Question

There is much debate as to whether leaders are made or born. Post a well-considered and supported (with at least two academically credible sources) position on whether leaders are born or made. Use at least two examples from leaders that you have experienced in your own personal life (one of these people may be yourself).

Answer 1

• Behavioral Theories believe that people can become leaders through the process of teaching, learning and observation. Leadership according to behaviourists is a set of skills that can be learned by training, perception, practice and experience over time.
• Leaders like Mahatama Gandhi,Abraham Lincoln,Martin Luther King,Mother Teresa are all charismatic leaders. They did have some magical qualities in them that made them who they are. They were visionaries in thier respective fields and made major contributions. They did have some inner qualities in their personalities that made them world's greatest leaders.
• Some people are natural leaders like these above mentioned personalities and some become leaders with time and experiences.Being a natural born leader doesn't mean bossing around or bullying others into agreement all the time. Leaders listen to others opinions and then take the time to reflect on what they hear. People tend to follow those leaders who they believe in and who they feel represented by.
• In my own personal life, my grandfather has been a leader, he was kind and gentle as well as focused on motivating especially the girls of my family to become financially independent,learn to drive and become self confident. He had some charisma which made him a people friendly person,he used to help everyone without any ulterior motive,he never discriminated between people based on class,religion,caste. He was loved by everyone and was a self made man. He started working from scratch and had a focus to make a house for his family and provide best education to his children. A sense of true leadership was seen in him. He was a natural born leader.
• As an individual even if you are born with certain qualities like communication skills,confidence etc, still the experiences of life,meeting other people from different walks of life,learning new skills refines your personality to become a better leader.
• To develop great people skills, potential leaders need to learn how to become better listeners, how to accept critical feedback in a constructive way, and how to best display empathy and patience with other team members and colleagues.
• Having a sense of responsibility and integrity are very important leadership skills to have, although no one is born knowing how to be responsible. Integrity is developed by choice,accepting blame when something goes wrong, taking charge on solving difficult problems, and learning how to stay calm and troubleshoot when things do not go as planned etc. are things that one learns by choice.
• For example,in my university life,I made a choice of being a leader rather than a follower by coming forward and participating in competitions,voluteering to organize college fests which gave me the confidence to face people and talk to them. This choice of becoming a leader helped me later in life as well.
• In the lives of mentors and friends, and in the actions of the leaders we see in popular culture, we can easily derive that leadership is comprised of actions, a desire to learn, and ability to persevere. Leadership is learned to a certain extent but it is also a choice to begin that education in the first place. And people who do have some innate qualities of a leader can make a choice easily to refine their leadership skills and learn something more.