Leadership is the art of guiding or directing others in the attainment of a common end, in such a manner as to secure their obedience, confidence, respect, and loyal cooperation. Although the principles and practice of leadership may be examined from a scientific standpoint, leadership is essentially an art, a living thing dealing with human nature, emotions, and the higher appeal to the heart as well as to the mind.
The good leader must first be a good follower. Obedience to lawful orders and commands is a first duty to the cadet, and in such practice he learns how to procure obedience from others. Nor is blind unreasoning obedience, at one extreme, any more to be desired than is intolerant individualism at the other. The middle way of intelligent, understanding cooperation is to be sought. The less time there is available before the action resulting from the leader's orders or commands must take place, the more unquestioning and automatic compliance there will be with that order by the followers.
The leader must have a sound and adequate knowledge of the powers and limitations of his followers. He must know the force which can be expected and which can be applied by their concerted effort, the stimulus which can result from their common action under the failure of there leadership and control. The knowledge of what his followers can and cannot do is best and most safely based upon his own experience as a follower, whether under the same partly similar conditions.
What are the qualities which a leader should possess? There have been many attempts at lasting the many good qualities which a leader should possess, and cataloging those undesirable characteristics which he should not possess or should minimize or eliminate. Such a listing often serves only to discourage the aspirant to leadership, because, in summation, they seem to describe an unattainable ideal. How ever, a goal toward which to aim is necessary, if one shapes his efforts in self-development so as to gain a satisfactory measure of accomplishment in preparing himself to lead, to guide and direct the efforts of others in any field.
