To me it's that mysterious, ethereal energy that motivates a person to rise above others, to assess a situation, and then act and take charge.
Leadership begins to sprout at a very young age.
Leaders and followers show their colors early on. If, in the presence of children, you use every opportunity to point out examples of leadership and good sportsmanship, you may feel that the children are not listening or understanding, but it's amazing how positive tidbits of someone's actions will be remembered by children and become a permanent part of their memory bank. Children like to remember good things, such as times when their own actions deserved special praise, or even how when someone else's deeds were praised, it reflected glory on them too. They want to be like the people who merit praise. Although a child is not going to understand leadership unless it is explained, a young mind quickly absorbs the fact that a leader is a person who makes things better in the world.