Is a leader born, or can it be learned? This is a question that has been asked for years. Both scholars and professionals in the field have researched to see is there was a definitive answer to the questions, and all have come back with different ideas. Some believe that one indeed had to be born with the attributes of a leader. They believe that an individual’s persona, and intelligence can attract people to follow them. Others believe that the leadership is learned. That when a person is taught the correct psychological way to lead people, then a person will have the tools to becomes a true leader. Then, there are people like me, who believe that with both learned and born traits a person has, that then can contribute to successful leadership. That once a person as an emergence to want to become a leader, and the began to study how to become an effective leader, they will be able to be successful
While serving in the military, I had a chance to view many leadership styles and traits. Some where very good, and other needed a little tuning. One thing was for sure however, when you got to a certain point in your careers, you were going to lead soldiers…whether you like it or not. Is that a good idea? Would forcing a person into a leadership roll make a good leader? Northouse breaks these leadership roles into two categories; Assigned and Emergent Leadership (2016). Northouse states that assigned leadership is when someone is placed in charge of a group, like a manager ir team leader. Although they are placed in a leader role, many times it takes more than just being assigned to lead a group of people. An example of that is a young soldier that was in my company. He seemed to have all the traits of a leader; many traits found listed in J.P. Kotter’s definition list of leadership traits in his book A force for change (1990 pp.3-8). He was tall, smart, intelligent, and confident in everything he did; However, once I placed him in charge of a few soldiers, he was not able to handle an improvised escalated situation well. All the traits I believe would attribute to his success never helped him.
With the emergence it is not an assigned role, however its leadership acquired by positive communications with one’s peers. A process of interaction according to Kotter (1990). Emergences is measure by the amount of influence a person has over a group. Emergence of leadership usually happens when a certain person in a group that is looked at as a leader has strong social intelligence with his/her peers. D. Goleman states in his reading, Social Intelligence: The New science of Human Relationships, that not only does social intelligence recognize the emotions of individuals in a group, but also the reactions around the emotions, and react accordingly to the situation (2006). For instance, if a person’s mother passes away, or a child is lost. Through interactions, and getting to know people in a group, a person that may be able to obtain that role would be able to know the right ways to handle the situation so that the job may be finished, and emotional needs are met for the affected party.
Northouse says it best in his text, “Leadership is defined as a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (2016, pg.40). There is a why however that, I personally believe, a more productive leadership aspect can be attained. Mixing both assigned and emergence leadership roles can prove to be effective in most arenas. An individual who exhibits great interactions with his group, and has them placed in situations that has them reach a certain goal may need to be assigned to that role to make he/she “official”. Assigning a person who has emerged as a leader in the group, and shows traits of a leader, may be able to handle difficult circumstance a lot better, than a person who was placed in a role without knowing how to interact with the group.
Understanding leadership, is like looking at collage artwork. From afar it looks like a simple definition, but when you take a closer look you can see all the tiny parts that are combined to make the image. There are many ways that leadership can be successful, as there are many ways leadership can fail. In any instance leadership in needed in all aspects of life, and just because you don’t believe that you were born to be a leader, doesn’t disqualify a person from obtaining leadership.
Alipur, K. (2018). PSYCH485: Leading in Work Settings: Lesson 2: Trait Approach. Pennsylvania State University (1-13)
Goleman, D. (2006). Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships. Bantam Dell.
Kotter, J.P. (1990), A Force of Change: How Leadership Differs from Management, New York: Free Press
Northouse, P.G. (2016), Leadership. Theory and Practice (7), Sage Publishing
jks5571 says
Thank you for your service! I too served in the military, and I think your statement about viewing a variety of leadership traits in that respect is something I can readily attest to. I think the entire structure of command lends itself to “cultivating leadership”, and respecting leaders in any capacity. While I do think that there are always going to be good leaders and poor leaders, the military can really highlight those attributes in a unique way. I think your story of the perfect leader on paper struggling when given troops is a perfect example of how leadership is both a trait and a process.