Agostino sees a soapbox, looks around to see if it belongs to anyone, picks it up and trashes it against the wall.

"Ahem. Since I have your attention, I'd like to ask you a simple question, which should not take a lot of your time and I believe it could help our community a lot."

"What do you look for in a leader? What makes you tick? What traits? Why do you value trait 'x' over trait 'y'?"

"I know, I know, this has been asked a gazillion times before, nothing's new, I know, but after checking into my kin's journals, which don't date back that long ago, I've noticed some interesting decisions to say the least. I believe leaders and those who aspire to be leaders, have a lot to learn from a simple question like this, that is, of course, if people actually participate."

"For example, I know my kin had incredibly nice people as leaders, but they did not motivate to get involved in the family business at all... And I've read about leaders who weren't obscenely active or nice, but still made those under them work incredibly hard and die fighting for them..."

"What do you think?"

Agostino pulls out a cigar and lights it up, knowing surely a lot of people would want to chime in.

Raging_Dragon with a sense of enthusiasm silently sneaks up behind Agostino, patting him on the shoulder.

- Intimidating, Cunning, Fearless, Wise, Reasonable, treats his mafia family as his own blood.... that's a Godfather for me! - smiling at the end.

- Obviously the last trait overshadows all the others, answer to why that is, is quite obvious yet hard to express with words. - says Raging_Dragon, making a dumb face while searching for words to try and explain his own thoughts...

Sprechstallmeister overheard someone from afar, talking about traits in leaders. He hopped up on his stilts and made his way over.

When choosing a leader, you shouldn't look for any one trait or a number of certain traits. You should look at the leader in question, see all that you like about them, and compare that to what you don't like about them. Come to a reasonable conclusion and either try to join them or look elsewhere. But "traits" shouldn't be a factor, as all leaders are unique and different - both in the way they run things, and in how they act to their members and to others.

However, if you insist on putting me in a place where I had to choose from a list of traits any leader could have, I'd look for the following;

• They must NOT be hypocritical. Too often, we see leaders doing or saying things that they would not want their members doing or saying. This is no way to lead. They need to lead by example - not by the old "do as I say, not as I do" saying.
• They must be fair and honest. Not much else to say about this part.
• They must be relatively involved around these parts. By this, I mean they can't only show their face for 20 hours out of a week and spend the rest of it hiding at home. If a leader is never around, everything can fall apart. And what about in a war? This leader probably won't even show their face to fight.
• They must be approachable. No one likes a leader they're afraid of, or a leader who just stares blankly at you as you try to strike up a conversation with them.
• They need to know what the fuck they're doing. My ancestors wrote about absolutely horrible leaders, not knowing a damn thing about how to lead. Their lives were full of laughter at their leader's failures. New leaders aren't included in this - we all learn sometime. 

Those are the traits, or qualities, I would look for in a leader. My apologies if I rambled on a bit, but I've had a wee bit too much to drink. Every second I'm away from that damned circus is a second worth celebrating!

Sprechstallmeister tipped his hat and lit a cigarette, eager to hear others speak on this.

Yes Agostino,  this topic has been around a gazillion times as you stated. Nice leaders are in fact a dime a dozen. Unfortunately, the rank requires more then just being nice. It requires the leaders ability to have the mindset of family means "we" not me, or a select few whether it be their RH and  their comrade leader from another family.  There should never be any excuse or wiggle room for "Family Above All" Loyalty to the Dons is essential but it is a two way street. You work hard for them, they in turn fight for you.

Times have changed. In today's world, researching is a wise move. The one looking for work is now priceless. It use to be the one looking for work had to prove themselves and upon doing so the light at the end of the tunnel was endless to some degree. Now a days, you prove yourself and the bimbo next door who knows nothing achieves what was rightfully yours by hard work accompanied with the work ethic expectations in this life.

I personally find all ranks of vital importance to any family but I also come from a very long lineage in this life where rank duties were applied. And I can proudly say I have fulfilled all ranks in the MAFIA.  Since day one, years ago, I struggled to understand the family structure on these shores and the duties were all the same as far as LH and below. But was able to put aside and work my ass off. To only learn if you are not in the clique you will be nothing but an earner, hitter or proer and then dead.

