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Great Leaders Are Made, Not Born

  • Marshall Goldsmith

Are leaders born or made? This is one of the most frequently asked questions in all leadership development. To begin with, let’s start with a definition of “leader.” My friend and mentor, Dr. Paul Hersey, defines leadership as “working with and through others to achieve objectives.” Given this definition, anyone in a position whose achievement […]

Are leaders born or made?

are leaders born or made in business schools essay

  • MG Marshall Goldsmith is recognized as one of the world’s leading executive educators and coaches. Dr. Goldsmith’s 30 books include What Got You Here Won’t Get You There and MOJO .

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Leaders are Made, Not Born: Examples and Debate Points Essay

Leaders are made, not born introduction, leaders are made, not born: debate points, leaders are made, not born conclusion.

According to Gregory (2009), a leader is an individual who has the capacity and desire to inspire and influence his or her subjects. There has been a lot of debate on whether a leader is born or made. Some people believe that a great leader has some inborn attributes, while others are confident that leadership abilities, just like other skills, can be learned with time. It is vital to agree that leadership is a vital provision; nonetheless, great leaders are not born with their abilities, they are made.

First, most leaders neither carry forward their legacy nor do their backgrounds suggest they can make good leaders. For example, children of great leaders do not necessarily become leaders. This shows that leadership skills are not hereditary traits but skills learned through many processes. In the global arena, Obama’s parents were never leaders; however, their son (Barrack Obama) has managed to nurture his leadership skills to lead the greatest nation in the world. In this context, the greatest leaders are not born. They are made as indicated earlier.

Usually, it starts with a personal decision to become a leader. However, there are certain attributes that constitute good leadership abilities that are inborn. One such attribute is intelligence. A leader should be intelligent enough to make the right decisions in any kind of situation. For example, Nelson Mandela of South Africa managed to nurture his leadership skills.

Generally, leadership skills are hardly hereditary abilities. An individual who eventually becomes a great leader undergoes many learning processes. They study other leaders, try to imitate their conduct, and select their role models. Most American leaders have chosen Abraham Lincoln as their role model due to his intelligence and leadership prowess (Pace, 2006). Of course, great leaders can falter; however, they can improve their skills with the feedback they get from different people. This helps them develop into great leaders since they are able to transform their behaviors for the better (Gill, 2012).

It is vital to agree that most great leaders are not born with abilities and legendary leadership skills. Prominent leaders like Barrack Obama have struggled for ages to attain their status quo and nurture their leadership skills. In order to become a great leader, one has to develop interest, endure, listen to mentors, and transform appropriately. One does not need to be born a leader so as to lead appropriately.

Gill, R. (2012). Theory and Practice of Leadership . Los Angeles, CA: SAGE Publishers

Gregory, A. (2009). Great leaders are born or made ?

Pace, J. (2006). Professional development series: Books 1-4. Boston: McGraw Hill.

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are leaders born or made

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Updated Aug 21, 2023

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are leaders born or made in business schools essay

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Hannah L. Miller, MA, is the senior editor for Leaders Media. Since graduating with her Master of Arts in 2015,...

Are Leaders Born or Made?

What does science say about it, leadership traits and how to develop them, leadership demands work.

“Leaders aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work.” These immortal words come from Hall of Fame football coach Vince Lombardi. In this quote, the belief that true leadership comes through experience, determination, and passion surfaces. Others will contend, however, that many leaders are born with leadership characteristics. These “natural-born leaders,” as they’re sometimes called, rise to the occasion because that’s just who they are.

So the question still stands: Are leaders born or made? There is truth to both sides of the coin. However, great leaders are well-rounded in many areas—most of which are learned over time. Whether managing a growing business or leading a major corporation, leaders emerge by developing their natural talents and the beneficial qualities of a person .

Science backs up this claim, too. Research from the University of Illinois shows people can be molded into leaders. If this is true, that means anyone can become a leader if they want to be. That would mean entire companies might have whole teams of leaders ready to break free. We’ll explore this question by first looking at what scientists say. Then learn about some common traits found in great leaders and how you can develop these, too.

Researchers across the globe have tried answering this question. Like many others, they want to know if there’s a genetic component to leadership or if it’s something people learn over time from a  mentor   or coach. One famous  debate  at the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy in 2016 took two groups from the Academic Fellows Program and had them argue over which side had the most evidence in their favor.

These groups looked at several studies of twins to compare leadership traits. The findings were not as conclusive as they likely hoped. The side which argued that leaders are born, not made, showed examples of twins who demonstrated impressive leadership capabilities, such as astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly. The side which favored the “leadership is learned” argument showed examples of leadership principles and traits that cannot be genetic, such as a passion for helping others, integrity, and a vision for the future. The two groups concluded that the answer likely involved some element of both nature and nurture.

Most experts agree that exceptional leaders make time to develop their craft. For this reason, the following characteristics should be of particular focus when working on increasing leadership abilities.

