This paper reports on a study of teacher leadership conducted in Alberta, Canada. Twenty-one school teachers and administrators were interviewed about their experiences with a provincial teacher-leader program in which they participated from 1997 to 2007. The participants were asked questions related to their experience in the program and how their participation in this initiative influenced their understanding of teacher leadership. Through an interpretive analysis of the data, we identified four themes that emerged from participant responses: (a) teacher leaders generally emerge through informal processes of leadership in their schools and school districts, (b) teacher leaders develop a broader understanding of educational leadership and policy when they work across jurisdictions and school contexts, (c) teacher leaders can be recruited into broader leadership roles by attending to their professional interests and passions, and (d) teacher leaders require flexible structures in the school that facilitate the development of trust and collegiality with their peers. We conclude that these themes play a crucial role in the development of teacher leadership. The findings of this study have implications for policy development, leader recruitment and retention, and teacher professional development approaches in schools.