In one of the comments on yesterday’s blog, Venkat asked me whether I thought that leaders are born or are created.
There is a lot of debate and study on this and the evidence doesn’t seem overly conclusive.
It’s difficult for me to comment on anyone else, I don’t have the required information to be able to answer that, but what I can comment on is my own life, my own development.
Some of the things which I think make me a good leader, such as my determination and my competitiveness, are certain characteristics that I was born with. These are not something I was taught, nor were they nurtured in me by my parents. It’s just the way I am and always have been.
My honesty and integrity, are things that were nurtured within me by my parents, especially my father. But maybe there is something in the character that I was born with, that helped make these grow through nurturing.
My understanding of how teams work together, the value of teamwork, and team spirit came to me through my love of sports, this is clearly something that I learned and not something I was born with.
Being able to inspire people, make people want to follow me, much of this comes from my personality, something I was lucky enough to be born with.
However, creating an inspiring vision, coming up with plans and approaches which allow my natural skills to flourish have all been taught to me, via leadership courses and coaching.
My leadership approach has changed and evolved over time, it has become less directive and more empowering. This is something that I have learned from experience, trial and error, and through feedback from the teams that I have led.
I have read countless books on leadership, all of which have helped give me insight into different styles and approaches, from which I have been able to pick and choose things that I have added to my own style.
One of the books I have read, Good to Great by Jim Collins, talks about level 5 leadership as the highest level of leadership, and two of the characteristics of level 5 leadership are humility and fierce determination.
I would say that humility can be taught, or at least learned, whereas fierce determination is a natural characteristic, which is difficult to teach – trust me I have tried 🙂
I think leaders can be made, especially self-made and I think some characteristics I was born with help me be a better leader.
There are also leaders who have achieved great things without formal leadership training, who just stepped up and did what they thought was the right thing, things that just came naturally.
So in answer to this, I think it’s both – some people are born leaders, and others develop leadership through nurturing, training and experience.
I think it’s wrong for us to say leaders are just born, and cannot be made.
This would put people off taking up leadership or developing their leadership if they didn’t feel they were born leaders, which in itself is bad leadership.
Many people, without great natural talents, in many walks of life: business; sports; the arts; have all been able to develop expertise and go on to achieve great things.
One of the things I have always believed is, don’t listen to anyone who says it can’t be done.
So if you don’t you believe you were born a natural leader, take up the challenge, and prove to all those doubters who think a leader can’t be made, that they are wrong!
Born? Well, not strictly, but we sure can be blessed with certain genetic traits that lend themselves to it. I would say it’s more about being made. But there is some room to discuss even within that context: learn ‘when?’ I would say that the better leaders learn leadership traits, characteristics while growing up — from parents, participation in play and sports, and in school. We also learn in our adult lives, you gave a good example of that by referencing a book that taught you something valuable. We also learn by observing and relating to others. I feel blessed to have learned some things from you Gordon!
Last comment is that birth order plays a role. This is scientifically proven. Forgot where I saw it, but studies have shown that first born children tend to achieve the higher leadership positions, on average.
Chao! Jay
Jay fully agree with you. Also i have to admit to being a first born and i do think it makes a difference – probably my first leadership experience 🙂
However, if leaders cannot be made there are multiple institutions, such as the US Marines corp, investing lots of money in futile approach.
Great thought for today, Gordon
Are Leaders born or made? Do they become great leaders though determination, opportunity, chance or circumstance? I think it’s a big question to answer. You may as well ask if a world class sportsman is born to win. Maybe the answer is too fatalistic.
Sure, you can develop skills, awareness knowledge and understanding to become good at most things. But only a select few become truly great. They have a jena se qua.
It has to be this way. A world full of great leaders would be a boring and conflicted place.
However, everyone can develop and improve with the right support, guidance and desire to be successful. Being a good leader is a worthy goal. You may even become great. At the very least you should take something from leadership principles, think, and become the best you can be.
Dave, i also thought about sports men and its too that some people are just born with natural talents, and it it tough if you don’t have them.
But hard work will definitely help you improve and if you work hard enough you can out perform naturally talented people if they don’t practice and improve their skills.
One question i often think about is, what would have become of churchill if there had been no WWII, or Gandhi if he had not been thrown off the train in South Africa which is often sighted as the turning point for him, would they have still achieved greatness.
As the saying goes, some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.
“Leaders aren’t born, they are made. ”
~ Vince Lombardi
There you have it, the definitive answer from the legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers
I agree with Vince and as you already mentioned, if Mr.Gandhi was not pushed out of the train or Dr King was not neglected or insulted, it is very unlikely we won’t see those great leaders.
There is no arguing with vince
Hi Gordon,
I would propose that it is a combination of both.
As a former soldier and section commander in the Australian Army, I can say that good leadership can result from good leadership training and the right environment to encourage good leadership.
However, some people ‘ave it and some people simply do not.
So, I conclude that there is an innate leadership potential in many, but not all, people but this needs to be cultivated by good training, experience and mentoring.
Grant
Grant, fully agree. Thanks for the comment.