Are ‘Great’ Leaders Born or Made? Illustrate Your Arguments by Drawing on Examples of I) Leaders and Leadership; and Ii) Relevant Leadership Theories.

If leaders are simply born that way then what is the point of leadership development. The answer perhaps creates controversy because the answer is simply both. Clearly there are those who have certain abilities that allow them to more easily assume leadership roles while others of us work to develop the necessary skills. The reality is that each person is unique in their skills and abilities as is each leader. One may be charismatic while another is empathetic, one may have clear vision another remarkable communication skill. We all have a different mix of skills and abilities that allow us the opportunity to lead. “Genetic endowment may merely influence the rate at which domain-specific expertise is acquired without imposing any upper or lower bounds on attainment.” (Simonton, 2007) While some leaders definitely have a genetic advantage on leadership, and may find

There are a variety of ways to define both leader and leadership. There is not, however, a clear definition of how to become one. There is no set list of mandatory traits, either innate or learned, that a person must embody to be considered successful or proved a failure. What I feel it takes is the right mix of strengths and weaknesses in a given situation to demonstrate effectiveness. No one person has abilities without accompanying deficiencies. It’s all in the way they are balanced. The balance in the way one uses his or hers’ abilities will ultimately determine the type of leadership one has throughout time. To support these claims I will examine a well-known leader throughout the military, General James “Mad Dog” Mattis. This essay

In Lesson 6, Dr. Fischer explores the ideas of whether leaders are born or made. In some cases certain traits such as extroversion, conscientiousness, openness, and emotional intelligence can suggest that leaders can in

Throughout time the question of “ Are leaders born or made?” continues to be debated. This question has been part of several myths that try to explain what makes a person a leader. According to the trait approach theory, it sets a benchmark for what certain traits an individual must possess in order to make them a leader. Before leadership traits were considered innate. However, as time has progressed research has indicated that situations differentiate leaders from non-leaders. Therefore, an individual does not possess certain traits, rather it is the relationship between the person and its society that make him/her leader. All leaders must have a set of skills that help them lead subordinates to reach an overall vision. A vision must originate from both the leader and its followers, and it is the leader's job to articulate the vision. Furthermore, leaders demonstrate the capacity to lead their followers and

There are numerous theories about leadership. Some of the theories suggest that leaders are born while others suggest that leaders are made through training.

Many may measure leadership in success, however, leadership is also measured in personality. The phrase “born to be a leader” holds true when considering the qualities a leader must possess. To be an effective leader, first it must be understood that respect, logical problem solving, and confidence without arrogance is key; these qualities are present in the leaders of the novel The Lord of the Flies as well as in modern leaders of today’s society.

As a growing debate, the question at hand is whether great leaders are born with specific leadership traits, or if one can be taught certain traits over time. According to (Wikipedia.com) the approach of listing leadership qualities, often termed "trait theory of leadership", assumes certain traits or characteristics will tend to lead to effective leadership. I believe that leadership traits such as honest, competent, initiative, inspiring, hardworking, intelligent, and the ability to lead the masses, are some of the leadership traits one should possess. Within this paper, I will examine the overall concept of leadership traits, while observing the traits that were, or can be associated with successful leaders.

Winston Churchill, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Jr. – all possessed such leadership traits as ambition, self-confidence, and intelligence. These cannot be learned; they are innate. Two well-respected research studies that support the notion that personality traits can predict leadership were published in the Journal of Applied Psychology and in the Leadership Quarterly.

To be a leader in today’s society, in my opinion, one must possess genuine abilities that empower and strengthen those they wish to lead or mentor. The idea that an individual is born with the skill set and talents of someone that has spent the majority of their life “evolving” through priceless experience is both extremely farfetched and a bit unbelievable. However, throughout my own experiences, I have seen others achieve leadership positions through training and or personal development. Moreover, I am sure that there are some “would be leaders” that have a natural talent for leadership but I use the term “some” lightly. Research has shown that the qualities of a leader are not necessarily tied to one or the other but leaders have shown

The same is true for leadership. Not all who effectively lead are born with innate abilities that attract followers. Each of us brings our own combination of life experiences, personal traits and stylistic preferences to the practice of leadership. Through the act of deliberate reflection and contemplation, we become aware of ourselves and how our experiences and traits are likely to help or hinder our pursuit of effective leadership. We become aware of our personal truths, our strengths and our faults and I believe this is the foundation from which leadership is built.

In modern day business, leadership has become an issue that is given far more attention and investment than ever before. Leadership involves establishing a clear vision, sharing that vision with others so that they will follow willingly, providing the information, knowledge and methods to realise that vision, and coordinating and balancing the conflicting interests of all members and stakeholder. This essay will discuss whether leaders are born not made, with varies of theories being compared and contrasted and the strengths and limitations of leaders itself. Further this essay will analyse the future aspects of theories which would establish whether a leader was born with leadership qualities or made into a successful leader.

leader is, if there is some type of genetic makeup to leaders, or whether skills can be learned,

There are many kinds of leaders; some lead through position and authority, while others lead through inspiration and vision. Some people are simply natural born leaders. However, whether one was born a leader or has to become a leader, all great leaders spend time developing their traits. Similarly, when you train for a sport, you first learn to develop the fundamentals, and then you work to master and apply them. I’ve been told I am a born leader, but have always sought to improve my leadership abilities through experience. Maxwell states, “The learned leader; has seen leadership modeled most of life, has learned leadership through training, and has self-discipline to become a great leader” (Maxwell, 93). This statement is reflective of my experience during my military tenure, and what it means to me is; leadership must be developed in practice, as well as in theory.

So if a leader needs a combination of characteristics that makes them successful is a leader born or made? The answer is both. Some people already possess the traits that they need to be leaders and are often leaders from an early age. Some people observe and eventually become leaders. Leadership can be taught. Over the years many theories about leadership have been developed. These theories include but are not limited to trait theories, behavioral theories, contingency theories, and functional theories.

Research on leadership began with a search for inherited characteristics that differentiated leaders from non-leaders and