As we all might be leaders in one way or the other, that's also important that we learn from whoever we had contact with. You see this bad influences, they teach lessons alot. If one is able to know the strength of his or her influence it will help decipher how to balance it and where to channel it. Just like me, I control whatever I take into me and throw away whatever I felt won't be positive to me.
Being a leader is burdensome and some folks have natural abilities of the role and can prove it effortlessly and at same time we all have once impacted someone around us either emotional or physiologically.
Being a leader doesn't mean one should showcase his superiority over others/followers but to show responsibility in matters of people's affair. I can be a leader and also a learner, no one is above learning.
This is a good ethos to have and I'd say a person following it would do well in life, certainly better than someone who does not.
Oh certainly... it helps...as most time I live around areas that aren't positively influencing me...so I stick with what I have... not giving out the energy...till I move to area where I can receive great influence and meet real folks
Good luck. The right attitude goes a long way.