The belief that leadership is a mystic attribute of the few have often resulted in the singling out of a small number of people who assumed the tasks and privileges of leading. Other people depended upon these few to see that plans were effectively carried out and responsibilities shouldered. Scientists, however, take nothing for granted., and psychologists, social psychologists and sociologists have just within the past ten years turned their attention to the subject of leadership. They have proved the workings of our society and discovered the crucial importance in a democracy of the many youth and young adult groups and their leadership patterns. Leadership can best be described as a set of services to a group, not as a personality.
Democratic leadership consists of a number of skills that can be learned and continuously improved.
It is not a personality trait which some people are born with or which only a it chosen few can acquire. When a leadership is democratically distributed among its members, a group operates more efficiently and effectively than when one person is expected to do all the thinking required for maximum group productivity. A major responsibility of leadership is to see that there is a continuous communication between the members of the group, in a climate of freedom and mutual respect, so that the group is constantly aware of its feelings, needs and expectations. Good leaders hip shows flexibility and change from one activity or situation to another. The kind of behavior or action which is good leadership in the one situation or in one group is not good leadership in another situation or in a different group.