This study brings up three different groups of students thinking on leadership as a phenomenon. By the use of concepts from other leadership studies in a questionnaire the study aims to verify or falsify our pre-conceived conceptions of leadership in three fields of work areas or practices. In the quantitative part of the questionnaire the three groups shows similar tendencies in their preferences and appraisals of leaders characteristics. In the qualitative part respondents describe what they see as admirable characteristics in role models as well as their own ideal leadership in action, all in their own words. The result is a more balanced and profound picture of similarities and differences between the three groups of respondents. Keywords: leadership, organizational behaviour, leadership research methodology.