Interesting question. I think that the qualities that make a child a "leader" actually changes with the age of the child and also varies somewhat by the culture inherent in the particular environment.
Personally, while it really is way too early to tell, I don't beieve my children will be leaders as grown-ups - not the right mix of character traits. As for high school, at age 10, I think it's also a bit early to tell. However, I can actually see DS holding office in high school as he has been fascinated by American politics and there have been situations where he has been roped into (not always happily) being the leader, either by the teacher or his peers.
Interestingly, the most recent report card extolled DD's leadership qualities. Her easy-going personality was one of the several attributing factors noted. In contrast, I have always felt that while her easy-going personality makes her likeable and popular, it also detracted from her leadership ability.
Perhaps it is the unusual situation of having twins in the same classes, but teachers seem to alternately find one twin or the other as a "leader". I have been told (though not in such negative terms) that DD rides on the coattail of DS' popularity one year and then DS depends on DD, who takes DS in hand socially the next year. The truth is properly somewhere in between and that they go through different phases.
