How often have you heard the term ‘natural born leader?’ I know I’ve heard it dozens of times and never thought twice. It wasn’t until I was working on my doctorate in leadership that I realized how incorrect that phrase is. Leaders are not born – they can’t be. Leaders are made. They work to develop the skills and abilities necessary to lead – those skills and abilities are not with them since birth. Let’s take a look at why.
Studies on Made vs Born Leaders
There have been numerous studies over time regarding how leaders are brought into existence. Some claim leaders cannot be born. Others believe that leaders are made due to their circumstances or experiences. In a 2017 study published in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, the researchers concluded that both genetics and experiences play a role in the making of a leader.
In his 2015 paper “Natural Born Leaders: Use of a Self-Assessment Tool and Benefits to Coaching and Development” Dr. Lewis Steinhoff concluded that the skills commonly attributed to natural born leaders can be learned. His conclusion suggested that numerous researchers had reached the same conclusions – natural born leaders are not real.
Developing a particular skill set can enhance a leader’s ability. These leadership skills are not gifts that infants are born with; after all, babies are rather helpless when they arrive in the world. The cultivation of these skills is imperative to garner the success of a true leader.
What Makes a Leader?
If leaders aren’t just born, then what is it that makes a leader? There isn’t a single mold that stamps ‘LEADER’ on your forehead. Leaders come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities. A few qualities are important for leaders to have and develop, but each leader should have a sense of individuality. No one wants to follow a robot – that could get complicated!
Responsibility is Learned
No infant is inherently born responsible. Can you think of a baby that scheduled their doctor’s visits, showed up on time, and admitted when they didn’t do something that should have been done? Of course not! Responsibility is taught and learned over time. Irresponsibility comes with being a child.
What would an irresponsible leader look like? Imagine someone that never shows up on time, misses mandatory meetings, and never admits when they’ve done something wrong. This kind of leader is irresponsible and unable to take responsibility for their actions and choices.
Don’t be this leader! Instead, show up. Tell your people the honest truth and realize when you’ve made the wrong decision. You’re human – showing your humanity is crucial to developing a team of people willing to go the distance.
Leaders are Always Developing
Great leaders can never remain stagnant. They must always learn by studying other leaders, reading books on business and personal development topics, listening to talks, and other education channels. Change is inevitable. The leader who is most prepared for the next trend is the leader who will thrive.
Look at the COVID-19 pandemic, for instance. Leaders adept at in-person leadership may not have thrived as much in a virtual landscape. They had to develop new skills and foster new knowledge to be successful as a leader. Those that failed to develop new skills are those that fell much too short of the mark.
The need for continuous improvement makes it especially clear that leaders can not be born. While people develop over the course of time, leadership skills are not typically developed without intent.
Inspirational
Merriam-Webster defines inspiration as the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions or, the act of influencing or suggesting opinions. While I think it’s safe to say that babies have the power to move emotions, that isn’t quite the inspiration leaders require to lead. Instead, great leaders work alongside their team, setting and meeting hard-to-reach goals. They have a clear vision and they take the steps to make it a reality.
A true leader can inspire others to come along for the journey. They create in others the same desire they have to work for success – and find the next success after that’s reached. Inspirational leaders have no finish line and no end. They strive and strive and strive and make others do the same.
Agile and Adaptable Leaders
Developing agility and adaptability as a leader is vital. You can never know for sure when things are going to change. A reliable employee may unexpectedly leave the organization, a regular customer accounting for large portions of your sales could go with a competitor, or a pandemic could shut down the whole world. The unpredictable aspects of life can take down a leader (and organization) that refuses to or is incapable of change.
Although there is often greater productivity in sticking to a routine, changing with the times is necessary to stay relevant. Consider companies that no longer exist: Kodak, Blackberry, Blockbuster. These organizations were once hugely successful but failed to realize the need to change and innovate. A lack of innovation is a lack of future success – that’s true for organizations and leaders.
Empathetic Leadership Requires Training
Imagine a leader that treats their people as machines. Employing a workforce of human beings means treating employees as real, living, breathing people. Expecting 100% perfection 100% of the time, grumbling about an occasional sick day, and not allowing for a life outside of work is a complete lack of empathy and humanity. Acting with empathy means more than pretending to care. It cannot be all about the leader. Empathetic leaders have to truly care about their people.
Empathy means understanding how others feel and taking on awareness of those feelings. Feelings cannot always be swept under the rug or filed away to handle after work. An empathetic leadership style involves letting employees know that they are understood and valued as a person.
While empathy has previously been considered a skill low on the totem pole for leaders, organizations are starting to realize the benefits of empathy in the workplace. Developing empathy is more important in a leadership role than the hard skill you developed to get you in that role. For instance, you may have worked hard to achieve the grand accomplishments you did in your marketing career, but the skills developed in that time don’t always translate to leading a team. Empathy does.
Self-Awareness is Made
Self-awareness in leaders is a quality talked about more than ever. After all, how can a leader encourage others to discover and develop their talents if they are unaware of their own? Self-awareness is a big topic – much too big to cover in a few paragraphs. Books could be written on self-awareness – books have been written. More specifically, books have been written on self-awareness in leaders.
In his recent book on self-aware leaders, John C. Maxwell said this, “When leaders don’t see themselves clearly, understand their strengths and weaknesses, or recognize their negative interactions with their team, they limit their influence and undermine their own effectiveness.” Now think of what self-aware leaders could accomplish – increased influence and improved effectiveness!
Self-awareness takes reflection, truly considering and valuing feedback, and monitoring yourself. It cannot be passive. Self-awareness takes work and regular maintenance.
Great Listeners are not Born
Listening is far more than simply hearing. In fact, Harvard Business Review pointed out that great listening requires more than not interrupting, making affirming sounds, and repeating what was said. Great listeners are active listeners. This means asking clarifying questions, offering suggestions, and developing a safe space where sharing is encouraged. Listening skills such as these require practice.
You can practice active listening in every conversation. Listen not to respond but to actually listen and you may find that your ability to ask questions, suggest changes or ideas, and encourage open conversation develops over time. When you’ve practiced active listening enough, it can become like muscle memory. Of course, each interaction is different and requires your attention, even if it is practiced. Listen well!
Leadership Training Programs
Why would organizations invest heavily in leadership training programs if leaders are simply born? While there may have been a particular draw to leadership because of the skills developed in childhood, true leaders continue to train and develop. There are a number of courses, programs, seminars, conferences, and other learning tools available to leaders interested in bettering themselves. Take advantage of what’s being offered!
Do Natural Born Leaders Exist?
Some leaders may find some qualities easier to develop than others. In Dr. Carol Dweck’s fantastic and eye-opening book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, she points out that children may have a particular proclivity toward one quality, but if that quality were left untouched and undeveloped, other children would catch up to them quickly. For instance, a child that is an advanced reader at the age of 4 is impressive; if that 4 year old fails to pick up a book for the next ten years, their classmates will surely surpass them.
No, natural born leaders do not exist. Real, talented, and successful leaders have had to work for their gains. None were born with the ability to lead without the need to develop their skills. Don’t sit back on your haunches and wait for your ‘natural born’ skills to kick in. Work hard and develop your skillset to become a genuinely successful leader.