Sorry to hear about your experience
In my experience, principals usually don't try to rock the boat too much when they first start working for a school for the very reason you appear to be describing: resentment. Teachers are used to doing things a certain way, and a SMART principal knows that when he/she comes on board. Changes need to be gradual from principals if they want the teachers' support. Good principals also know how to make the best use of the resources they have: the staff. They bounce ideas off of their staff at staff meetings. They aren't afraid to admit they are human and make mistakes. I know; I work with such a principal, but then, she feels very secure about herself, because she has years of experience in my school as a principal.
My feeling is that when principals act that way, they are feeling a little insecure about themselves. They are new, and want to be sure that their authority is respected and accepted. Unfortunately, your principal's actions are not going to contribute to having a good staff-administrative climate.
I once worked with a principal who was new, and whom the teachers grew to resent, because of his ideas. HE was the boss and didn't want any feedback from the teachers. What he said was THE LAW. The teachers snickered about him behind his back; he was often the topic of jokes from the members of the staff. Rather than being a fair and beloved administrator, he was regarded as a sort of Hitler.
