For decades, there have been discussions regarding the make of leader. Two schools of thought emerged from these talks, one saying that leaders are born, the other suggesting that they are made. Great leaders come from different walks of life, and they are not simply born with the ability to lead.
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It may seem that from the beginning of their lives, great leaders have already been leaders, such that everything they will be going through must be aligned to let them know they are onto something big. Warren G. Bennis, a prominent researcher in the field leadership, said that the most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born and that there is a genetic factor to leadership. He went on to state that “this myth asserts that people simply either have certain charismatic qualities or not. That’s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made, not born.”
Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, and there are hardly any characteristics that predict leadership potential. Studies have found that individuals who are adjusted, ambitious, social, and curious are more likely to emerge as leaders, with IQ contributing less than 5 percent to the likelihood that a person would come out as a leader.
Leadership is learned, just like any skill. Leaders are made through hard work, just like anything else. It does not come naturally, but one can become a leader through deliberate practice, followed by achieving excellence. Leaders are like experts, as they are developed through correct training, hard work, sacrifice, and regular self-assessment.
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Stephen Varanko III has been involved in leadership activities since high school, having leadership positions in several athletic, extracurricular, and humanitarian organizations. For more posts like this, click here.
