Who is a Leader?

I keep wondering if leadership should be a thing of self-will or a post in which people should come to together and seek for a particular individual to rule over them. The weight and sacrifices expected of a great leader is so enormous to attain sweet success at the end .Which makes me ponder on this statement I jotted down from a leadership training I attended yesterday which says "when we use only our business skills to choose a leader without learning leadership skills we make a horrible mistake". To become a great leader it requires a great deal of skills. Leadership does not only entail talent,intelligence and in born attributes. I have come across people who seem not too important or who are not in the upper echelons in their families whose decisions matters a lot likewise in most offices also. I have also seen people who are respected only because of the positions they hold and when they cease to hold this positions they lose all the respect apportioned to them before.
                                                  Leadership can be learned by a purposeful person. One can learn to be a great leader.

John C Maxwell defines leadership as simply an influence I.e the ability to influence others around you to work even when they are not ready to work. leadership skills is teachable to become a great leader.

 Studies have shown that most great leaders were actually average or below average when they were in school. A large number of great leaders and men around the world were actually less performing pupils when they were in school and some even dropped out from school. This is to show that to become a great leader does not necessarily mean topping the class in school and coming out with excellent grades. The ability to influence depends on your ability to learn the leadership skills and exhibit it and become a great influence to your followers. It is believed that you are a great leader when people practice what you do and say because you have a great influence on them.

Some traits that defines a great leader:
1.Ability to show exemplary character.
2.Ability to know whether the followers actually follow your guidelines.
3.Ability to understand that the success of a great leader takes more than one person.
4.Ability to understand that "people don't care about who you are until they know you care".
5.Ability to command respect for your personality and not the position of authority you hold.
6.Ability to know that success is proportionate to your abilities.
7.Ability to understand the laws of leadership and execute the laws.
8.Ability to understand that leadership is a day to day process.

 I have come to learn that leadership is teachable and not just inborn,talent or inheritance to make a great leader. It is then we teach our dear young shall grow,our leaders of tomorrow leadership skills to make them great leaders of tomorrow.