The aim of the study is to find out how teachers’ expectations on their school leaders influence the principal role in practice. The research questions are: 1) How do the realistic expectations differ from the more idealistic ones? 2) How do teachers’ and principals’ expectations differ in real situations? 3) What are the principals’ view of the implications, when it comes to shape the leadership role? The study is framed within social psychological and organization development perspective. The results show that there are differences in the realistic and idealistic expectation. The significance of the study is the focus on the relations between teachers and their principals and how norms are constituted in real situations and shape the school leader role.