1. Accepting Responsibility

When he was President of the United States, Harry S. Truman famously had a  sign  on his desk stating, “The Buck Stops Here.” That meant that he was ultimately responsible for whatever happened during his administration. Leaders take responsibility and never “pass the buck.” As Jocko Willink teaches in  Extreme Ownership , true leaders take full ownership of everything their team does, including accepting the blame when things fall apart. It’s not always easy to do, but leaders know everyone is counting on them. Team members who see this will want to mimic this behavior as well. As Willink writes, “leadership is contagious.”

How to Accept Responsibility

  • Do more than you’re required to do
  • Show up on time 
  • Admit mistakes
  • Apologize when necessary
  • Don’t shift blame onto others
  • Offer solutions to problems without being prompted

2. Constant Learning

The best leaders have an unyielding appetite for learning. They’re constantly looking for new information. This isn’t just out of necessity for their jobs—it’s also due to their curiosity. They keep up with the news, seek new ways to solve problems, and read about topics outside their expertise. As Bill Gates said in an interview with  The Guardian , “I try to make time for reading each night. In addition to the usual newspapers and magazines, I make it a priority to read at least one newsweekly from cover to cover. If I were to read only what intrigues me—say, the science and business sections—then I would finish the magazine the same person I was when I started. So I read it all.”

Some of the world’s most prominent business leaders have a reputation for wanting to learn all the time.  Jan Koum , the co-founder and former CEO of WhatsApp, lived in extreme poverty in Ukraine before moving to the U.S. where he faced even more difficulties. However, his desire to learn never faded. After only two years in the United States, Koum taught himself computer programming. He even joined a hacking group so he could learn all about cybersecurity, scalability, and networking. All of this hands-on learning would eventually pay off, and today, Koum has a net worth of almost $10 billion.

How to Keep Learning

  • Read books, magazines, newspapers, and web articles about a variety of subjects
  • Set aside time each day for reading
  • Ask questions from people in other industries
  • Keep an open mind

3. Motivating to Action

Great leaders hone in on the ability to inspire other people to action. When on a team, they keep their teammates focused on the goal, motivating them every step of the way. At times when frustration may set in, they raise everyone’s spirits. Some business leaders, like  Elon Musk , aim to motivate people by sharing an inspirational vision. For years, Musk has talked about the importance of space exploration, setting goals many thought unachievable (such as having a million people living on Mars by the year 2050). There’s little doubt his employees share that vision and feel motivated by his words and infectious enthusiasm. The sign of a great leader is motivating people to see the seemingly impossible as possible.

How to Motivate Others

  • Keep an optimistic attitude
  • Focus on the positive and don’t dwell on the negative
  • Encourage others to become the best version of themselves
  • Share a vision and help others see it

4. Adapting to Changes

No matter the industry, change always happens. Effective leaders can adapt to those changes. They see change as an opportunity to grow and learn. They never take the more pessimistic route and think of change as bad. If anything, they view it all as a challenge to overcome and help other people see it that way, as well.

The ability to adapt goes hand in hand with the constant learning trait discussed above. If a leader always looks for new things to learn, they’ll be in a much better position to adapt to whatever changes occur. They remain focused on their goals but are flexible enough to react to the changing world around them. Returning to the Elon Musk example, SpaceX deals with constant new developments and discoveries that change the landscape of space exploration, but Musk remains firm in his commitment to his vision. SpaceX adapts to technological changes and learns from failed rocket launches to become a better company.

How to Adapt

  • Stay calm as changes happen
  • Take the time to learn as much about why the change is happening
  • Face changes with courage and determination
  • Stay focused on goals

5. Showing Empathy

Most people tend to think of great leaders as excellent public speakers and outgoing personalities. While it’s true charisma plays a role in developing followers, that doesn’t mean only extroverts make great leaders. Introverts can be leaders too because much of leadership boils down to how much  emotional intelligence a person has.

Emotional intelligence consists of the leadership skills needed to employ feelings for motivation, planning, and forming bonds with other people. Empathy is part of that equation. Showing empathy means understanding what others are feeling and connecting with them on an emotional level. It’s how leaders solve conflicts, raise spirits, and act appropriately in any social setting.

How to Show Empathy

  • Encourage people to voice their opinions and questions
  • Support others when they’re struggling
  • Praise others when they succeed
  • Settle disagreements with compassion and understanding

While some may still argue that natural-born leaders exist, effective leadership still requires work. This indicates that leadership development is something you must do to gain the skills needed for your position. Thinking that true leadership comes from those born with it means only a select few would technically be ready to lead. As Warren G. Bennis notes, “The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born—that there is a genetic factor to leadership. 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 rather than born.”

Want to learn more about how to make yourself into a leader?  The following articles can help:

  • Leadership Traits: 7 Characteristics of a Multiplying Leader
  • How to Write an Inspiring Leadership Vision Statement
  • Transformational Leadership: Inspiring Positive Change

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  • Published May 30, 2020
  • 7 Minute Read

Are Leaders Born or Made?

