Great leaders are born far-sighted. They look at things in a larger perspective and do not restrict their vision to things that are near at hand. The primary differentiator of a leader from a non-leader is precisely this far-sightedness. Besides this, there are certain other qualities that go into defining a true leader.

The ability to think differently: For instance, a leader who's able to ask "What can I get out of my team?" instead of a "What does my team want from me?", is the one whose team members go out of their way to help him realise his vision. The key, therefore, is to think differently and be innovative in one's approach to handling people in an organisation.

Trusting by delegation: Allocating tasks to team members with complete empowerment earns their trust. Once that is done, a sense of belonging sets in. Delegation is not just about assigning tasks. If team members believe that the leader trusts them, they go out of their way to do the tasks they are set with greater efficiency. A leader must be liberal in appreciating such extra effort-this goes a long way in acting as a morale-booster for the team members and, in turn, helps increase the productivity and efficiency of the organisation.

Decision-making: Decisiveness is one of the key traits a leader must possess. Indecision is the biggest risk in business and a leader cannot afford to be fickle-minded.

Finally, as a Chinese proverb goes: "All things come to the person who is modest and kind at a high position." A team will support a leader only if he is modest and kind. A humane leader undisputedly commands more respect from his team than a merely proud one.