In the past few decades, we have seen nations emerge as strong economic and social leaders, as well as those that have fallen due to poor leadership regimes; as a result, leadership theories have emerged as the key factors in determining the long-term success or ultimate failure of governments and nations around the world. Leadership involves an asymmetrical influence upon people in the direction of collective, interdependent goals. It also means coordinating behavior in pursuit of goals for the entire nation. A notable leader that has demonstrated extreme success, especially in periods of overcoming instability and weakness, is Queen Elizabeth II. Strong, effective leaders such as Queen Elizabeth II use many resources and a repertoire of styles, or recognizable and regular constellations of behaviors directed at positively influencing others. This paper will analyze specific details from Queen Elizabeth II's life and the manner in which these events have contributed to her leadership style, concluding with an assessment of the effectiveness of her leadership.

             A true leader cannot lead without acceptance in some form among commonly situated people. In efficient societies and among more informal or volunteer groups in any society, leadership invokes conformity rather than compliance. Many philosophers and social scientists endorse the idea that leaders are born, not made. In this perspective, individuals possess stable personal characteristics or traits that make them unique for leadership positions. The traits often mentioned include qualities such as dominance, task performance, determination, presence, intelligence, and honesty. Throughout her life, Queen Elizabeth II consistently demonstrated these qualities, even as a young child. She was born in April of 1926 to the Duke and Duchess of York, who subsequently became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (Anonymous author, at http://www.