Are Leaders Born or Made: Perspectives from the Executive Suite

Perspectives From the Executive Suite

Do you think a leader should be a hero or a negotiator? Out in front leading people or behind the scenes, coordinating the work of the group? Are people destined to become leaders, or can leadership skills be developed? Are leaders born or made?

The way we think about leadership affects how we perceive the leaders around us. For instance, if we expect a leader to be a hero, we are likely to see someone who takes charge to save the day as having the  characteristics of a good leader , and someone who asks everyone’s opinions and lets the group make decisions as weak.

Alternatively, if we think a leader should be collaborative and focused on making sure decisions arise from the group, we would view someone who’s directive as aggressive or a tyrant.

In the same way, our beliefs about how people become leaders affect how we evaluate people’s leadership potential. Believing people are born leaders is likely to result in a focus more on selection (identifying the right people) rather than on development (developing the people you have).

On the other hand, believing that people are made into leaders by their experiences would be more likely to result in a greater focus on making sure people had the right opportunities to develop into leaders.

The Impact of Genes on Leadership

For scientists, one key challenge to answering the question “Are leaders born or made?” is that each individual’s growth trajectory is influenced by many factors.  The Minnesota twin studies  have been designed to tackle this challenge.

By comparing identical twins (who share 100% of their genes) and fraternal twins (who share 50% of their genes, on average), researchers reported that genetic factors explained about 30% of individual differences in whether people hold leadership positions in the workplace. However, it’s worth noting that environmental factors, especially work experiences, are substantially important in determining leadership.

Further studies have been conducted to identify specific DNA markers that may be involved in genetic influences on leadership.  One study  examined how a dopamine transporter gene, DAT1, was involved in genetic influences on leadership role occupancy. Researchers found that on one hand, individuals with this gene were more likely to demonstrate moderate rule-breaking behaviors, which is important for becoming a leader.

(Think about some successful business leaders of the century — Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, and Jack Welch — they started demonstrating “rule-breaking” behaviors in their early ages, and later on, they dared to transform the rules and became leaders of the industry.)

On the other hand, this gene was also associated with a lack of planning, self-control, and perseverance, which are also important leadership competencies. The findings suggest that whether individuals with this gene become leaders or not depends on other factors such as the environment. For instance, if families and organizations provide safe environments to encourage individuals’ innovative behaviors while also encouraging self-regulation, the overall influences of the gene might become positive, and individuals are likely to take up leadership positions.

So, what is the implication of these scientific findings?

Scientific research confirms that it’s the joint influences of both nature and nurture that play important roles. In fact, the data showed that environmental factors weigh heavier in influencing individuals’ leadership journeys.

The implication for most of us is that leadership can be practiced and learned.

Parents, trainers, organizations, and educators should create a learning environment where developmental opportunities are provided to allow individuals to grow as leaders  and fully realize their leadership potential.

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Watch our webinar, How to Scale Development Opportunities for Employees to Prepare for the Future , to learn the 5 key considerations for L&D professionals in offering effective leadership development to all their employees as they serve the entire organization and prepare their workforce to succeed in a diverse and ever-changing world.

Do Leaders at Your Organization Believe That Leaders Are Born or Made?

Understanding whether people in your organization think leaders are born or made is critical because these attitudes play out in recruiting, promotion, and development decisions.

Will your organization spend resources on finding people believed to be born leaders, or on developing people into becoming leaders? Will executives emphasize the selection of talent and only invest in those who they believe have leadership potential? Or will they see value in developing the leadership skills of a broad group of people?

The stance of senior executives on the question of whether leaders are born or made may influence the entire culture of your organization and the way leaders are developed.

For instance, if your CEO or executive team believes leaders are more born, they may focus more on selection. Organizational development may tend to have early identification programs for high potentials, in combination with on-the-job stretch assignments to develop certain leaders.

On the other hand, if your CEO or executive team believes that leaders are more made, a broad-based leadership development strategy may be well received, and expected, by leaders up and down the organization.

Top leaders set the tone for the development of others within their organization, so understanding their views can inform talent identification and development strategies.

Our Research Explores the Question: Are Leaders Born or Made?

We  conducted research  on this question, asking 361 C-level executives “Are leaders born or made?”

We found that their views were decidedly mixed:

  • 19% believed that leaders are more born,
  • 52% believed they are more made, and
  • 29% believed that leaders are about equally born and made.

Are Leaders Born or Made? Perspectives From Executives

This distribution suggests that executives don’t really agree on whether leaders are born or made. And neither do leadership scholars — the selection vs. development debate is strong, as arguments for both sides continue to emerge.

We also found that “Born Believers” and “Made Believers” may think a little differently about what creates a leader.

