"What qualities do I look for in a leader?"

One of the first qualities I think a leader should have is that they know what they are doing, or at least act like they do. Those who can let on like they are intelligent and in control have an easier time leading people than someone who might be smarter or more knowledgable on the subject. If a leader is going to get someone's support, it is because of their charisma and personality, not neccesarily their intelligence or moral standards.

A leader also has to have a bit of a chip on his/her shoulder. The leader has to be prepared to defend his/her position on an issue at a moments notice, and one of the ways to deal with that is to be a little cocky, and to be a bit arrogant. They are the leader after all, right? If I am being led by someone, I want them to be, for lack of a better word, cool. Almost defiant even.

On the other hand, for a leader to be popular he or she must empathize with those that he or she is leading, so that a relationship is formed between the leader and the followers. I would want a leader that understands the needs of the people, and for the most part caters to those needs. I believe that some of the best leaders would be people that share the same experience and come from a similar background of those being led. It would establish common ground for both sides to be able to relate to. All of these qualities I think would be essential for a leader not only to be popular, but also successful and effective.