Great Leader seems always to be first defined as what we don’t have at the moment. Digging deeper, I find descriptions include decisiveness, courage and a fervent wish to serve the definers particular ethnic or economic group.

And because everyone wants someone who believes in the same truth they believe, getting at what constitutes true leadership requires some study. I got caught up in this endless circle recently with a couple of friends. Reaching no consensus with them, I decided to do a reality check with Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, one time Roman Emperor.