Born Believers place substantially more importance on leader traits than do Made Believers and believe that traits are slightly more important than are experiences.

In contrast, Made Believers believe that experiences are substantially more important than are leader traits (though both agree that experience is important).

Are Leaders Born or Made? Which is Most Important in Creating a Leader: Traits, Experiences, or Training?

Development Is Important, Regardless of Whether Leaders Are Born or Made

Our results indicate that there is little difference in how Borns and Mades at the tops of organizations feel about the availability of learning opportunities within their organizations.

Specifically, 82% of Borns and 89% of Mades believe that their organizations value employee learning and development opportunities. Additionally, 84% of Borns and 82% of Mades believe that learning and developmental resources are available to them in their organizations.

Apparently, even when top executives believe that leaders are more born than they are made, they also believe that learning from experience is important for development . The difference is focus .

Borns are likely to think that organizations should be very selective in who gets developmental opportunities, offering them only to those the leaders believe are most likely to benefit from them.

Improving the Leadership Pipeline

Regardless of how you answer the question “Are leaders born or made?”  you can continue to improve your organization’s leadership bench strength by providing your team with access to varied developmental experiences.

When you make sure that your people have adequate access to developmental experiences, coaching, mentoring, training, and other leadership experiences, they have the opportunity to learn and become better leaders. Whether these experiences draw out and boost natural abilities or create new leadership skills may be debated — but either way, the organization benefits.

Organizations can also benefit in other ways when they provide more general support for development. Access to development has been shown to increase employees’ job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and performance. Conversely, the absence of support and development opportunities makes employees want to leave .

In conclusion, as long as there are leaders, people are going to wonder — are leaders born or made?

But overwhelmingly, our research found, executives agree that people become leaders, in large part, as a result of experiences that help them learn how to lead.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Whether leaders are born or made, your organization will want to offer talent development to your people. We’d love to partner with you to craft impactful, individualized leadership development for your leaders at all levels.

Based on Research by

Bill Gentry

Bill’s research at CCL focused on examining what leaders, particularly first-time managers, can do to be successful in their work and life, and to avoid derailment. He’s the author of Be the Boss Everyone Wants to Work For: A Guide for New Leaders and co-author of the guidebook Developing Political Savvy .

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It’s a debate as timeless as the age-old controversy about the chicken and the egg. Do effective leaders learn to become superior communicators and relationship builders? Or do people with exemplary communication and teamwork abilities naturally have an aptitude for leadership?

Recently, the Wall Street Journal’s online edition, citing the need for – and lack of – these leadership qualities in business, asked its readers if business schools should “put more focus on communications and interpersonal training within their programs, or should the programs require a greater degree of proficiency in these skills in the students they admit?” Inevitably, the discussion revolved around the question of whether communication and relationship skills are inherent or learned.

One reader contended that a person not already inclined to communicate openly could never really acquire the skill. Another claimed that by focusing on team projects and class discussions, business schools clearly provide this valuable training. But most agreed that business schools should both look for students with superior communications and relationship abilities and then show them how to refine their abilities. At Ivey, that is certainly the case, as it should be.

As Ivey Professor Gerard H. Seijts illustrates in his compelling article about the behaviours of effective leaders, communications and interpersonal skills are absolutely critical, especially when a crisis erupts or when leaders “have to navigate the rough seas of organizational change.” And since “most businesses operate in a complex and uncertain environment”, the best business leaders possess foresight, decisiveness and the confidence to take risks – behavioural traits gained by communicating and working with others.

He further observes that when problems occur, leaders need the “visibility” that arises from remaining in touch with your people at all times. Equally vital is a leader’s eagerness to communicate widely because there is “no such thing as over-communications during a crisis”. He also underscores the critical leadership ability of being able to “connect with people” – to engage them, secure their commitment and gain their trust. Most important, he shows how these mindsets not only help during a crisis, they inevitably help to avoid crises. Effective communication and interpersonal skills provide leaders with an acute understanding of what could happen, how to minimize surprises, and how to keep your people on side – no matter what occurs.

Can people learn to communicate and relate well with others? As I have seen, absolutely. Do leaders need to listen, speak and interact with people effectively? Absolutely. Are leaders born or are they made? I believe that the best leaders learn to lead. They come to appreciate the value of candour and trust. They seek to understand and be understood. And they know that communicating and relating well with people are the only ways to achieve the calibre of leadership that endures.

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Developing Leaders: Are Leaders Born or Made?

are leaders born or made in business schools essay

Vince Lombardi is famous for saying "Leaders are not born. They are made. They are made just like anything else, through hard work. That's the price you have to pay to achieve that goal or any goal." Leadership skills can be learned and leadership effectiveness can be developed 1 . Organizations typically identify a leadership gap and then seek to fill the gap through training efforts.

