Is Leadership Something You Can Learn or Is One Born with It?

This is one of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to leadership. What makes a good leader and can anyone become a leader? The answer is yes, you can become a good leader because leadership is learnt. The first thing that a leader needs to do is learn how to communicate with others.

The people that you are leading are doing what you communicate to them. This means that you must be understood when you communicate. Remember it is not just about the words that you use but also how you come across. There are leaders, for instance, who bark orders at their subordinates. They are perceived as bullies and even though the subordinates do what they are told they don’t respect or like their leader.

Leaders are also humble people. Humility in this context means that you have to be ready to listen to the people. Even though you are a leader it doesn’t mean that you know everything. Your subordinates are much more knowledgeable in their respective areas than you are. If you want to understand what is happening at the lower levels you should be ready to learn from the people you are leading. In addition to that you have to be ready to learn from those above you. There are others who have led successfully before you. Good leaders read about other leaders to find out what they did right.

Good leadership also means getting along with others. You may have heard the age old question – is it better for a leader to be feared or to be loved? It is always better to be a leader who is loved because with love comes respect. If you treat the people around you right they will love you. If they feel that you are fair they will not only love you, they will respect you. Respect means that your subordinates yield much more willingly.

Innovation is also a part of good leadership. This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be busting with ideas. It means that you have to surround yourself with people who are. That is the only way that your organization will grow and beat your competitors.

Lastly, a good leader must also be willing to move on and let others take their place when time has come. You cannot lead forever – someone will eventually come along who will make a better leader than you. Leaders who hang on for too long eventually inspire contempt.

Charlie Davis