It encourages people to think about the role of leader as something distinct from and partially in opposition to the role of citizen. Decades of studies on leadership have failed to uncover any meaningful set of physical or personality traits that make a person a leader. Indeed, in group settings the vast majority of people aspire to a leadership role regardless of their personality or interpersonal styles. Our practice of leadership has enormous implications for the relationship between leadership and citizenship. In democracies, leadership is best understood as a dimension of citizenship itself, distinctive only in that it involves special competencies.
Debates abound regarding the best ways to develop leadership competence.
For many programs this involves developing an awareness of social need on the one hand and self-esteem on the other. Young people need opportunities to connect to issues that concern them. They must see how individuals exercise leadership in these areas. One of the most persistent inhibitors of leadership may be our elitist and directive images of leaders. Leadership development programs, therefore, must create new images of leadership.