Effective leaders are ordinary people who are able to produce extraordinary results. They have the ability to inspire and galvanise their people and create a long-term impact that continues to last even when they have passed on. Occupying a leadership position does not alone make one a leader-there is an abundance of such people in all walks of like who, despite being in positions of power and responsibility, fail to lead.

Great leaders build links with their followers through care and empathy. They act as coach and mentor to those who follow them.

Effective leaders are those who are able to articulate a clear vision and value system and motivate their people to work towards realising them. If the vision is comparable to achieving heaven, the value system is the religion used to achieve it. Yet, leaders are practical, political people. They understand the need for a workable strategy to translate their vision into reality.

Leaders have absolute belief in themselves, even to the point where they may appear arrogant to the uninitiated. Only such a degree of self-belief can help them overcome the vissicitudes of life. Such leaders can drive their followers to produce results far beyond all expectations. A true leaders do not bend in the face of what a crowd demands. They bend the crowd to their will and make it move in the direction they want.

Last but not the least, strong leaders do not vacillate. They hold steadfast to their vision and values. Yet, they are capable of being flexible in the tactics they adopt to attain their ends. And they do not allow limited success to throw them off their original goals or get too concerned about losing what has been achieved. They are risk-takers.