Leader is defined the same way by every decent dictionary. A true leader should be someone who truly fits the title, speaking logically. So a true leader would simply be someone who can truly lead. Leadership skills are recognized the same way universally and if I'm wrong about that then at least I know I am right in saying that either you have followers or you don't have followers and if you don't have followers you're not a leader because you have nobody to lead.
Rag, whilst I agree with you on most of what you have said I do have to disagree with one point, "A good(true) leader always says what must be said and always does what must be done." If Gordon Brown turned round and said what should be said, "Oh hello everyone, turns out the economy is completely wrecked and we're in major trouble here." Well that's not good leadership, a truelly good leader finds the best way to say what must be said
"If Gordon Brown turned round and said what should be said, ''Oh hello everyone, turns out the economy is completely wrecked and we're in major trouble here.'' Well that's not good leadership, a truelly good leader finds the best way to say what must be said "
Are they not still saying what must be said, if only in the best way?
...In theory yes but Gordon Brown for a long time was saying "There's no problem and no depression"... maybe he isn't great example for a good leader but the point being sometimes its best a leader doesn't say the truth, such as with the wall street crash, when people were told the truth they stopped trusting the banks and withdrew all the money then they were basically lied to to say these banks are trustworthy and so people started trusting them again and it was all sorted, leaders tend to say he best thing to say rather than what is normally considered the right thing
Sometimes, in very specific situations, honesty is not the best policy. Another trait for a leader is maintaining control, are people really going to follow you if they are busy rioting and panicking? Only if you are leading the riot.
I would say he did say what had to be said, sometimes the truth is not what has to be said. It is wrong to lie, but when lying is in the best benefit of the people I would have to agree with the idea of doing so. The people who are smart enough to see through it will know what's really going on while the people who are not that smart are most likely the people who would panic and riot. At least in my own opinion.
A true leader knows their job isn't an easy one. You have to make tough choices. Whether it's tell truth or lie, or to move forward or draw back. Do you do whats best for you if it'll hurt things now, but make them better later, although the people will be extremely angry? Or what's best for the people, that makes things better now, make them happy and make things worse later? Just a few examples. It's a hard job, but someone's gotta do it.