People believe a lot of things about leadership that are just plain wrong. New leaders tell us all the time that they were surprised about how different leadership is compared to what they expected.
Here is a belief about leadership that comes up a lot in conversation; “Leaders are born, not made.” We have had many spirited debates about this point of view.
We want to hear what you think about this issue. Click on the Comments button at the end of this post and tell us what you think!
Do you think that some people are born to be great leaders, that they are just “naturals”?
Or do you think that great leadership can be developed through management training?
What have been your personal experiences on this subject?
Let’s figure this one out together!
To your continued success,
Rob Linn and Rich Ottaviano
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9 comments:
Before you can become a leader you have to be born, to become one...
Oh! It’s an old debate whether leaders are born or they may be made. There is truth in the statement that some are born leaders or at least dominators. But then a vast majority of leaders around us are of the variety who got developed to become leaders. It required their inner urge to be a leader and also the ambience, guidance, and hard work with which this inner urge found manifestation. In my eyes, leadership is a skill set and is, therefore, eminently learnable (unfortunately, though, not very many of the leaders have learnt it well).
I would add here that even the so-called born leaders have to sharpen their leadership claws and learn new tricks continually to become a leader of some substance.
Finally, I would say that the world is big enough to accommodate leaders of both types – born or made. In fact, about seven million true leaders are needed, one for a thousand people, and the supply runs short of the demand by at least a couple of millions. Since we can not leave the gap to be filled by the accident of birth, all of us who are concerned have to take it upon ourselves to be a worthwhile leader and to develop many more of the same ilk.
Yes, you can be born a leader and yet,you develop if you have the courage and knowledge and experience. It is essential to act if you want to be a leader. It is learnable if practiced.
I believe that every one has potentials for leadership.What makes the difference from person to person is the opportunity to discover, develop and utilize the leadership potentials. One with the potentials of medical doctor but didn't go to medical school is not likely to realize his medical potentials. Thanks. Ade
Well said Ade! "Discover, develop and utilize" sounds almost like a manra for success. Accept my congrats for putting it so neatly and succinctly.
Kanan.
Im agree with the comments of " Leaders are born , not made"- but the matter is Leadership is a inherent quality. and most of the times it comes out due to circumstances.
Leadership basically i think it is a diamond like substance. While it is inherent in the people, it is oar like thing; but after polishing, it becomes valuable. but one thing, leaders need not to be teached by others; they have the quality to get it from environment.
This does not mean that Leader does not need training from outside. If they get it, it will be more delightful.
Im agree with the comments of " Leaders are born , not made"- but the matter is Leadership is a inherent quality. and most of the times it comes out due to circumstances.
Leadership basically i think it is a diamond like substance. While it is dorment in the people, it is oar like thing; but after polishing, it becomes valuable. but one thing, leaders need not to be teached by others; they have the quality to get it from environment.
This does not mean that Leader does not need training from outside. If they get it, it will be more delightful.
Each individual is 5% leader by birth. As we see he/she is required to lead his/her personal life and atleast lead one's family. It is only when one polishes one's leadership skills, one becomes a good leader.
Hi ! The debate seems to be some what like the old conventitonal debate of what came first, the egg or the chicken ! I am of firm opinion that God has created humans in a unqie manner, all humans naturally possess the basics of what they might need at any point in their life for survival and growth. Same stands true for the basics of leadership, every human is a born leader cause he or she has gotten it built in him or her by nature. Those who explore themselves are the ones who lead, the rest follow. Xenophon, the renowned student of one of the biggest philosophers of all times, Socrates, strongly beleives that leaders can be developed by imparting knowledge & providing training, though not at one sight or in one go. I do beleive that some of us do possess better leadership skills by birth, but if they are not groomed by trianing, they will go into waste and will die like green grass dies in hot dry weather. Similarly not all trainings can develop the leadership skills to desried level in average human biengs. In a nutshell basic skills can take a person only to a certain level, from there onwards he needs training, opportunity and feedback. Similarly casual training cannot help any one explore the real depth of his talent so there has to be some really good programme for that.
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