Are Leaders Born or Made?

I was recently in a graduate school class called The Practice of Leadership and the lecture came to a complete stand still when the professor posed the following question to the group. “Are Leaders Born or Made?” It seems like an easy enough question. As everyone began listing a litany of answers, my initial knee jerk reaction was “oh course leaders are born.” Look at examples like Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs and Martin Luther King, Jr. However, after further reflection, I thought, “am I making an obvious conclusion by saying leaders are born?” What about the effort and sacrifice these individuals have done over the years to be revered as leaders?

A better question would have been, “how do we define leadership?” Are there certain characteristics required to be a leader? Many times we mistake the charismatic extroverts, people with titles or the loudest people in the room as being a leader. In reality, leadership can come in many different forms and you also don’t need a title to lead.

Talent and a loud voice do not always equate to leadership. There are many great athletes who will never become good coaches. Likewise there are many great actors who will never become good directors. Leaders may not be the smartest, strongest or fastest person in the group. However, leaders do understand people, mindsets and motivation. Leaders know how to inspire creativity and enthusiasm. There are countless examples of effective leadership where people lead from behind or even lead by example. You don’t have to be born with a special leadership gene in order to be a good leader. Effective leadership can not only be made, it can be improved.

Vince Lombardi said, “Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile."

If you are willing to pay the price of hard effort, you, too, can go forth and lead!