Are leaders born or created?

Many would think some people are born leaders. They wouldn’t be necessarily wrong in that assumption, as some people have what seems to be the god given talent and drive to excel at leading others.

There has been plenty of studies that suggest strong leaders can also be created, though.

While some people may have natural leadership tendencies, anyone can cultivate leadership skills through proper coaching, training, and exposure to leadership situations; essentially, leaders are "made" rather than solely "born."

Research from the University of Illinois shows people can be molded into leaders. 

According to Susan Baroncini-Moe, M.A. Founder: Baroncini-Moe Executive Coaching, Leadership is often forged in the fires of adversity. It's through facing challenges head-on that individuals learn resilience, adaptability, and the importance of decision-making under pressure. These experiences are invaluable, teaching lessons that can't be learned through observation alone. It also proves that leaders can be made

So with all of that said, I wanted to discuss growing the leadership qualities in your business. As discussed above, it’s tough to mold great leaders, without the real experience of leading. You can read and learn some great theory in a book, or taught in a classroom setting, but the real experience comes from, well… the real experience.

Leadership often doesn’t come easily or quickly. In this age of instant gratification, that’s not always an easy pill to swallow.

With some patience, and good existing leadership, this is all possible though. The key is to have good, intuitive leaders already in place in your organization.

It’s also imperative that a good leader has the understanding that great leaders aren’t judged by the amount of followers they have, but by the leaders they create.

As a leader myself, I can also attest to the gratification I felt, being not only mentored by some incredible leaders, but the joy I felt, knowing that I could have the positive impact on many around me. The best part? Mentoring has a great trickle down effect. You mentor a future leader, and they in turn, mentor five more, and those five mentor five more each.

This is how we change our workplaces, our communities, and eventually the world. 

“People don’t want to know how much you know, until they know how much you care” Leadership expert John C Maxwell

People often confuse leaders and managers. Although there are several factors that are similar between them, the biggest difference is leaders do just that, lead. They teach, show by example, coach, and mentor people. 

Managers tend to direct, and, well, manage. They are devoted more to processes and procedures. Holding employees accountable to standard operating procedures. 

Leaders are more involved with the shaping of a future leader, taking the time to mold and work with employees to shape their work habits through training and mentorship.