The idea that leadership is something universal in that there is something that unites all leaders has been around for a long time. We want to believe that we can see commonalities between successful leaders at different points in history, under different circumstances. But the idea eats at us deep down that leadership is particularistic for a specific time and place. Certainly our world views and identities are shaped by very different experiences, but we cannot help looking for those commonalities to hope to land on a general theory of leadership. It would make us more comfortable. This is another tension and duality we live in as we seek to lead.