Recipe to prepare an Architect

This is how the job definition of Architect evolves. Multiple cooks in the organization add their own spice. The end looks like a recipe which has everything but taste. It is perfectly alright to assume that an aspiring Architect is an accomplished engineer. Then he/she should be able to technically look at any software from multiple levels -40,000 ft to ground level and should be able to do that effortlessly as an eagle would. And look forward in time.
Assuming all this is there, he/she should then have business acumen. To understand business and provide strategic inputs to it.
Between these two is a wide gamut of Leadership. He should be able to motivate technical people ... take the teams through different paths to reach the destination. He should be good at communicating the conceptualization, manage interests of all stakeholders.



But most of the architects are good in one or two of these areas. And to do justice to any one of these is itself a commendable task. Also, many times the company/product/situation demands only a subset of it. But the recipe is still open for someone to add new spice. Soon someone will end up listing enterpreneurship as key architect skill.
There is a need to divide Architect role into multiple levels and make the transition from an experienced engineer to architect little easier than it is. A quantum jump is not good for someone who has crossed it and someone who has given up crossing it.