In the rural school setting, educational leaders range from teacher leaders, principals, superintendents, and school board members to student leaders, parent leaders and community leaders involved with the school. Regardless of the leadership label, there are universal characteristics that commonly surface when considering qualities of effective leaders: sense of vision, ability to set goals and plan, personal charisma, strong communication skills (particularly verbal and negotiation abilities), strong sense of self and personal convictions, relationship and empathy skills, and the ability to motivate and influence others. It is this last virtue, the ability to activate others to follow, which actually defines leadership itself.