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Democratic accountability means that governments must be popularly accepted, with citizens empowered to replace corrupt or incompetent rulers.

A functioning, robust democracy requires a healthy educated, participatory followership, and an educated, morally grounded leadership.

Leaders thrive when they feel creatively empowered, when they trust the people around them, when their confidence is swelling. Leaders make mistakes when they lose that same confidence, when they're fretting about their power base, when they're reacting instead of acting.

Democratic institutions are based on a reality of human nature: that those with power, however benign or even noble their intentions, will do what they can to keep it.

What is important is a leader who can be trusted.

Leaders play a unique role in periods of crisis and chaos. Because if you don't, you're not going to harness the power of all the people behind you.

There are many qualities that make a great leader. But having strong beliefs, being able to stick with them through popular and unpopular times, is the most important characteristic of a great leader.

The leader is one who mobilizes others toward a goal shared by leaders and followers... Leaders, followers and goals make up the three equally necessary supports for leadership.

Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity.

The trust of the people in the leaders reflects the confidence of the leaders in the people.