Leadership for me is not a skill that can be learned but is innate. My personal definition of leadership is someone who has the natural ability to be a true leader and does not acquire leadership skills by learning. I believe that a leader has the influence and ability to inspire others to pursue his or her vision to the extent that it becomes a shared effort, a shared vision, and a shared success. As a result, effective leadership is a trait you are born with. To some extent, I believe that leaders are born with the desire to lead exceptionally well and with the ability to be open to learning from their own mistakes and especially to learn from other individuals who are trying to lead. Leaders inspire, rather than direct. They educate, encourage and guide. Effective leaders get agreement with people on what needs to be done. Leaders in my opinion are motivated by stepping up when no one else wants to, by opportunity, by the desire to make a change, and by striving for better. Therefore, a good example of a person who exemplifies my definition would be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. AnalysisNorthouse (2012) defines leadership as “a process by which an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (Northouse , 2012, p.5). He also explains that this is a process because it is something that happens between leaders and followers and both are influenced to achieve a common goal. While some people may view others as leaders, based on certain traits or intellectual traits, leadership is about influencing followers to achieve goals. Northouse then explained that leadership is not a trait or characteristic because it is something everyone has. On the other hand, people may argue that there may be some... middle of the paper... long-term vision to achieve results. Effective leaders lead by example and, in doing so, help develop their followers. Leaders can never tire of articulating their vision. They must always be clear and concrete. They need to help their followers see what they see. This is why I believe leaders have the influence and ability to inspire others to pursue their vision to the extent that it becomes a shared effort, a shared vision, and a shared success. Dr. King was a great example of this because he gave people something to believe in and a reason to believe in his vision. Excellent leaders like Dr. King often face a difficult and time-consuming path to achieving results. An excellent leader does not back down or give up when faced with an important task. Leaders should seek to advance the interests of others. I believe they sincerely want to help others.