Robert Katz, in his book Skills of an Effective Administrator, explains that leadership is a learned skill. Although people possess varying amounts of aptitude to lead, their skills can be improved through training and practice. Furthermore, even those lacking strong innate ability can improve their performance through coaching and learning. This is the rationale for the establishment of leadership schools -- Plato's Academy, 387 BC; Aristotle's Lyceum, 355 BC; Oxford University, AD 1117; Harvard University, AD 1636; and the U.S. military academies, as well as over 2,000 corporate universities found in American business, industry, and government 3 .

One good way to learn is by studying the masters, those who have gone before. The most effective performers are honest in appraising their current skills and humble enough to learn from others. They copy, adapt, and sometimes surpass the heroes who were the source of their inspiration. They take to heart Yogi Berra's famous slogan "You can observe a lot by watching 4 ."

Individuals who want to develop leadership effectiveness should identify superb leaders and learn from their example. They should observe their behavior and ask questions. Understanding the values and goals of successful leaders, the rationale for their decisions and actions, the principles underlying their skills and techniques, and the resources they use to solve problems and make decisions can serve as an excellent foundation for developing one's own leadership ability.

Although much of what is labeled as leadership development is classroom-based and is provided in courses, seminars, and lectures, important growth can come from on-the-job "stretch" experiences and, sometimes, the crucible of crisis. Experiences having developmental possibilities include early work experience, first-time supervision, responsibility for starting something from scratch or for fixing something (turnaround), expansion of job scope, special projects and task force assignments, and line to staff switch. These experiences usually force people to rise to a challenge or endure a trial they have never faced before. Out of adversity, hardship, and even loss can come meaningful development that cannot be easily achieved in the classroom setting.

Stretch Assignment

A quality shared by most great leaders is a love of learning. They love to stretch their knowledge and skills and expand their capacity to make a difference. Leadership stretch assignments involve taking risks and reaching beyond one’s comfort zone. They are determined efforts to improve leadership performance. Stretch assignments combat complacency and stimulate growth by “changing things up.” Examples of stretch projects include improving personal skills in public speaking, computer literacy, or community service; improving company performance by reconfiguring workflow for better quality; eliminating waste to reduce cost; and improving products and services to satisfy customers 9 .

Both emerging and experienced leaders can use stretch projects to keep themselves fresh and growing. Through personal example, such leaders model continuous improvement as a basic value. In many fields, the difference between average performance and exceptional performance is 10 percent. In baseball, for example, many players hit .275, but the best players hit over .300 (a difference of about 10 percent). A good goal for a stretch project would be to improve individual or group performance by at least 10 percent 10 .

Leaders can enhance professional success through an active program of personal reading. This is an activity that leaders should consider to broaden their perspective and deepen their knowledge. After basic biology, lives are determined by self-talk ("I am a loser," "I am a winner"), the people we are around (some will pull us down; some will pull us up), and the books we read (good ideas in books generate good deeds in life).

What do Employers Want in an Employee?

The number one quality employers want in an employee is honesty. The need for trust is paramount because the employer relies on the employee to serve its customers, protect its property, and uphold its reputation. Employee honesty is essential.

Second, the employer wants someone who will take initiative and be a self-starter. The employee who is eager to serve is viewed as an asset. Demographics are less important than the underlying qualities of self-motivation, desire to learn, and personal commitment. These qualities are important irrespective of age, gender, and ethnicity.

Third, employers want employees with good problem-solving ability, including technical knowledge and skills. For example, the ability to obtain, analyze, and use quantitative information is important in many jobs.

These "big three" qualities are followed by communication skills, the ability to get along well with others, creative responses to setbacks and obstacles, a high-attitude-low-maintenance approach to work, and leadership potential to constitute the characteristics of an ideal employee 20 .

The following are basic rules for succeeding in one’s work:

  • Put your best foot forward. Ask what is expected of you and with whom you will be working; then exceed expectations. Build good working relationships from the beginning.
  • Deliver results. Be known for reliability and performance. Stay on task, and persevere in the face of challenge. Let your deeds speak louder than the words you use.
  • Be considerate. Work cooperatively to accomplish tasks. Lend a helping hand to others in need, and have a one-team attitude in dealing with people.
  • Be creative. Keep an open mind, and look for ways to improve your organization and the work you do. Be original and open to new ideas.
  • Have integrity. Remember, success comes from doing the right things for the right reasons in the right way. Keep your thinking cap on to know what is right. Keep your character strong to do what is right.

Consider the practice of Alan B. Miller, CEO, and chairman of Universal Health Services, who uses a 3i screen for hiring employees. Miller requires integrity (honesty in all dealings), intensity (self-drive and determination), and intelligence (problem-solving ability) in order of importance. These guidelines trump all other factors, including academic credentials and social connections. Miller believes the 3i's can be difficult to assess, but they are critical for both individual and organizational success. As such, in-depth interviews and background investigation are favored over automated selection methods that fail to measure the "human factors" of success. Although the 3i's are important for all employees to possess, Miller believes integrity, intensity, and intelligence are indispensable qualities for effective leadership.

