The question about whether leaders are born or made has been a subject of many debates and speculations. Studies have supported different arguments from both sides of this question, and there is still controversy whether leadership traits are inherent in people in nature or developed through life experiences. If the first assumption is true, it would mean that leadership programs and training courses are useless, as leadership traits cannot be developed; therefore, this debate is highly important. Several arguments will be discussed in this essay, and examples of historical leaders will be presented to support different opinions; a conclusion then will be made based on the writer’s viewpoint.
The argument that claims that leadership is a combination of traits inherent in nature has been supported by many studies conducted over the recent decades. Twin studies are often among the most illustrative types of research on this subject, as twins serve as controls for each other (Schreyer et al., 2021). These studies have suggested that genetic basis has a significant influence on the development of leadership qualities, with up to 30% of relative influence of genetic contributions for leaders’ personality traits (Schreyer et al., 2021, p. 7). An example of that are two NASA astronauts, identical twins Mark and Scott Kelly, who have both worked in leadership positions in the field of space exploration (Mhlanga, 2022). Another example can be presented Lech and Jarosław Kaczyński, two identical twin brothers from Poland, who have both occupied high positions in politics (Mhlanga, 2022). Lech was the President of Poland from 2005 to 2010, and Jarosław was a lawyer who became the Prime Minister of Poland and currently serves as the Deputy Prime Minister.
At the same time, there are studies that suggest that leadership qualities are often developed as a result of life experiences. One of the arguments presented by this side of the debate states that many leaders do not have a family history of leadership traits. Genetic predisposition to leadership would suggest that successful leaders are born to parents who have also either demonstrated leadership traits or occupied respective positions. However, more often than not, this is not true, as even some of the most outstanding leaders in history have not had a leader-like pedigree (Mhlanga, 2022). One example of this is Walt Disney, whose family members not only did not demonstrate any innate leadership abilities, but also discouraged him from pursuing his ambitions (Mhlanga, 2022). Disney has developed his talent and leadership traits through hard work and perseverance, and eventually became a pioneer in animation.
Based on the arguments presented above, it can be concluded that leadership traits can be both innate and developed through life. While a genetic component to leadership does exist, environment, life experiences, and training can also help to develop these traits. Additionally, although there is research and evidence to support both of these opposing viewpoints, many of the arguments presented are still understudied and flawed. For example, even if one has a genetic predisposition to leadership, they may never realize its full potential if they do not receive appropriate guidance and training. In addition, a universal definition of a ‘leader’ is still lacking, which makes it more complicated to assess the correlation involved in this debate. Examples of historical leaders also show that leadership is often a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Therefore, both of these components can play a significant role in developing outstanding leaders.
References
Mhlanga, S. S. (2022). Leadership matters: Leaders born or made? WestBow Press.
Schreyer, H., Plouffe, R. A., Wilson, C. A., & Saklofske, D. H. (2021). What makes a leader? Trait emotional intelligence and dark tetrad traits predict transformational leadership beyond HEXACO personality factors. Current Psychology, 12(2), 1-9. Web.