Far too often people who end up in some kind of leadership position view it as a right or a perk or some kind of just reward that they are due for paying their dues to an organization. All of these miss the mark. Leadership is a privilege that is earned, not through longevity or paying one's dues, but rather through establishing credibility and trust through sincerely caring about the people that are in a position to follow. It is a tremendous responsibility as leaders really can affect the course of people's personal and professional lives. Effective leaders recognize the enormous duty that they have to the individuals who are affected by the their words and actions.
There is a great scene in the television series The West Wing (you can watch it here) where President Bartlett and his youngest daughter are having a heated discussion regarding his decision to increase her Secret Service protection. She pushes back and the President loses it and goes into a tirade regarding her potentially getting kidnapped. He calms down and apologizes and shares "...but don't ever forget that this is a privilege and it is an experience that must be cherished beyond measure...". This is how truly effective leaders view their responsibility and their role as a leader: a cherished privilege!
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