Peak performance is important for the individual and the organization. It is hard to describe, but you know it when you see it.

To personalize the concept of peak performance, answer the following questions:

  • Describe a time in your life when you performed at your personal best. When was it? Who was involved? What happened? What were the results?
  • As a result of your personal best, what did you learn about yourself? About other people? About excellence?
  • Based on your personal best and lessons learned, what are your plans for the road ahead? What goals do you have? What steps can you take to perform (again) at a peak-performance level?

Whatever you are called to be in life you should perform your work so well that all the hosts of heaven will declare, here is a great baker, machinist, farmer, or chief, who does his or her work well 23 .

are leaders born or made in business schools essay

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Are Leaders Born or Made: Exploring Both Sides of the Argument

Table of contents, the nature argument: born leaders, the nurture argument: made leaders, the interaction between nature and nurture.

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Are leaders born or made?

Leadership abounds – it plays out for good or for bad ( see Dilbert ) wherever people need to work together to accomplish common goals .

Interest in leadership has become a bit of an obsession. In recent years there has been an explosion of newspaper articles, books, research papers and business cases written about, or by, renowned leaders. Leadership is also big business, with a thriving multi-billion dollar industry in identifying, recruiting, assessing and developing leader talent .

So then, what “ does it take ” to be an effective leader; and are leaders “ born ” or “ made ?”

dilbert

Well, we know that effective leaders are born to some extent , with genetic and dispositional tendencies that are a “good fit” for the role. More important, they are also made through life experience and formal developmental efforts. Successful leadership means effective decision making and priority setting in uncertain environments, even in the face of economic and technological change; all this while balancing a myriad of often conflicting demands from their subordinates, bosses, and customers.

On the “leaders are born side” we know that extroversion, conscientiousness (i.e. planful, achievement-oriented, reliable, persevering), openness to new experiences, emotional stability, and general intelligence all contribute to a foundation for leadership effectiveness. These characteristics have been shown to be helpful across organizations, sectors, nations and organizational levels, and are often the focus of formal questionnaire-based assessments of leadership potential.

On the “leaders are made side” , in-born characteristics make it easier and more natural to seek out experiences that build a repertoire of leadership competencies. These include the development of written and oral communications skills , the confidence required to inspire and influence others (“charisma”) , social adeptness and cultural intelligence . These talents are most often measured through interviews and simulations of typical leadership tasks (e.g. conducting a mock performance review, conducting a coaching session; prioritizing and delegating a set of projects; making an inspirational speech; and resolving scenario based management dilemmas).

So, putting the “ born ” and “ made ” side perspectives together, people who are conscientious, extraverted, open to new experience, emotionally stable, and intelligent (quick to learn) also tend to proactively seek out competence-building experiences. This happens through formal education, such as the MBA, targeted leadership development workshops, and accumulated career-building work experience.

In terms of new and contemporary ideas on leadership character, recent work with my co-investigator Dr. Gordon Wang has identified several virtues that predict both leader effectiveness and employee well-being:

  • Justice/Fairness (politics kept to a minimum!)
  • Truthfulness

We believe that while individuals are born with varying inclinations toward these virtues, only through practicing the virtues daily, and across situations, do they become habit forming and an ingrained part of one’s character. Our research is now focusing on character development interventions in leadership .

Rick Hackett

Dr. Rick Hackett is a professor of Human Resources & Management at DeGroote and currently holds the Canada Research Chair in Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance. Dr. Hackett is studying the links between leadership, work attitudes and performance within the nursing profession.

13 thoughts on " Are leaders born or made? "

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An excellent article Dr. Hackett, and one I agree with completely. The only question I’d pose back to you is why are there so many long-tenured, so-called ‘successful’ leaders out there today, especially in the corporate sphere that are lacking in Justice/Fairness, Humanness and Truthfulness, to name but a few key characteristics. It seems to be epidemic at times, and these are often the same leaders that climb the corporate ladder the fastest and highest! Seems like a real disconnect. I’d be very interested in hearing your thoughts on this issue, thanks

Ian T. MBA ’00

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Hello Ian, thank you for your thoughtful comments. Perhaps the “availability heuristic” is at play here. That is, reports of scandals and moral improprieties of our leaders receive considerable press coverage, thereby becoming highly salient to us. Such salience results in us overestimating the prevalence of the problem. We simply hear less about the many successful morally upright managers. Also, it is enduring success we’re after; not fleeting success. Think Bernie Ebbers and WorldCom, as well as Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling of Enron. Finally, you can likely be a “successful” leader, at least over the short term, without these virtues, but I argue that you can be more successful with them — that these virtues contribute to leader effectiveness beyond the contribution of the knowledge, skills, abilities, experiences, and political astuteness typically associated with effective leaders. For information on the “availability heuristic” see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Availability_heuristic

