When we look at the early leaders of British socialism we see that they were not products of the then elitist education system, but rather products of a long held British faith in self-improvement. Let us look at the example of Keir Hardie, who from being an 11 year boy working the mines became a leading light in the newly formed Labour party.

Priviledge naturally gives people a head start in life, but it is from the ranks of the so-called ordinary, or even the down-trodden, that true change and visionary leadership comes. Leadership is the acculumation of experience, the willingness to reflect and an openness to change.

While the following quote from Vaclav Havel is directly referring to politicians, I feel it is valid for leaders in every field:

“A good politician of the future should be able to explain without seeking to seduce; he should humbly look for the truth of this world without claiming to be its professional owner; he should alert people to the good qualities in themselves, including a sense of the values and interests which transcend the personal, without giving himself an air of superiority and imposing anything on his fellow humans; he should not yield to the dictate of public moods or of the mass media, while never hindering a constant scrutiny of his actions.”