A leader can be defined as a person who rules, guides, or inspires others. According to Bernard Bass’ theory of leadership, there are three ways to develop into a leader. The first way is called the Trait Theory. This is when a person’s personality will guide them towards a leadership role. The second route is called the Great Events Theory. In this case, a specific experience either good or bad makes the person rise up to the challenge, allowing leadership characteristics to surface. The third direction is called the Transformational Leadership Theory. This is when the person learns to be a leader because they desire to, and is presently the most popular way. But once you become a leader the work does not stop there. For each step you take will help to prepare you for the next, which is why the leadership process is never-ending.

Leaders are also those who are put in charge or in command. Although, that does not mean you get to abuse that power for your own personal gain. A leader uses that power in a constructive manner, for the benefit of everyone involved. This means that a leader must inspire the team to attain a common objective, instead of using it to boss others around. For a leader knows when to lead but also realizes when to follow. You need to understand both roles and when to use them in order to be an effective leader. David Suzuki doesn't abuse the power that he has been given by his success, not does he use it to achieve personal goals. He instead takes that power to help us achieve goals that are for the common good of everyone and for the environment. David at times will guide our society to achieve these goals. But he will also take a back seat to let us decide our own involvement.

Being a good leader is more than just looking good to those around you. You need to know who you are, have the knowledge to make the right decisions, and understand how to act on those decisions. It’s like a circle…you character determines what you know, what you know determines how you act, and how you act determines who you are. David Suzuki ihas a great character that has been formed by education and experience in order to help him make the right decisions that support who he is.

There are a few key qualities that a person must posses in order to be a successful leader in the eyes of their followers or team. You must always be confident in both your followers to complete the task and yourself to lead them through the best course of action. You have be a good communicator, which means being able to speak well and listen too. A leader also has to be trustworthy so that everyone can feel comfortable and safe in knowing that the job will get done properly. David Suzuki as a leader is all three of those things. He is confident that we can make the changes necessary, he explains effectively what we need to do, and he trusts us to make the right choices.

Even at a time more than 5000 yrs ago, the Plains Indians had a test to determine one’s leadership style called The Fourfold Way. During his lifetime, David has morphed into each one of the directions when necessary. People who belonged to the North were tenacious go-getter individuals. David is a northern person when he needs to open people's eyes about the environment, not allowing anyone to stand in his way. People of the South were the opposite, being supportive caring nurturers. David becomes a southern person when he confronts those who have either achieved or failed at "going green". Those of the East were creative spontaneous visionaries. David also transforms into a eastern person when he needs to find ways to solve current environmental problems. And people who belonged to the West as opposed the East are contemplative conservative informants. David turns into a western person when he needs to inform and dicuss with the world the facts that he has discovered. 

          Leaders are people who rule, guide, or inspire others. David Suzuki is a leader because he inspired numerous people to become more enviornmentally freindly, and guided them successfully throughout that long-term process. He has shared his environmental knowledge with students, guided businesses through “go-green” improvements, and has given society the chance to stand up to improve our environment. This is why David Suzuki can be considered both a aspiring leader to guide us on our environmental journey and a role model for everyone to follow.