I hope this helps.

As Ripley saw a small crowed gathering he wondered what discussion had lid up. He decided to check it out as he saw Agistino raise his subject. 

As a person who has never been a leader or been in the position to chose one the following points are based on what I want from the person leading me. And hopefully one day my bloodline will posses the points and becoming a leader. A leader in my opinion is someone how you can go to in times of needs, but also for a chat. Although this off course is not always possible. a leader has many people under him/her and cannot always react on the fly. Second when I see a leader this is a person who sets the example on how to behave and interact, not only with family but in the world as a whole. 

Third is that a leader needs to put people beneath him he can rely on and who can interact with other like the leader himself. A leader has a busy life and needs to be able to put tasks in the hands of other. Therefore he needs reliable people beneath him. People not only he trusts but who have also embarked their status on the rest. 

Agistino, thank you for setting up the stage for this.

Ripley tips his had to all that are there and walked away into the darkness.

Nighthawk was stood quietly minding his own business, when a mobster started thrashing a soapbox against the wall across the street. After getting his attention and listening to Agostino, Nighthawk made his way across to the congregation to throw his two cents into the pot.

‘As you have mentioned Agostino, this topic has been raised numerous time and has been a hot topic of debate. I have no doubt that this will continue into the future as our lives can be short, new leaders are introduced to this world, and old leaders distance themselves.

He takes a swig of his whisky, kept in his forefathers hipflask, and continues

‘My first thought is that anyone can don a bold suit in this life of ours and set up a headquarters, however it takes far more to be a ‘leader’. I think there are few qualities that may assist in creating what I would call a real leader. Firstly I think a leader should have some sort of street presence. This doesn’t mean they need to be constantly in the spotlight, however conducting themselves and making themselves known in the streets is a necessity. I remember reading my father’s journals a while back and a certain Godfather Commission Ruling was made for this, and today I still agree with this sentiment’.

‘Secondly, having the initiative to do things differently and possibly raising the standards even higher within this life of ours wouldn’t go a miss. Again, reverting back to my forefathers journals, he had a certain leader in South Philly at the time and the whole family had the utmost respect for him. The way he conducted himself and the slight touch of approaching his tenure with a different mind-set breathed fresh air into his associates and members. This way he kept his members and associates engaged, and in return they all put their trust and fully respected him as a leader.

Taking a final swig of his whisky, he concluded

‘Finally, a true leader in this thing of ours will stand by the core values he believes in and can instil these values and principles into his members and associates. These three things together, in my humble opinion, can set the platform for a leader to become a ‘leader’’.

Nighthawk steps back, and awaits the next person within the congregation to step out and continue with this discussion

BretTheHitmanHart noticed a small crowd conversing about what it takes to be a leader. Bret was known to be a leader at times. He eventually became the leader of the nWo, New World Order, after only being part of it some years ago. Bret started off as a recruiter for the group and continued his wrestling career with the group. Bret was not new to leading, nor was he new to the recruiting gig.

"I think Ripley and Nighthawk gave great examples of what it means to be a leader. It has to be someone who has separated themselves amongst others. They lead by setting the example. These two are my biggest traits when I look for a leader."

Bret stops for a moment for sign an autograph for some kid, who's been jumping up and down screaming his name for the passed few minutes...

"Don KingRevan surely does that for me. Not only does he stand out, I mean damn he's a freaking King, but he also sets the example. He is a quiet, humble man that knows how to get things done. Working for the King has been a great pleasure so far."

BretTheHitmanHart takes a step back as a crowd of people are starting to swarm him for more pictures and autographs. Eagerly enough he wants to listen to other views but needs to settle this crowd down.

"Alright! Just form a line you heathens!" 

Saedrissa smiled as she approached. She had been listening and figured she'd share a little something.

What do I look for in a leader? Well that list is never ending, so I will do my best to sum up a few key things.

Someone who can lead. This is important to me. I do not want a "leader" whose got their head in the ground or is just following along with everyone else. That is not a leader, that is a sheep. I want someone who can take a look around and be realistic with what they see. Not paint flowers.

