You are a leader if...

People trust you, follow you and show courage, and are a good example yourself. A leaser should not hide behind others' backs, not sit behind his desk but mingle with the people.
A good leader does, and a smart leader does so too.
If you do not know or are not aware of what lives among the people you will not act correctly.
Correctly if it comes to the people (satisfied people benefit their leader) or to the leader himself.

By now we all know democracy does not exist. The voice of the people is muted, killed. Those few who still dare to speak out are badmouthed and hunted by people who easily believe what is told and rarely question.

A real leader has some sort of natural authority. The picture of what a leader should look like is printed in our heads. We would never go for the nerd, the introvert, the snake in the grass, a pedophile, criminal, thief, or bad actor but strangely enough, these are the leaders in this world. A snake in the grass is needed together with money and the knowledge of how to manipulate if you want to be at the top, a so-called winner.

At the top, it can be scary, lonely and 24/7 you will ask yourself whom to trust. Money can buy everything but everything has a limit as well. There will be a moment nothing and no one can be bought. More and more people aren't that desperate if it comes to a future without luxury.

Owning nothing means no expenses, no responsibilities, no worries, and no extra weight to carry on your back.
My grandmother said as I gave her a present There is no need to, I can't take it with me into my grave. She knew and experienced more than once what it is to own nothing, to start from scratch.
She survived the war, and the Japanese concentration camps no one mentions, she lived a life with horrors filled with loss, lost lives, bad health, and a broken body but never a broken mind. Still, she never badmouthed, complained not even spoke about her scares, pain, or worries. No shrink, doctor, or compensation. People like her are ignored, tighten their belts and keep silent. She was a leader, educated, and traveled the world but decided that being your own leader, taking control and responsibility over your life is all that a leader should do.
There's no need to talk to deaf ears, taking care of those who blame you or call you a conspiracy theorist is a lost cause, a waste of positive energy.

So if you want to be a leader start with yourself. Ask yourself what it is you want for you. If you can't take care of yourself, lead your life you will never be a leader, accepted as a leader by others and you always need to watch your back.

The naked truth is most leaders do not make real friends, they buy loyalty and need to buy it each time again.