Of course, communication and patience are also cornerstones of leadership. And as you will read in this section, there are so many other ways to define a good leader. It should also be noted that there have always been, and still are, leaders who defy almost everything listed in the upcoming pages. They prey on weakness, fear, and even desperation in people, and preach “better days” ahead if you follow their lead, which is rigid, actually an agenda, and not in the best interest of those who choose to (or are forced to) follow. They can be powerful leaders, but they are not improving the well-being of their followers or employees. Some major companies have had such leaders and seen disastrous results. Unfortunately, as we’ve seen throughout history, such leaders, in business or elsewhere, often attain some of their goals before losing their leadership positions. The point is, while we celebrate the positive potential of leadership in the upcoming pages, it’s worth noting that not all leaders are leading people in a positive direction. Fortunately, most are trying to.

Not all leaders are alike; in fact, they run the gamut from authoritative to leading by consensus. While they share the same title, they don’t share the same leadership abilities or qualities, many of which are not necessarily “in the manual,” so to speak.