Leadership is one of the most powerful of human qualities. Though it is yet to be agreed whether leaders are born or made, there is no debate as to the power that anyone who is considered a leader wields.

Leadership involves getting others to voluntarily submit, follow and work towards a vision that they believe is for the greater good. Good and bad leadership is relative to which side you fall on. Those behind it believe that they are under good leadership because they see themselves working to achieve something greater. Leadership is always identified due to the following it has and will usually not have a defined structure. The need for structure will normally arise after the leadership has already been established. It is nature creating a hierarchy through which a group will move to the next level. Leadership provides direction though it may not always have the means to get to the destination it is directing others.

There are certain qualities that demonstrate leadership and which set leaders apart. The first and most important is that leadership must relate to a vision and convince others that it is better than the current situation. It causes others to have a strong desire to work towards that which they have been shown is greater than the present. The leadership must be prove to be affected by the problem and will explain how getting out of it will benefit it and the rest who choose to follow. Another important quality is motivation. Leadership must always keep the followers motivated and inspired to willfully want to work, often without immediate profit to them towards the specified vision. Though many may not be aware of this, leadership also requires emotional involvement. This is actually the most powerful aspect of leadership. When leadership demonstrates that is emotionally in touch with its followers, they will be ready to go even further to reciprocate.

There are different styles of leadership though all of which involve a vision, emotion and inspiration. Authoritarian leadership leaves no choice to the followers except to follow what has already been decided for them and will have them believe that going contrary will result in serious repercussions to the individual or the group as a whole. Democratic leadership provides the vision and allows the people to participate in decision making. There is shared responsibility and it allows a greater freedom for the followers to participate in taking up responsibility. Finally there is delegative leadership which leaves the people to decide on how to achieve what needs to get done. This is commonly found in leadership levels where a group has the same level of authority.

Whether leadership is acquired or inherited may not yet be comprehensively answered, however this is one of the greatest gifts that nature can bestow on an individual. It encompasses wisdom, courage, character, faith, eloquence and many more qualities that cause others to not only believe in the vision but also in the one who carries this vision.