lead change and develop staff and students.