Is a Leader Born? Or Can Leadership be Taught?
...lan does not include managing others. 1. Does Mary exemplify a leader? She works hard to contribute success to her organization, and prides herself in doing a job well done. She is able to step in when new issues arises, she create new ideas and carries them out, she is willing to help others in need and continues to keep herself focused and on schedule with her responsibilities. 2. Can one be a leader and not a manager? Yes § Ron Walker, a student at Mosby High School, just completed the eleventh grade with honors. He is the captain of the volleyball team, a chairperson on the student council association and a member of the Honor Society. He is very intelligent and usually leads the discussions and group debates in social studies. He enjoys going to church and serving others. He aspires to be a lawyer but feels that he will not be a good one because he is quite and shy at times and feels that other students excel more than he does. 1. Does Ron exemplify a leader? He displays leadership through the organizations he affiliates with. He leads many of the discussions in class. He takes initiative in helping others. One may say, his intellengence was instilled from birth. 2. Does Ron age or youth make him less qualified to be a leader? No Both of these individuals have the potential of becoming good leaders. A person does not have to be the president of the United States, a bishop of a Baptist church, or a manager of a company, to be considered a leader. There are roles people engage in that allow them to demonstrate the ability to lead. Did you know a parent is a leader? They nurture and take care of their child or children. A child looks to his mother and father for several things. They’re the first ones the child goes to when hurt or when in need. They expect their parents to provide and to protect them. Another leader is a teacher. A teacher is one who imparts knowledge or a skill to another person. They also provoke others to learn and instruct them into doing something meaningful. A mentor can possess characteristics of a leader. For example, a mentor guides, instructs, teaches and helps people. A mentor is someone others admire and trust. A mentor usually has the best interest of another person. Any number of people can be described as being a leader. However, it’s how you cultivate your ability to think, learn and grow that makes you an effective leader. There are many ways to analyzing leadership. First defining leadership is the process of developing ideas and vision, living by values that support those ideas and vision, influencing others to embrace them in their own behaviors, and making hard decisions about people and other resources. ⁶ Webster defines leadership as one who capable to lead the office or position of a leader. And the ability to direct and coordinate the activities of other members and to encourage them to work together as a team. Listed below are 2 types of leadership: § DESIGNATED LEADERSHIP Responsible 1. Held accountable 2. Obligated to lead Makes Final Decisions 1. Values one opinion 2. Willing to step in to assist Normal Mode of Leadership 1. Has experience in leading 2. Can handle issues when they occur FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP Leadership by Knowledge or Expertise 1. One who has the skills and can perform 2. One who is qualified to lead based on their abilities 3. One who is equipped Occurs when the Need Arises 1. Leadership is displayed on the call of duty 3. Must be flexible and prepared⁵ Listed below are Ten Points of Leadership 1. Honesty 2. A clear vision of the present, the future, and a plan of action 3. Service as a role model 4. Accommodation of various viewpoints 5. Ability to self-correct and self-criticize 6. At the best when things seem worst 7. A sense of humor, especially about oneself 8. Ability to quickly analyze a situation within a coherent framework 9. Leads in practice as well as theory 10. Commitment to organization over self ⁶ View the opposing arguments 1. The Born Point of View Some people are born to move and shake the world. They’re high energy, exceptional intelligence, extreme persistence, self-confidence, and a yearning to influence others. After 50 years of collecting data on the topic, most psychologists believe that leadership qualities are innate or genetic and thus impossible to learn. Before supporting this hypothesis, let’s get an understanding of the gene pool. What is Genetics? Genetics is the branch of biology that is concerned with the study of heredity―the passing on of characteristics from generation to the next―and with the variations that distinguishes one living thing from another. Gregor Mendel discovered a remarkable molecule called: deoxyribonucleic aid, know as DNA. DNA, Acronym for deoxyribonucleic acid, the chemical at the center of the cells of living things which controls the structure and purpose of each cell and carries genetic information during reproduction DNA is at the heart of every living cell and is the blueprint for all life on Earth. Parts of DNA called genes control the way an organism grows and develops. Genes are Parts of DNA that control the way an organism grows and develops and Inherited traits that are transmitted from parents to offspring.⁷ Social scientists have struggled for many years with whether our personalities are born or made. But two decades’ worth of studies on identical twins suggest our genes play a remarkable role. Shyness, spirituality, intelligence traditionalism, aggression, and the willingness to yield to authority– all have shown some genetic influence. Researchers call this heritability – the degree to which behavioral variations within a population can be accounted for by genes. Science has attempted to draw a link between heredity and leadership since the mid 1800’s. For example, genetic research is exploring the developmental course of cognitive abilities, and the genetics of high intelligence. Most of what is currently known about the genetics of intelligence comes from twin and adoption studies, which have documented significant and substantial genetic influences. 2. The Nurture and Environment influences Point of View The myth of the natural-born leader would have many people believing that leadership qualities are some how bestowed at birth. Human beings come into this world with a number of traits that add to, or detract from their leadership abilities. Factors such as height, voice, and native intelligence are genetically based, granting a predisposition that can facilitates or depreciate one’s rise to greatness. But is every great leader the tallest, loudest, or smartest? What are the true facts and attainable resources that would dispel this notion? The skills of leadership can only be learned through nurture, experience, and the decision to accept his or her role as a leader. The idea here is that leadership capabilities can and do develop throughout an individual’s life and must be produce. Each person has the potential to benefit through personal experience experiences, challenging circumstances, training, and the influences of role models. With leadership skills, the question that sticks out the most is, ‘How much are we willing to learn and at what cost?” The amount of personal growth a leader attains is a function of ability, willingness and opportunity. The genetic material we possess provided a baseline, but inborn traits are far overshadowed by knowledge attained. Life experiences, and the work habits we instilled in ourselves. Also, leadership ability requires that we take personal responsibility in doing something to produce effective results. Many great leaders in history and those of today have something in common, they have made the most of their inborn gifts, and they have made the most of opportunities and circumstances to achieve optimal results. How can leadership be taught? Leadership can be taught, if the training is perceived as interesting, relevant, useful, well organized, interactive and reinforced in the workplace. This can be accomplished through a wide variety of studies. Leadership can also be taught when students accept the burden to learn and instructors share in the responsibility and must become a role model, a cheerleader and a listener to those they lead. Leadership involves people, and a certain measure of inconsistency and unpredictability much be accepted. Human nature just isn’t scientific. For example, knowing how to tap dance in a tight spot can be a life-saving leadership technique. Effectiveness as a leader is directly proportionate to effectiveness as a human being. A prominent Leader Colin L. Powell Secretary of State, Term of Appointment: 01/20/2001 to present Colin L. Powell was nominated by President Bush on December 16, 2000 as Secretary of State. After being unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he was sworn in as the 65th Secretary of State on January 20, 2001. Prior to his appointment, Secretary Powell was the chairman of America’s Promise – The Alliance for Youth, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to mobilizing people from every sector of American ...