You are not a natural born leader. Neither am I. Neither is anyone really. And that is a good thing. It gives everyone who wants to be a leader, a chance to be one.
Admittedly, there is something romantic about the notion that leaders are born and not made. A sort of fate-filled, “it is written” Slumdog-type concept that some people are simply destined to be great, or more specifically, great leaders. There is comfort in believing that those who lead us have been gifted with some type of magical powers to do so effectively.
It simply is not true.
Believing that people can naturally be separated into leaders and not leaders is damaging in several ways. For starters, it absolves people from having to work at it, whether they are predetermined to be in Group A or Group B. If they are natural born leaders, they do not need to study, train or invest in doing it well because they will do it well naturally. On the flip side, people we deem to not be natural leaders have no reason to invest in becoming one. If being a leader is natural and they are not part of the chosen few, why bother?
This concept is especially damaging when we put it into practice with children- children who we label and divide into groups of natural leaders and not leaders. We even go so far as to tell them so, thus imparting an identity on them that will aid in their self-concepts and beliefs about who they are and what they are capable of.
I am a leader; therefore, I will run for this leadership position.
I am not a leader so I will not apply for this leadership position.
With children as with adults, it is important that we understand and follow the research that has dispelled this enduring myth, over and over and over again. Leaders are not born, they are made. We all have the capacity to become effective leaders if we want to and if we are willing to invest in becoming one. Being an effective leader is not about innate ability, character or skills. Being an effective leader requires a leadership mindset and a desire to be a leader. It also requires a commitment to making the necessary investments of time, money and energy to become an effective leader.
Of course, some people will have some skills, often designated as leadership skills, that come to them more easily. Additionally, some people will be more naturally drawn to the world of leadership. Despite these natural tendencies, anyone who is wanting and willing can become a great leader. Absolutely anyone.
Everyone can benefit from the opportunity to cultivate what we traditionally consider leadership skills. In most cases, these skills transfer to any position in any field and will help anyone develop, leader or not. Skills like:
*Communication
*Problem-solving
*Decision-making
*Prioritization
We should support all staff to develop and enhance these skills. Trainings and cohorts should not be relegated to those we deem to have the natural born gift of leadership. Instead, it is our responsibility as team leaders to develop all our team members with the skills they need to be successful.
A factor that is too often left out of the discussion on what makes a leader is the desire to be one. Traditionally, people are put into leadership positions as a reward for being good at the role they were hired to do, a role that is generally unrelated to being a leader. This is usually done without much discussion with the person about whether they really want to be in a leadership position. It is commonly framed as an opportunity at a promotion, and who doesn’t want one of those? As it turns out, a lot of people.
According to CareerBuilder, 60% of men and 71% of woman say they do not aspire to a leadership role. So why do we keep forcing it on them?
Instead, we need to reconsider who and how we fill leadership roles. This begins with understanding that not everyone is interested in a formal leadership role and that we need to be provide paths to promotion irrespective of it. Further, we must consider that anyone can become a strong leader if they have the desire and support. Finally, we need to accept that leaders are made and not born and invest in our leaders accordingly. To do so, we must focus on what makes leaders successful.
For people to be effective leaders, they must:
* embrace a leadership mindset
* cultivate essential leadership skills
* invest in becoming an effective leader and
* want to become an effective leader
When it comes to your own leadership development, be honest with yourself. Ask yourself the difficult questions and ask them over and over again as you and your circumstances change.
* Do you really want to be a leader?
* Are you willing to put the work in to become a great leader?
The same holds true for your staff. When you are deciding who to place in leadership positions start with the people who really want to be there and then work with them to give them the support they need to be successful. Do not assume who wants to be a leader and dismiss those you do not think will be any good at it. It is impossible to know when you have never given them the chance.
You are not a natural born leader. Neither am I. Neither is anyone else. That should not disappoint or discourage you. Instead, I hope it encourages you to continue investing in yourself and those around you who want to become effective leaders. Embrace the concept that anyone can become a strong leader if they want to and are given the support, and then extend the investment to anyone who wants it.
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