Natural vs Learned Leadership: Let’s Focus On What Matters

Some believe leadership is an innate skill found in those with exceptional personalities, while others think it can be learned and improved over time. That’s the debate behind natural vs learned leadership. But which one holds true? Does?nature or nurture?play the strongest role in developing strong leadership skills??

Let’s explore both sides of the argument to better understand natural vs learned leadership. To do this, let’s explore the characteristics of successful leaders and examine approaches for honing non-natural talents, so you can decide where your own leadership abilities reside.

Natural vs Learned Leadership: How Do Leadership Skills Develop?

Natural Leadership Talent

Natural leaders often have an innate ability to lead and make confident decisions that help bring people together in pursuit of a shared goal without any formal training.?Oftentimes, these individuals will stand out from the crowd with their remarkable charisma and confidence which commands respect from their peers. Natural leaders may also simply know instinctively how to mobilize people and handle difficult situations when things don’t go as planned. They often exert leadership presence without conscious effort.

Just as with any natural talent, the world provides numerous examples of ambitious, dedicated, hard-working individuals who applied consistent effort to learning and practicing a skill and have outpaced those with natural abilities. In this case,?those who are naturally gifted in leadership may stop investing in learning or participating in leadership training programs and thus fail to become effective leaders when faced with change.

Learned Leadership

Leadership capabilities can often be a combination of natural abilities as well as learning leadership behaviors and skills. Although one may possess the charismatic personality suitable for a leader, without instruction and guidance, it is difficult to hone these natural leadership qualities into effective, real-world applications.

Leadership development programs and workshops can teach individuals how to assume such responsibilities and demonstrate their adaptive nature in the successful management of teams. In addition, having mentors or learning from others in leadership positions may foster the development of certain leadership characteristics, enabling growth and enhancement of both natural abilities and experiences.?

Born vs Made Leaders: How Do They Differ?

Natural leaders often have the ability to lead without extensive traditional training. They possess certain qualities like the presence of mind, assertiveness, and aptitude for decision-making that help them inspire, motivate and guide others.?On the other hand, trained or learned leaders are those who possess knowledge or?effective leadership ?skills developed through training or coaching with significant practice in active contexts or real-life scenarios.

Is one better than the other when it comes to natural vs learned leadership abilities?

Natural leaders may have certain innate qualities that make them great at leading, but without the specific knowledge and experience necessary to tackle more complex challenges they will not succeed. Learned leaders, on the other hand, can benefit from training and guidance in order to better understand how leadership works in different contexts.

In addition, there is no single right way to lead and each type of leader has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. The best approach is to not focus on whether one is a born or made leader, but rather on what makes them the leader they are today, and how they can use their strengths to become an even more effective leader in the future.

Some leaders learn how to lead effectively through experience and training. These individuals may not initially possess the qualities or traits natural leaders do, but they can still become effective leaders through practice and perseverance. For example, Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, was initially known for being an introverted individual. However, through years of leadership and management training, he developed the skills needed to inspire and motivate his teams.

Is There a Natural Predisposition to Leadership?

Natural leadership abilities ?may be enabled by a natural predisposition. Different aspects of our personality could influence our potential for effective leadership. While we can’t say whether or not there is a genetic component to the ability to lead, we can certainly recognize that some people seem to have an innate capacity for taking charge, and inspiring and motivating others.

Natural leaders often have highly developed interpersonal skills that enable them to build trust and earn respect from their peers – something that is harder to replicate.

What Is The Impact Of Early Leadership Experiences?

A recent scientific?study ?showed that early leadership roles can foster healthy productivity in people who take them on. Those results were based on the survey responses of 4000 volunteer participants. The study mentioned the power of building interest-specific skill sets at an early age and how that knowledge stays with individuals well into adulthood.

Leadership experience teaches critical life lessons like problem-solving, decision-making, creativity, resourcefulness, conflict management, and communication that can create a successful career path no matter what field is chosen as an adult.

How Does Personality Influence The Ability To Lead?

Leadership is a topic that has been studied extensively, and research has shown that certain personality traits are associated with effective leadership. One such study, conducted by?Vroom and Yetton , found that the leader’s decision-making style was closely related to their personality and leadership style. The study identified five decision-making styles, ranging from autocratic to democratic, and found that effective leaders tend to use a participative or consultative decision-making style. This style is characterized by seeking input from team members and considering their opinions before making a final decision.

One critical component associated with effective leadership is?emotional intelligence.?According to Daniel Goleman, emotional intelligence is made up of several components , including self-awareness, emotional self-regulation, empathy, and social skills. Leaders with high emotional intelligence are able to build strong relationships with their team members, which can lead to increased job satisfaction and productivity. A?study ?by the Hay Group found that compassionate leaders with high emotional intelligence tend to be more successful than those with low emotional intelligence, regardless of their IQ or technical skills.

One common personality trait associated with leadership is?extraversion. Extraverted individuals tend to be outgoing, confident, and comfortable in social settings. A study by the University of Illinois found that extraversion was a strong predictor of leadership emergence or the process by which individuals become leaders within a group. Extraverted leaders are typically more assertive and persuasive, which can help them gain the support of their team members.

Conscientiousness?is another personality trait that is associated with effective leadership. Conscientious individuals tend to be organized, responsible, and dependable. According to a study by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology, conscientiousness is one of the most important personality traits for predicting job performance, and it is often associated with leadership success.

As you can see, research has found a connection between certain personality traits and effective leadership. These traits include emotional intelligence, extraversion, and conscientiousness but they are no guarantee for long-term success.

Everybody has talent, but ability takes hard work. — Michael Jordan?

Who Wins The Argument For Natural vs Learned Leadership?

Research suggests that both natural traits and learned skills contribute to becoming an exceptional leader. While natural traits such as extraversion, emotional intelligence, and conscientiousness play a significant role in leadership success, it is essential to develop learned skills such as communication, decision-making, and problem-solving. The best leaders are those who are able to apply their personality traits and combine them with acquired skills needed to inspire and guide their team toward success.

The bottom line??Whether you possess natural leadership abilities or consider yourself a “learned leader,” moving from average leader to becoming an accomplished leader requires self-awareness and continuous development combined with consistent practice and intention. All of us have natural talents, but it takes consistent effort and development to get exceptional results even in challenging situations.

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