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A leader’s ability to influence people to act does not necessarily come from
special powers. It more often comes from a strong belief in a purpose and
willingness to pursue that conviction. In addition, a leader must have the
courage to accept the risks associated with the struggle to attain

organizational goals, and the skills to develop a consensus.

Leadership: Born to It or Nurtured?

Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is
the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile.
Vince Lombardi

How does an individual achieve a leadership role? How many times have
you heard someone described as a natural born leader? It seems that many
people assume that some people come into this world with a natural
capacity to lead, and everybody else doesn’t, and there’s not much you can
do about it.

Despite these general perceptions to the contrary, leaders are not born; they
are nurtured. It should be mentioned, however, that a potential leader can
be born with innate qualities that predispose them to being leaders, such as
natural intelligence and the ability to learn. This doesn’t mean that
effective leaders are the smartest people in the room or the organization,

but they have to be smart enough to make decisions and to mobilize
resources to do the work that is needed. In that sense, the debate about
whether leaders are born or made is really important. It’s not about how
leadership was acquired by someone; it’s more about how he or she acted
on it that makes the difference.

It’s not what you’ve been given, but what you do with it that matters.

While the basic desire or motivation to be a leader cannot be taught, early
childhood development of self-worth, self-confidence, and a concern for
others can help to nurture leadership characteristics. Successful leaders
have also worked hard to gain valuable experience, perspective, and

knowledge to become someone who others want to follow.

David Kolzow 13