Are Leaders Born or Made?

For centuries people have debated whether leaders are born or made. Several decades ago researchers started trying to answer the question. The debate goes on, even though we know the answer. It turns out to be a little of both. Leaders are sort of born and they're always made. Knowing the details will help you develop effective leaders for your company. Leaders are Sort of Born It seems like there's only one thing that a person needs to actually be born with in order to be a leader later in life. That's intelligence. A leader needs to be smart enough. Effective leaders aren't necessarily the smartest people in the room or the company or even on the team. But they have to be smart enough to do the job they're assigned. What's more important is what kind of person the potential leader is when he or she becomes an adult. The person who emerges from adolescence into young adulthood has the psychological and character traits they'll demonstrate for the rest of their life. Some of those matter for leadership. By the time a person becomes an adult we can tell if they can help other people achieve results. That, after all, is what we expect leaders to do. We expect them to achieve success through a group. We expect them to help their subordinates grow and develop. By the time a person becomes an adult, we can tell if they want to achieve objectives or if they just want to go along and take it easy. We expect leaders to be responsible for achieving results. You can have a marvelous life without a results focus, but if you're going to lead successfully you have to have the drive and willingness to be measured by the results of your leadership. By the time a person becomes an adult, we can tell if they are willing to make decisions or not. Lots of people wake up every day and let the world happen to them. But leaders must be able and willing to make decisions that affect themselves and others. By the time a person becomes an adult we can tell if they have the basic qualities that we expect leaders to have. We can determine if they're smart enough to do the job. We can tell if they are willing to help others to achieve results as a group. And we can tell if they will make decisions. Those things are essential. People who have them can learn the multiple skills it takes for them to become effective leaders. No matter how they measure up on the key essentials, no one emerges from the womb or from adolescence with all the skills in place to be an effective leader. Everybody has to learn the job. That's why leaders are always made. Leaders are Always Made Leadership can be learned by anyone with the basics. But an awful lot of leadership cannot be taught. That's because leadership is an apprentice trade. Leaders learn about 80 percent of their craft on the job. They learn from watching other leaders and emulating their behavior. They choose role models and seek out mentors. They ask other leaders about how to handle situations. Leaders improve by getting feedback and using it. The best leaders seek feedback from their boss, their peers and their subordinates. Then they modify their behavior so that they get better results. Leaders learn by trying things out and then critiquing their performance. The only failure they recognize is the failure to learn from experience. In their book, Geeks and Geezers, Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas identify the special power of what they call "crucibles." These are trials which teach hard lessons that leaders use as the basis of their strength in later crises. Many of these events can be called "failures," but leaders turn the bad situation to good by learning from it. Effective leaders take control of their own development. They seek out training opportunities that will make a difference that will make a difference in their performance. Effective leaders look for training programs that will help them develop specific skills that they can use on the job. Then, they when they return to work, they devote specific, deliberate effort to mastering in real life what they learned in the classroom. Marshall Goldsmith and Howard Morgan studied the progress of 88,000 managers who had been to leadership development training. The people who returned from the training, talked about it, and did deliberate work to apply their learning were judged as becoming more effective leaders. The ones who didn't showed no improvement. If you're responsible for leadership development for your company, you should structure your support for your leaders to recognize that most leadership learning happens on the job. Help people develop leadership development plans. Help them select specific skills training and then work on transferring skills from the training to the job. Help them find role models, mentors and peers to discuss leadership issues. Help your leaders get feedback from their boss, peers and subordinates. Work to create the culture of candor that will make that feedback helpful and effective. Don't stop there. Make sure that you evaluate your leaders on their leadership work. Reward them and hold them accountable for accomplishing the mission through the group. And hold them accountable for caring for their people and helping them grow and develop. A Leader's Growth is Never Done Leadership learning is a lifetime activity. You're never done because there's always more to learn. There are always skills you need to improve. Effective leaders seek out development opportunities that will help them learn new skills. Those might be project assignments or job changes. What they have in common is that the leader develops knowledge and skills that can be used elsewhere. Effective leaders also seek out opportunities that will increase their visibility. The fact is that great performance alone will not propel you to the top in your career. You also have to be visible to people who make decisions about promotions and assignments. If you're responsible for developing leaders in your company, set up programs to give your leaders both kinds of development opportunities over the course of their careers. There's no magic formula for developing quality leaders in your company. But if you select potential leaders with the essential traits, then support them with training, feedback, on-the-job learning and development experiences and hold them accountable for results, you'll have the leaders you need to shape your company's future.

