What does it mean to be a leader?

We often think of leaders as holding positions of authority, such presidents and CEOs of big-name corporations or prominent leaders of non-profit organizations. However, in John Maxwell's article Lead From Where You Are he states that the number 1 misconception people have about leadership is the belief that leadership comes from having a position or title. Before reading this article, what would you consider to be defining traits and behaviors of a successful leader? Has your perspective changed after reading the article? If so, how?