This study aims to understand turnaround principals’ perceptions of a leadership competency framework, the Brunei Darussalam School Leadership Competency Framework (SLCF), for supporting leadership qualities. This study adopts a qualitative approach where semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 turnaround school principals in Brunei Darussalam. Sixteen critical competencies are identified in the framework. It was found that turnaround school principals perceived the leadership competency framework as a benchmark for supporting their leadership capabilities for school improvement. Meanwhile, challenges associated with the competency framework,which could hinder principals’ leadership effectiveness are also identified, such as concerns regarding the abundance of competencies outlined in the framework, a lack of confidence in using the SLCF, and the problem that compiling all the evidence of the various competencies was time-consuming. This study is essential, as it demonstrates that school principals still need support to effectively build their confidence in utilising the leadership competency framework. Theoretical and practical significance is discussed in this study.