The Unmade Leader: Are Leaders Born With Everything They Need to Lead?

We are still dealing with the question, "Are leaders born or made?" My new take on the answer is...

"Leaders are born and then unmade."

We are unpacking what that means and why I believe that way. We started with the question, "born with what?" Then we asked "what is a leader?" Today the question is "are leaders born with everything they need to lead?"

The obvious answer is no. However, upon further thought we find that the answer is actually yes (at a very basic level). John Maxwell says that, "Leadership is influence." When we use this definition of leadership as our foundation, we can say that at some basic level everyone is a leader because everyone has some type of influence on others and this dynamic starts at birth.

However, this only explains the entry level of leadership. For leaders to move beyond this point to the emerging, engaged and expert levels, they must actively apply their natural traits, learn the wordly standards and conduct codes that go along with the type of leadership they need to perform and watch closely that they do not fall victim to the "unmaking moments" that can ruin leaders.

So, are leaders born with everything they need to lead? Yes at an entry level. No at an advanced level.

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