There are some questions that never seem to be answered. One of those is: Are leaders made or born?
Research psychologists have proven that most leaders are made. But what exactly is leadership? It is the ability to motivate and direct a group of people that requires a complex set of skills that are mostly acquired through life experiences, self-development and formal training.
A leader also is known to choose the right action at the right time and be consistent in their actions. Some evidence shows that leaders are bold, assertive and figure out courses of action that have positive results by systematic analysis. They have empathy for their team by understanding what they are feeling and acting to maximize their emotions to create loyalty.
Leaders lead by example. Bernard Bass. author of "Transformational Leadership", noted, “The leader must be able to know what followers want when they want it and what prevents them from getting what they want.”
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And true leaders are lifelong learners. They fine-tune their skills throughout their careers by learning something new every day. They take advantage of all forms of personal development to keep them up-to-date with the latest approaches to effective leadership.
Brigette Tasha Hyacinth, author of five books on leadership, asserts that people are born with inherent traits that make them future leaders. But, leaders are, in fact, made, but born with qualities that lead them to positions of leadership. They become real leaders “through a process of teaching, learning and observation.”
Leadership is a set of skills that can be learned through engagement in proactive skill development training and experience over time. And, it is a lifetime experience. Leaders never stop learning. Much of what makes a leader is not taught but gained through experience. That is why “going through the chairs” is vital to learning the art of leadership. It cannot be rushed. Because it is a combination of innate traits that get refined and improved over time through training.
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Not everyone can be a leader, just like everyone cannot become a doctor, lawyer, plumber or electrician. The natural follower cannot become a leader no matter how much training they take. And, leadership is a choice. Leaders rise to the occasion and take the challenge while others would rather be in the background in supportive/follower roles.
So what are the attributes of a leader? GLOBE (Global Leadership and Organizational Behavioral Effectiveness) research from over 60 countries showed the following: integrity, charisma, inspirational, visionary, encouraging, positive, confidence builder, dynamic, foresight, effective team building, communicating, coordinating, decisive, intelligent and win-win problem solving.