' src=

Dr. Hackett: I graduated with an MBA (in Finance) from the DeGroote School of Business in 1991. Since I interact with leaders in all facets of business, I have developed my own theories on how leaders emerge and what constitutes an effective leader. In fact, I have lectured on these and related topics. I focus on the concept of whether leadership is a skill that is innate or learned. Basically, I believe that leaders emerge by necessity that is often driven by circumstance rather than a preconceived desire or plan. However, I subscribe to your theory that individuals are born with varying inclinations toward certain virtues and that only through consistent development and application of those virtues in their daily life do they become habit forming and an ingrained part of one’s character. You can view part of my lecture on YouTube at the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urPknNHgEMc I would welcome the opportunity to have a chat and explore these concepts together. My complete contact information is provided on my website.

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the leader are born not made

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are there any theories to justify the debate

Hi there, sure, there are theories to speak to this issue and I refer to you a book very recently published which takes a highly evidenced-based approach to reviewing the body of knowledge of leadership across different realms. The book I am referring to is the science of leadership by Professor Julian Barling of Queens University which can be found at the link below. He devotes a section specifically on the topic of whether leaders are “born or made”.

Happy reading.

http://www.amazon.ca/The-Science-Leadership-Research-Organizational/dp/0199757011

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hello i know that is agreat quation i bleive the sayes leadership is born example our provet mohamed peace being abon him .

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I am doing an essay on this topic for my management paper and looking for some good academic articles on this topic. Anyone can recommend good articles?. Thanks.

Go to Julian Barling’s book, referenced above. It contains a section on this very topic, and cites relevant and recent research on this topic.

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Can an extroverted and conscentious individual without good communication skills become a good leader?

I know within me lies some innate qualities of effective leadership but i’ve not had the opportunity to participate in any training nor giving a position to lead. How do i develop those traits in me?

Esther, communications skills are essential for effective leadership, and communication comes in many forms, both verbal and nonverbal, one-to-one and one-to-many. So, formal communications programs can certainly help, and leadership development and training programs have been shown to help as well. Further, emulating leadership effectiveness is another strategy, and placing yourself in situations for practicing leadership and receiving feedback.

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The Science of Leadership: Lessons from Research for Organizational Leaders

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The Science of Leadership: Lessons from Research for Organizational Leaders

5 Are Leaders Born or Made?

  • Published: January 2014
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Whether leadership is “born or made” has long intrigued theorists, management practitioners and the lay public. While many believe that leadership in iconic figures such as Nelson Mandela must surely be something he was born with, the chapter opens with a study of his early life, effectively demonstrating the complexity of the issue. The effects of exposure to adversity early in one’s life, and social, family and non-familial influences on the later development of leadership, are discussed. Some of the most interesting and provocative recent research findings have shown that genetic factors are also implicated in the question of who emerges as a leader, and on leadership behaviors. While most of this research focuses on high quality leadership, the role of family influences in the development of destructive leadership has also been identified

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Human Capital Management , Human Resources , Leadership

Are leaders born or made.

Whitney Beasley / January 2, 2023 January 2, 2023

Are Leaders Born or Made?

It’s an age-old question — are people born leaders? Whatever your personal beliefs, it is clear from observation that leaders come in all shapes, sizes and characteristics. However, leading a company or a team involves more than a natural ability and often requires the person to develop their skills over time.

How Are Leaders Made?

Many people have begun to acknowledge that most  leaders are made rather than born . While a natural affinity for leadership is always appreciated, many employees need consistent practice and skill-building resources to become talented leaders.

There may be several reasons to support the idea that leaders are made, but we’ve come up with the top reasons you should promote the support and development of leadership in your organization. Here are five reasons why leaders are made, not born.

Reason One: Leaders Come in All Shapes and Sizes

Not all leaders look the same or follow a specific type. The most influential leaders in the world all have different strengths and characteristics that make them stand out from each other and help them in their specific industries. From various personality types to particular skills and knowledge, leaders understand how to influence the people around them, though their kind of influence varies from company to company.

Many still believe that extroverts make the best leaders. However, many introverts have the capacity for excellent leadership in a business. Some people can be administrative, handle small details and remember important information well. Others enjoy the strategic side of leadership, checking in with their team members and encouraging them to pursue unique opportunities or further the company’s mission.

Whether a leader is strategic, administrative or relational, their personal development can impact their effectiveness. While your natural upbringing could influence how you lead, development and practice strengthen your leadership abilities and style.

Reason Two: Life and Work Experience Informs Leadership

Often, a person’s life and work experiences inform how well they will succeed as a leader. It may positively affect their capability as a leader if they’ve gone through challenging personal or work circumstances. Learning throughout life is critical when deciding to lead others. Walking through life’s challenges can help you learn to make good decisions and help others make even better ones.

