Education is a concept that creates many added values in terms of meaning and function. Today, when education is mentioned, schools come to mind. One of the most fundamental factors in determining the effectiveness of schools is school principals. The purpose of this study is to determine whether school principals are managers or leaders while performing their duties. In this context, a qualitative approach was followed in the research in order to provide in-depth information. Methodologically, the phenomenological method used in qualitative research was used. A semistructured interview form developed by the researcher in accordance with the necessary procedures was used as a data collection tool. The data obtained were analyzed by descriptive analysis method. As a result of the research, according to the perspective of the teachers participating in the research, administration is defined as providing discipline, providing education with rules, and managing, while leadership is defined as leading, strong oratory, and caring about the audience. It was revealed in the results that being an executive school principal has more negative consequences than being a leader school principal, and that these negative consequences are insecure, monotonous environment and high number of sanctions for executive school principals, and lack of rules and chaos of authority for leader school principals. Limited to the school principals who participated in the research, it was seen that they behaved more like administrators than leaders in their schools.