Principles are important because they guide your behavior as a leader.  

A "principle" is an a rule-of-thumb or code of conduct that you believe in. 

Examples of leadership principles 

• Standards - "This is how you define what's acceptable (or good)."
• Standards & expectations - "Standards apply to everyone...set expectations individually." 
• Expectation setting - "You can't give feedback if you haven't set an expectation!"
• Influencing behavior - "People have to trust you before they'll listen to you."
• Feedback - "People want to know where they stand." 
• Turnover - "Employees typically quit on bosses - not companies."