Leaders Are Made

The question was asked in our class discussion this week, “Are leaders born or made? ” This is one of the most often asked questions about leadership. People have varying opinions on this subject. My opinion is that leaders are made. To lead people effectively is a very complex undertaking. No one is born with the necessary tools to be a good leader. I choose to believe that leaders are made, not born, because I want to believe that I can develop into a good leader even though I was not Ron with certain traits.
Our lecture last night focused on some traits normally associated with good leaders: energy, stress management, self-confidence, tenaciousness, social intelligence, and integrity. Some of these traits can be used to describe me but there are a few in which I need further development. Leaders are successful for many different reasons, but most importantly is an ability to connect with people. Great connections are energetic. It is important for a leader to exude positive energy because the leader sets the tone for the entire organization.
Employees have to feel committed to the vision for future success. They have to feel motivated, energize. I know that I have the ability to be energetic in the workplace as a potential leader. Vive been energy- deficient in my current position, probably because my supervisor has not connected with me nor does he exude any positive energy. I am grateful for this experience because it has taught me first-hand how damaging a leader with no energy can be to an employee’s morale. The ability to manage stress and self-confidence go hand-in-hand in my opinion.

There may be days where the future of your company is worrisome and things aren’t going according to plan. It is important, as a leader, not to panic. Part of your Job is to put out fires and maintain team morale. As a leader, staying calm and confident will help keep the team feeling the same. The team will take its cues from the leader. I have never lacked self-confidence. Stress management, however, is a trait in which I need further development. A leader should be tenacious.
There is a tendency sometimes for an employee to ant to “give up” when the going gets tough. Not a leader! The leader should know the special abilities each team member brings to the table. He has to be able to harness those abilities and bring them to the fore-front so that each team member can reach his full potential. Tenacious leaders grab hold of an idea and refuse to let it go until they reach their goal. It is important to model this behavior to set the proper example. Social intelligence is another necessary ingredient to good leadership.
It is critical o be able to understand others so that you can know how to influence them. Being empathetic, tactful, diplomatic, and persuasive are important aspects of social intelligence. I want to be able to empower others by being a strong motivator and a good listener. These are traits that I possess but there is definitely room for improvement and refinement. There are people who are respected and worth listening to. This respect is earned by being a person of integrity. Employees seek to follow leaders who are honest and who honor their commitments.
I will strive to be fair, honest, candid, and to treat everyone how I would want to be treated. If I am able to exemplify these behaviors I will earn the respect of my employees and colleagues. The encouraging thing is that I feel like I possess or could potentially possess all of these traits. Becoming a good leader is a learning process. I’m encouraged by the notion that leaders are made. This is a great training ground to learn the behaviors off good leader. I am committed to learning how to apply these concepts to my everyday thinking.