Lead By Example

“Example is the greatest of all seducers.” French proverbPeople will eventually DO as you DO and not as you SAY! This does not mean that we can say anything because no one is paying attention. What the expression tries to convey is more to watching out what we model or do because people will eventually use us as an excuse to do what’s in their flesh anyway! So much of our success is due to WHAT WE DO both in private and in public. What we think people are NOT seeing, they ARE. And, what we think we’re modeling, we’re NOT! There is nothing more contagious than a bad example! How did all this get so complicated anyway?It is said that there are at least four sides to our personalities. There is the side that all see and the one that we usually try to sell which is called the PUBLIC side of us. While it is important to put our best foot forward knowing we may never get a second chance, we need to understand that everyone also understands this side as we all play the game. Secondly, there is the PRIVATE side to each of us that’s usually reserved to ourselves only and maybe a close friend, spouse, or confidant. We seldom let people IN to SEE this person although this is the REAL person everyone is sensing. The BLIND side is what others SEE in us but even though we look in the mirror everyday, we fail to see this side of us. Finally, there is the UNCONSCIOUS nature within us. It’s the part we and our friends struggle with. It’s those things which are within us that we neither see nor can describe: neither can anyone else. Nonetheless, it is still there and as real as the known aspects of our life.Now, when you throw all of these “pictures” together of WHO we are, we usually get something entirely different than what we’d expected. And, it’s no wonder people do something other than what we say (unless they have no other choices). So, knowing exactly WHO we are and WHY we were put here on earth goes a long way to getting people to follow us and do as we tell them.“The first great gift we can bestow on others is a good example.” Thomas MorrellIn the work place, we want people to represent us and follow our LEAD but unfortunately, we’re not sure WHO we are and nether are those who work for us. So, how can we be efficient and effective in the work place? Leading and being PROMOTED is more than setting records and excelling in various endeavors.Promotion comes when we BECOME who we ARE (built and intended to be!).One cannot become ANYTHING they choose to be! It all sounds great but in reality it does not work. We can only BE who we were BUILT to be. We have a destiny and the first step is discover that destiny. As I step into my calling and start to BECOME who I AM, things begin to flow effortlessly because I am in tune with my destiny, maker, and nature. So, let us NOT try not be OURSELVES in a field that we choose, but let us find our Father’s field that He choose for us before the foundation of the world and let us begin to express ourselves (the REAL us) therein.“Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened.” Winston ChurchillWe cannot play the game of charades too long, at least not in one location. Life is a lot simpler when we line up with the REAL ME! When I am following my true and real calling, operating out of the substance for which I was created, then there is something that people can really follow. And, if they can’t, why would we want to seduce them into following us in a false fashion anyway?The answers to that question are many. Answers such as: want control, are insecure, need reaffirming, and a host of other character flaws that cause us to lead by anything other than example. Find the REAL YOU and BE THAT!

Essential Qualities Of Leadership

Webster says that leadership is "the position or function of a leader; the ability to lead; an act or instance of leading, guidance, direction." Do you enjoy leading, guiding or directing? Do you look forward to making decisions that impact the lives of others? Would you rather give the responsibility for making choices to someone else? Most of us have been in a position of authority and all of us have met someone who possesses the qualities of an effective leader.

Being a leader is a difficult task especially if you are given responsibilities that you are not familiar with. If you accept this position, you are going to be scrutinized by how you act, the way you look and the way you talk. It is important to be conscious of your actions because the goal is to project an image of influence. Good leaders possess certain characteristics that can help them gain the respect and recognition of others.

Be A Good Example

The first concept is to lead by example. You need to work harder than those who surround you in order to gain their respect. Demonstrate your dedication by being early and staying late. Distinguish yourself through character and integrity when situations are difficult or they are not going your way. Go the extra mile for those who are in your circle of influence.

Be A Good Listener

The second quality of an effective leader is the ability to listen more and talk less. It is more important to listen to the issues that are being raised instead of expressing your opinion about them. Some individuals have the misconception that a good leader talks as much as possible. Effective leaders realize that listening provides them with a deeper understanding of the needs of those that surround them. It also gives them a greater insight into the issues that must be addressed.

Be Concerned

The third concept for effective leadership is the ability to ask the appropriate questions. Analyzing information provides the opportunity to probe the concerns and issues that confront those around you. Express sincerity and as you examine the regards of others. Asking penetrating questions provides the possibility to discover the root causes of problems so that they can be addressed.

Be Decisive

The fourth quality of an effective leader is the ability to make decisions. Make a choice and stick to the plan. A conscientious leader will have options if the original solution is not working. With leadership comes the responsibility for making selections that affect the lives of others. If one has taken the input of those who surround them before making a decision, other considerations can be developed. It is important to examine all of the options thoroughly to avoid unnecessary mistakes and failures.

Not everyone wants to lead. If you are the owner of your home business, the head of your family or the director of a social group you are wearing the hat of a leader. Effective leadership is not necessarily an inherent quality. It can be learned and applied to the different areas of your life. Consider these four qualities as a foundation for developing your leadership skills.
"People never improve unless they look to some standard or example higher and better than themselves."