what makes a leader?

I was recently nominated for a leadership institute. The review committee sent a couple of questions to nominees. One asked, "what makes a leader?" Then we were supposed to describe how we fit that criteria. Thankfully, this answer was in writing, which gave me time to contemplate my answer and not just spew out the first thing that came to mind.

I found the process of defining a leader a useful exercise. For readers who may not know, I used to teach an undergraduate leadership course at the University of Kansas. I have spent years reading about leadership. Each year I attend the Leadership Summit as an annual ritual. So, it's not as if I haven't spent hours thinking about this topic before. What is interesting is how experience has continued to shape this definition. What is encouraging is how many exceptional leaders I have witnessed over the years.

So, I pose this question to you - what makes a leader? Specifically, what are the characteristics of a good leader?

just Sheri, a student of leadership