You may also  become a good leader  by watching famous or impactful leaders. Watch how they’ve overcome adversity and challenges and gather valuable insight you can impart to your team. The best leaders have learned from life and matured emotionally and intellectually. They recognize that seeking new experiences can influence their skills and impact the company.

Reason Three: Leaders Need Practice and Coaching

Leadership Coaching

Another reason leaders are made is that many leaders are developed through consistent practice and dedicated coaching. When practicing good leadership, many think back to their first job or  experience managing a team .

Great leaders will learn through every experience they have, no matter how insignificant it may seem. Their previous jobs and leadership opportunities afford them the knowledge they need to succeed elsewhere.

Leadership is also made better by learning and practicing new knowledge and skills while having the discipline to continue practicing until a breakthrough occurs. The best leaders are self-aware of their current skills and the process needed to improve them. Driven leaders understand their limits and work hard to push past those boundaries and embrace challenging leadership positions.

Leaders also depend on  dedicated coaching  throughout their life to be successful. These coaches could be anyone from teachers, mentors, supervisors or trainers who have helped you learn what you know today. In many cases, leaders are developed through the encouragement and coaching of others rather than the natural abilities of a select few. A good leadership teacher understands how to coach their student or trainee into leading well.

The quality of these teachers is just as important. They should understand that it can be challenging for new leaders to listen to feedback or take criticism, and they can encourage others to embrace humility and practice receiving constructive criticism. By finding a coach you trust, anyone can develop leadership skills and use them to succeed.

Reason Four: Leadership Needs Purpose and Context

A lot of leaders need a purpose for their leadership skills to thrive. Others may specifically succeed in contexts or industries where they feel most knowledgeable and comfortable.

Understanding why you want to lead will also determine how successful the outcome is. Good leaders want to accomplish a goal or mission, while others may enjoy the attention or seek to control others. That is why leadership is more than a natural desire or urge to lead.

Made leaders understand the balance between their mission and the role they have to play in that goal. They support the company and staff by helping them achieve their goals and spread their values to customers and clients. And, just as leaders need a purpose to become successful, some also need specific environments to thrive. An ideal situation is one where a leader feels suited to their current environment and has the knowledge and skills to achieve their mission.

Reason Five: Leaders Can Possess Empathy

Some people operate under the assumption that all good leaders are great public speakers, have charismatic personalities and are extremely outgoing. However, this doesn’t have to be the case, and it is often not. While extroverts may possess a talent for engaging with others, introverts can lead as easily as any other person. Whether introverted or extroverted, many leaders have had to develop their emotional intelligence over time, making the case that leaders are made and not born.

Emotionally intelligent people can use their feelings to motivate themselves and others. They can understand their team members’ feelings and plan for tasks and skills accordingly. Emotional intelligence also allows leaders to form intentional bonds with other people, connecting on a level that other leaders may not.

While high intelligence is often linked with great leaders, many overlook emotional intelligence as a driving factor for excellent leadership. By understanding the thoughts and feelings of your team members, you can learn to solve conflicts better or raise motivation among staff. You will also be able to act professionally in social settings while reading the room for different emotions.

Showing empathy in the workplace may look like this:

  • Giving a voice:  Allow team members to voice their opinions, questions or feedback on projects and goals.
  • Supporting struggles:  Show empathy for others’ struggles and compassion by understanding their situation.
  • Praising success:  Praise your team’s success by directly  calling attention to their skills  and attributes.
  • Settling disagreements:  Settle disagreements by showing compassion to both sides of the argument and ensuring each person has felt heard.

These and other displays of empathy are all skills leaders develop with time.

Create Talented Leaders With Help From Exude Human Capital

Exude is a consulting firm that has assisted businesses in implementing leadership skills and employee development. Our company wants to help you improve your employees’ and customers’ experiences and can give you excellent advice on creating talented leaders to further the mission of your business. Contact us today to  speak to an Exude representative .

Leadership Training with Exude

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Home — Essay Samples — Business — Effective Leadership — Leaders are Made, Not Born

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Leaders Are Made, not Born

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Published: Jan 29, 2024

Words: 752 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Definition and understanding of leadership, examples of leaders who were made, debate points supporting leaders are made, counterarguments and rebuttals, case study 1: abraham lincoln's transformation into a great leader, case study 2: mahatma gandhi's growth as a leader, the importance of education and knowledge in leadership development, the role of experience and practice in developing leadership skills, the significance of personal growth and self-awareness in leadership development, counterargument 1: some individuals possess innate leadership traits from birth, counterargument 2: the influence of genetics and personality on leadership.

  • Buffet, W. E. (2013). Benjamin Graham, "The Intelligent Investor." (Revised Edition). New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
  • Isaacson, W. (2011). Steve Jobs. New York: Simon & Schuster.
  • Nadella, S. (2017). Hit Refresh: The Quest to Rediscover Microsoft's Soul and Imagine a Better Future for Everyone. New York: Harper Collins Publishers.

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are leaders born or made in business schools essay

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