We are watching industries crumble, Wall Street firms disappear, unemployment spike, and unprecedented government intervention. And our designated opinion leaders want to know: Is Obama up this week? Is he down? And is his leadership style more like Bill Clinton's, or Abraham Lincoln's?

The signs of outstanding leadership appear primarily among the followers. Are the followers reaching their potential? Are they learning? Serving? Do they achieve the required results? Do they change with grace? Manage conflict?

The only safe ship in a storm is leadership.

The democratic idealist is prone to make light of the whole question of standards and leadership because of his unbounded faith in the plain people.

With gridlock the norm, Congress's approval rating is below 10 percent and the public has lost faith in its national leadership.