<![CDATA[Principals face increasingly complex emotional demands in carrying out their roles, from meeting organizational expectations, supporting teacher needs, to managing the various dynamics of school life. Understanding how principals experience and interpret these emotional demands is crucial to deepening our understanding of the emotional dimensions of educational leadership. This study aims to explore how principals experience and interpret emotional labor in supporting teacher well-being. The study used an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach, involving five principals from public and private elementary schools. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed to understand how participants interpreted their emotional experiences in carrying out their leadership roles. The analysis yielded three interrelated themes: (1) emotional resilience in facing leadership challenges, (2) relational authenticity as a foundation for trust and support, and (3) reflective interpretation as a source of professional growth. The findings indicate that participants interpreted emotional labor not only as an effort to manage emotions, but also as a relational and reflective process inherent in their leadership practices. Participants described emotional labor as part of building trust, responding to teachers' emotional needs, and maintaining professional commitment amidst the complexity of the school environment. This research contributes to the development of emotional labor studies in educational leadership by providing an in-depth understanding of how principals interpret and manage emotional demands when supporting teacher well-being. The findings confirm that emotional awareness, authenticity, and reflective practice are perceived by participants as important aspects of their leadership experiences.]]>
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