[A] Thinks positively. [B] Knows that principles are more important than rules. [C] Possesses a sense of humor. [D] Communicates facts that are hard to take. [E] Cares for others and their well-being. [F] Has integrity and authenticity. Much has been written about the tasks of leaders and the skills required for leadership. There has been considerable debate about the question of whether leaders are born or made. Likely behind these arguments is the difference between personal characteristics that some people have at birth and skills that one can acquire through education and practice. But the important personal characteristics, while they may seem innate in some people, can be cultivated, and indeed, require cultivation in all of us. For unless they are strengthened through conscious attention and cultivation, they can, for example, easily be forgotten or ignored in the frenzy of activity often associated with leadership. What are some of these characteristics? One could make many lists, but here are five personal traits that seem especially important. A good leader: 1. ______ An effective leader is 'genuine', internally and externally consistent. A good leader is one of whom it can be said, 'What you see is what you get'-- there is never any wonder as to whether the image, the 'person' presented to the world, really reflects the person. Such a leader has honesty--he/she says what he/she means, means what he/she says. A good leader has a consistency of purpose, operates out of discernible principles,and 'stands for' something worthwhile and detectable. Honesty and reliability require self-reflection, the ability to understand oneself honestly, the capacity to assess one's strengths and weaknesses accurately, and acceptance of one's self. 2. ______ A good leader takes responsibility seriously but never takes himself seriously. Such a leader can help people relax and get through tough situations in good spirits. 3. ______ A good leader understands that nothing except a great work of art can be done by one person alone--that something of lasting value is almost always the result of a group effort. But even more than that, a good leader genuinely is concerned with and interested in others. Such concerning means that a good leader is collegial, building a sense of group identity and purpose. A good leader 'brings out the best' in each of those who follow, seeks the development and advancement of each member of the group, and delights in each person's growth in ability and of character. A good leader rejoices in the success of group members without announce of jealousy. A good leader is deliberative, involving the group in decisions wherever possible and encourages, supports, and applauds the members of the group. 4. ______ One of the primary roles of the leader is to inspire hope, even in a difficult situation. This is not the same as being a Pollyanna. We think, for example, of Franklin Roosevelt's 'We have nothing to fear but fear itself' or of Desmond Tutu's observation about apartheid in South Africa that since 'it is difficult to be optimistic, one must have hope.' Such a leader empowers followers, making them believe that they can accomplish worthwhile but very difficult things. He actually creates energy in the group by being active without becoming unrealistic. 5. ______ A good leader understands that order is important to a group but that rigidity stultifies and destroys the followers' emotion state. Lasting, empowering order comes more from trust and the development of group norms than from regulations imposed by a leader. Doubtless, everyone would develop a somewhat different, and in many cases, a longer list of personal characteristics. But a leader who is conscious of such a list, who quest