Findings from a study that explored differences in the definition and operationalization of leadership between mainstream and disadvantaged groups are presented in this paper. The "fuzzy concept operationalization method" was used to define leadership traits in two groups of leaders participating in two different leadership training workshops: 12 black community leaders and 9 white educational administrators. Findings indicate that the white group used abstract terms to define leadership, while black respondents described leadership in more concrete forms. White and black leaders stressed motivation and resourcefulness, respectively. Both groups expressed agreement on such traits as communication, trustworthiness, concern, and decisiveness. A conclusion is that the definition of leadership should include personal traits, environmental and situational variables, and behavioral features. Findings account for changes in leadership ratings that may occur when standardized leadership inventories are applied to different cultural groups. The appendix contains ratings of leadership traits by key words. (12 references) (LMI)