Leading is never easy. Especially when you have thirty-nine other people with varying personalities. Not everyone will like or want the same things, so you need to be able to be open with your family. If you close yourself off from them, it doesn't help.

Next I would look for things like are they loyal, usually. How can you work for someone who wants your loyalty if they don't even know what the word truly means? That would be extremely backwards, wouldn't it?

A leader should be able to put the past right where it belongs. In the past. If you already made up your mind on someone before you ever had the chance to work with them, it will not go well. Not at all. So drop the bullshit basically.

Those are just a few things from my never ending list. Sometimes you need to realize that even with your list, you may not find everything you are looking for. You just need to pick the best match after researching all available individuals.

Saedrissa pauses momentarily. She was just about ready to go but thought to add one more thing.

The best leaders will stop thinking about their cliques and actually value the work around them. Sometimes your greatest friend in the world, isn't the one working the hardest for you.

Agostino listens carefully to the participants to the conversation, after Saedrissa finished talking, he looked around to see if anyone else was going to say anything.

"Well, first of all, thanks for your participations. Being a relatively unknown in these parts, I thought there was a good chance I'd get either ignored or some trolls using this as an opportunity to attack some high up. Your replies were thoughtful and gave me food for thought."

Agostino makes a pause, trying to find the words he wanted to say.

"However, nobody mentioned one small thing that I believe makes a big difference in our world. Well, Sprechtallmeister almost went there by the end of his speech, and in one way or another, the traits or qualities you mentioned reveal this. What is it? Well, let's call it 'vouching system'..."

Agostino seemed to have grab the attention of his listeners.

"Ok, so... When our family line arrives in these shores for the first time, everything is new, but after the dead of those, and the ones after them, the access to their journals and the contact with people who were friends with our ancestors, we start getting an idea of what we like and what we don't like, in leadership. What we value, and what we feel was a waste of our ancestors time."

"Where does 'vouching' come in? Well, when our descendants arrive, they check journals, they check their ancestors friends and there are some leaders who are 'vouched for' and some who are not. For example: if they find out Leader X betrayed their father, it's very unlikely they want to join him, work for him. However, it can work the other way around: journals saying that even though Leader Y killed them, it was an honorable person, and it would an honor to work for such person."

Agostino noticed some frowning faces in the crowd.

"Feel free to disagree with me, but I believe most of our likes and dislikes are a result of our ancestors experiences. And when we are searching for a leader to follow, that comes into play, with a lot of weight. Tell me what you think."

Saedrissa had stuck around to listen a little longer.

I hate to say it but more often then not a vouching system just sounds like a popularity contest. Either you worked for your rank or you didn't. If your leader trusts you to promote you, then good. If they don't, then it sucks to be you until such a time. I hate vouching systems. I think more often then not it's not implemented to everyone. Only those specific few.

If you screw up, that should be on you. Not whoever said okay to allowing you to rank into the family. Take responsibility for your own actions and others should do the same.

Gatsby loved conversations about leadership. They were no doubt one of his favorite things to hear and speak about. From the study of infamous and notorious commanders in the military to local dealings with influential people Jay Gatsby loved leadership in all of its forms. 

You know old sport, one thing i look for in a leader is the same thing i look for in the quality of my friends. Those i choose to surround myself with. I think one of the most important aspects one should have if he or she is to be a leader is desire. To not settle is huge and i think it is amazing when we meet people who choose to go above and beyond their work. To not say this is the limit and push it. To set a bar higher than what it previously was. 

Personally, i look for a leader who believes in me old sport. One who can look me directly in the eye and say you are worth being here and i want you here. Someone who makes me feel that i matter. 

NOW, i know this is highly unlikely as many leaders have more than twenty members but for a leader to make anyone feel as if they were the missing piece to their family is a leader i would love to follow.

Finally old sport, a leader whose vision is to see his family be better than him. That is true dedication and effort to something better than himself. A leader who looks to serve and not be served. Those make the difference. One who is not high and mighty on his throne filled with bodyguards that keep him away from the public eye. 

Gatsby straightens his coat and looks intently on at the speakers gathered.

