But, the journey that matters as well – sometimes more so than the final result. Yes, a person who manages to lead her/his team to achieving a desired result, but will the team want to continue working this person on other projects? Did they enjoy working with her/him? To me, there has to be a balance between results and manner of reaching that result.

Everyone needs to make decisions on the actions to take. The thought process of each individual can be very different. Some base their judgement and actions on rational thinking, others on emotions and yet others on randomness. Yet we cannot deny the effect of external information on decisions made and actions taken. A leader, has in total (inclusive of reputation, charisma, values, skills, emotions, mindsets, titles, roles etc.) All these makes a them a character. In different situations, based on the information and the way an individual percieves people, they might choose to follow someone and thus confer the title of leader to that individual.

Yet if you look at this argument of what is a leader, you would realise that a leader is simply a person who makes others follow, either because of external means or by his/her own actions, thoughts etc. The 2 key characteristics of a leader then is precidence and followers. So to leaders can be trained and cultivated. All one has to do is to do or decide on something first and somehow convince others that is the way to go. Whether the end point is the edge of the cliff or utopia, that only determines whether the leader was good or not.

It’s interesting that you brought up these questions. Here are some opinions that I have to your questions:

1. A good leader is one who can make a few more good leaders: For years, I always think that to be a good leader, one has to be able to make good leaders so that the entire organization grow better.

2. Here’s a personal story I can tell you. I was not a leader when I was younger. As a matter of fact, no one thinks that I can be one when I was a high school student. I grew up learning the hard way how to be a good leader and through a few good role models, I realized what it takes to be a good leader. Over the years, with difficult life experiences, I learned that to be a good leader, sometimes you have to make difficult and harsh decisions. The art of it is always be prepare to make changes. I always think that if leaders are made by going through adversity, it defines character and will to succeed. I still stick by that view, after looking at my list of students and seeing which ones become good leaders and which ones become bad leaders.

3. Robert E Lee, a great general in the American Civil War once said this, “To be a good soldier, you must love the army. But to be a good officer, you must be willing to order the death of the thing you love. That is… a very hard thing to do. That is one reason why there are so very few officers. Although there are so many good men.” I think that it applies to entrepreneurs as well, but in very different circumstances and reality.

( one may say that this post is charismatic, visionary, inspirational and encouraging )

i have no comments but more questions to ponder:

1. can leadership be distributed? ( how about a team leadership with one with one quality each? )

2. are these qualitites all neccessities? In what circumstance are some of them not as important? ( hitler in war? )

3. do people all react the same with to nurturing of leadership? ( do u think darth vader and luke skywalker would react the same way to a leadership seminar by bill clinton? )

gwen – you should think about writing a manifesto for changethis.