Leadership is a necessary -- and critical -- quality in the IT domain as well as in other business arenas. IT people, however, tend to enter the field primarily as technologists and often attain leadership positions without recognizing the qualities that are essential to be a successful leader. In this issue of CBR , Cutter Consortium Senior Consultants David Caruso and Kerry Gentry address the meaning of leadership and how to identify and cultivate those IT professionals who possess leadership qualities.