For me, leadership is more than a title. It's more than just being in charge. Leadership is honesty, learning, listening and, above all, application. Leadership means going the extra mile or two, doing the right thing no matter who is watching, staying encouraged and encouraging others even when times are tough and you have every reason to quit. Leadership doesn't mean you're rich, famous, well-liked, or respected, but it does mean you're passionate, caring, and authentic. Leadership means you care so much about something that you are willing to risk everything you have for that belief or idea. Leadership is about doing everything in your power to make things better for those around you. Although the definition of leadership is important, the characteristics that make a person a leader are equally important. A leader must be inspiring, he must be able to invite and welcome others. They need to make those around them feel like they can get things done and that they know the right way to do those things. This personality trait is one of the most important that leaders must possess. As a leader you need to be charming and convincing, someone others are willing to follow, you can lead if no one follows you. Whatever cause you lead, you must be able to not only follow, but also believe in yourself and your cause. Then inspire them to see the same goal/dream as you. You can invite others by being authentic, original, new, or by having the ability to put a new spin on old problems. No one wants to hear the same old solution for every problem. People are willing to try new and bold things if they have the right leadership, which is why inspiration is so essential to good leadership. As a leader you will also be a middle of paper...... around them, their peers, their friends, their family, their community and the whole world, in simple terms they lead by compassion. If convictions are the lungs, compassion is the heart. After listing the characteristics and means of leadership, it is time to see how I fit in as a leader. I would like to think that I am a good leader. I know I'm not perfect but I also know that I don't really care about those around me and I have a strong belief in leaving this world better than it was when I came here. I prefer to lead by example rather than by words. I like to inspire, encourage and enlighten those around me. I would like to think my leadership style is also subtle, where people follow by choice not by force, leaders see if they then hear. I don't really care about the personal gain I receive from my action, that's not why I do what I do