Personally, i look to make all of my members know they matter. To help them reach their goal. We all die. We know this. I want, as a leader to help the young goomba who has dreams to be a crew leader one day achieve that. For the man who has desires to speak publicly for the first time even though he has had family in the shores for years to get him to that point. I desire personally that each of my members reach their fullest potential and chase that green light of hope old sport. 

In a complete and utter ideal world, you should want a leader that is strong in every single aspect that this world has to offer. Someone that's well versed in everything but that simply not realistic and we cant berate our leaders for that. Very rarely do we find a leader who is as capable in every single art and is as good at that skill as they are the next. This ok though because we don't expect our leaders to hold all those traits by themselves, its a bit of an unrealistic expectation. A good leader will recognise their weakness and fill themselves with people who can fill those gaps for you, perception is a huge part of this world. If you aren't capable in one specific area, get people around you that are, best practice.

I suppose listening to all you good people  talk, everyone has their own expectations, their own thoughts and wants and some needs. Mostly I think a leader means something a little different to each individual. I don't think that there is a tried and tested method to success here. Being a leader is to be adaptable to situations. Someone that can change with the landscape, what one way of leading for a period of time, might not be the best way for another, we all know how fast this world changes.

Me personally I don't ask for much off my leaders, the most important thing that I ask for is this; to live and die by the sword. Conviction is key for me, make your decisions and live and die by them. Its simple. I don't ask for anything off my leaders that I wouldn't do myself. Its not an easy job, people think it is, let me tell you, its far from it.

"Where does 'vouching' come in? Well, when our descendants arrive, they check journals, they check their ancestors friends and there are some leaders who are 'vouched for' and some who are not. For example: if they find out Leader X betrayed their father, it's very unlikely they want to join him, work for him. However, it can work the other way around: journals saying that even though Leader Y killed them, it was an honorable person, and it would an honor to work for such person."

This kind of logic will always exist, there is no way of ever getting away from that, the faster people realise and except this, the better their lives will be. With all the will in the world people will always look at lineage and they will always make a decision based off that, you can argue they shouldn't but they do, its simple. People in this land hold grudges of likes I've never, ever seen before but that's just they way it is and I've come to accept it and my life here is much better.

My linage has got to the dizzy heights a few times and for most parts of those leaderships the underbelly of how they led where the same, the same ethos on how the crews were run. How they approached it was the same, no prejudice and a relaxed ethos. However politically their stance and how they played it had to differ. They had to adapt because what one move might have been ok generations before the next might not be acceptable now. I don't think you can ever pin-point what it takes to be a leader but a few underpinned skills are a must.

I tend to look for ones who don't get hits placed on them for millions of dollars. 

Good job, Boss. 

Agostino listens patiently and suddenly hides in horror behind some crates when some of the participants are shot.

"Dang! I get a nice conversation going in the streets and this happens." Agostino sighs and whispers. "May their souls rest in peace... We need some peace time..."

Agostino looks around to see if it's safe to come out. He walks from behind the crate dusting himself off, and addresses those who were still around.

"I don't know who still cares to listen, but I'd like to address some of the points made. I knew I'd raise some eyebrows and anger just for mentioning 'vouching'. You'll see from what I said and what Saedrissa replied we were talking about different things. I'm talking about choosing a leader, a family to live and die for, she was speaking of crew leaders having favorites. I don't agree at all with favoritism, although I've seen people claim that boogeyman way too much... I'd really prefer we stay on topic here, maybe we can talk about that other topic later."

Agostino throws his cigar away and takes a sip of his whisky.

"JayGatsby, my good ol friend, he didn't adress my second question, only the first, but his reply is one I identify with a lot, and I know he lived by it as a leader."

Agostino spills some whisky on the streets in memory of the good old sport.

"Mr South-paw was the one who actually answered to my second question, and I agree a lot with what he said. Except for the part that my line just hasnt been around enough to gather grudges or enemies. At least to my knowledge... Anyway, when you really think about it, if you have access to it, you got to to gather as much intel as possible on a possible Crew Leader for you, it will probably save you quite a few disappointments later. After all... This is the person you'll be saying: I will be loyal unto death for you and this family. And this is a vouching system - well, call it something else if you want... -  be it from your ancestors journals and/or friends of them..."

Agostino shrugs, and lights up another cigar, while he waits for someone else to talk.