I came across an article, in Forbes, written by Erika Andersen, author of Growing Great Employees, Being Strategic, and Leading So People Will Follow. In it, she discusses the question she repeatedly gets asked in interviews, “Are leaders born or made?”
She asserts that, “most folks who start out with a modicum of innate leadership capability can actually become very good, even great leaders.” This statement simultaneously covers two approaches to leadership: trait approach and skills approach.
The trait approach suggests that, “certain people were born with special traits that made them great leaders.” (Northouse, 2013). This is precisely what “innate leadership capability” means.
But stating that people can become good and great leaders suggests that they can affect their leadership abilities, learn to develop their leadership skills (skills approach).
But how do they do this?
Luckily, Andersen (2012) gives some words of wisdom. “The single most powerful way to grow as a leader: Become truly self-aware.”
Perhaps the two approaches can be used to self-evaluate and improve leadership capability.
Some of the central leadership traits are intelligence, self-confidence, determination, integrity and sociability (Northouse, 2013). If we can determine that individuals have some small measure of, at least, a few of these, maybe they can apply certain skills to further develop their leadership selves.
- Based on research done by Charles Spearman, it has been determined that we all have a general mental ability (a.k.a. g factor), that intelligence is a single underlying factor for all abilities (PSU, 2014).
- Self-confidence is the belief in one’s own abilities (M-W, 2014).
- Sociability is the inclination to seek out pleasant social relationships (Northouse, 2013).
By cultivating problem-solving skills through activities such as recognizing & researching problems, and formulating & implementing solutions, individuals can begin to increase their knowledge base (Northouse, 2013). This, in turn, should begin to grow their confidence level in their abilities.
Sociability can be improved by practicing the following social judgement skills: perspective taking (understanding others’ points of view), social perceptiveness (awareness of how things affect others in the group), and social performance (ability to communicate effectively within the group) (Northouse, 2013).
There may be a select few that are, or are perceived to be, “born leaders,” but by implementing some of the techniques above, there is hope for all others to aspire to greatness, or at least “goodness!”
~ Candice Dolgash
Andersen, E. (2012). Are Leaders Born Or Made?. Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/2012/11/21/are-leaders-born-or-made/
Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: theory and practice (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Pennsylvania State University (2014). Lesson 2: Trait Approach. Retrieved from https://courses.worldcampus.psu.edu/su14/psych485/001/content/02_lesson/08_page.html
Merriam-Webster. (2014). Encyclopaedia Brittanica. Retrieved May 29th, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com
Candice Ann Dolgash says
Thank you both for your thoughts. I truly believe that many things, leadership ability included, can be improved with increased self-awareness.
There is a nice article, by Barrie Davenport, an author, life coach, and former PR professional, where she addresses how to develop your sense of awareness and why you should.
She says, “… what is the reward of being disciplined and remaining attentive to our thoughts, feelings, actions, and choices? Why do we really need self-awareness?
We don’t.
Look around and you’ll see that most people are unaware.
Most people aren’t paying attention.
Most people are eternally distracted by the world around them.
We can survive without self-awareness. We can be successful. We can even be happy to a certain extent.
But we can’t be fully ourselves and fully alive. We can’t experience the depths of joy, intimacy, authenticity, connection, peace, and fulfillment without constantly seeking self-awareness.”
Good luck to both of you on your process!
Davenport, B. (2013). Self-Awareness: What Is It And Why Do You Need To Seek It ? Live Bold and Bloom. Retrieved at http://liveboldandbloom.com/07/relationships/self-awareness-what-is-it-and-why-do-you-need-to-seek-it
Howard Normm Mintzer says
Perhaps it would be even more beneficial for the population as a whole to strive to be great leaders. For instance, if a group of people understood the leadership process of sociability, disputes could be handled much more productively and work could get done much more effectively. As you referenced in our textbook “Leadership: Theory and Practice” by Northouse, sociability relies heavily on the non-judgment of group members and the understanding of the group as a whole by each individual member. Leaders who wish to portray this particular skill are likely to put a high emphasis on interpersonal relationships with a “country-club” management style (Northouse, 2013)
I’m sure we’ve all experienced that one group member, whether it be a teammate or a coworker, who just didn’t want to be a team player. Had they understood the importance of understanding the viewpoints of others, thinking for the betterment of the group as a whole, rather than selfishly, and the importance of communication within a group, it’s likely that things would go much more smoothly.
The same theory is applicable to politics as well, it’s too much bickering and too little problem solving. Thus, rather than strive for educating people on being better leaders, we should strive to educate people on being better people and let the rest unfold naturally. I believe that a society with a global conscious and a globally conscious leader will overcome more adversity than a society that is up in arms with a leader who doesn’t understand the people they lead.
Thank you, Howie
Carol A. Dannenberg says
Before I entered college and someone would have asked me if I thought of myself as a leader, I would have said no. However, the participation on teams has taught me how to be both a leader and a better follower. Self-confidence is the “ability to be certain about one’s competencies” (Northouse, 2013, p.24). I have learned to ask for clarification when I do not understand a certain topic and has shown team members that I want to learn about an issue.
The quote from Anderson in your post about being fully aware might be one that I will have to copy and attach to my work locker and school binder to remind myself that leadership is a learning process. A person can learn from mistakes made and become a better leader in the future.
Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: theory and practice (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.