Over the decades and with the evolution of different political systems, the world has come across countless charismatic leaders. Despite the century in which they became pre-eminent, they all had some particular traits common to every great leader. Leadership is defined as “the process in which an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.” Niccolò Machiavelli's "The Prince" played a significant role in highlighting the traits of a great leader. Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), was born in the state of Florence in Italy. Machiavelli came to power when Lorenzo Medici's successor was exiled by the French. It is ironic that it was thanks to the French that he came to power and it was the French who were responsible for his imprisonment and exile. Even though Machiavelli was exiled, he still lived a comfortable life on a small estate, he was also occasionally employed on diplomatic missions. However, Machiavelli's desire to return to his post never materialized. Even after the collapse of the Medici, Machiavelli never regained his position. While under the sway of Medici power, Machiavelli attempted to seduce the Medici with The Prince. He wrote about the necessary qualities required for a prince to be successful, based on the knowledge of the citizens of the time. Unfortunately the book was not published until five years after his death. Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince is basically a list of controversial attributes of a great leader. Machiavelli compares good attributes to bad ones. He points out towards him that, although some traits are considered honorable qualities of a prince, they are those that most damage the prince's authority. Machiavelli explains how it is... middle of paper ......honesty is fundamental, it is not always the best choice. Sometimes the truth can be a liability. If exposed, it could cause panic and chaos among the very people who were looking for it. A great leader must know how to keep people calm and collective. The leader must prevent chaos among his people and sometimes this requires the leader to delude the public and keep them satisfied. This type of treatment is necessary because it is not the citizen's job to be responsible for the entire society; it is the leader's responsibility to do so. Added to this quality is trust, and it is a quality that every great leader requires. A great leader should desire to be assertive and confident; trust in a leader not only makes him or her more attractive, but also inspires trust. A confident leader has the ability to mobilize his followers towards any cause.