The first part of the study involved interviewing leaders in executive positions in national correctional agencies and professional associations. These nine leaders identified 70 exceptional senior-level leaders in corrections, who were asked to complete two leadership inventories and a demographic questionnaire. Fifty-five leaders took part. Results suggested that leaders in corrections both understand and transcend the traditional corrections culture. Effective correctional leaders go beyond managerial tasks to adapt to a new paradigm that incorporates risk-taking, provides a vision of the future, and fosters cooperation both internal and external to their organizations. Strategies that may assist a leader in creating an atmosphere of continuous improvement include mentoring relationships among various levels, weekly or monthly meetings as forums for discussions of management and leadership theory and practice, and the creation of teams as centers for problemsolving and decisionmaking. Tables, figures, and 29 references