CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP -

LEADERS ARE BORN NOT MADE

Md. Mominur Rashid – 162 051 043

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SHANTO-MARIAM UNIVERSITY OF CREATIVE

TECHNOLOGY

Module Name:
Organizational Behavior

Module Code:
MGM 4305

Assignment Topic:

Charismatic Leadership - Leaders are Born not Made

Submitted To:
Dr. Major Md Mizanur Rahman (Retd)
Associate Professor
Department of Apparel Manufacturing Management & Technology

Submitted by:
Md. Mominur Rashid
ID - 162 051 043
Group - A
Semester - 12th
Batch - 27th
Email- mominurrashid@outlook.com
Department of Apparel Manufacturing Management & Technology

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Acknowledgement

At first, I like to thank almighty ALLAH that finally I have completed my

Assignment. I would also like to express my gratitude to all particularly to
honorable teacher Dr. Major Md Mizanur Rahman (Retd), who has helped me
all possible ways prepare this Assignment. He is willingness to motivate me
contributed tremendously to my Assignment. Besides, I would like to thank the
authority of Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology for providing me
a good environment and facilities to complete this Assignment. Finally, an
honorable mention goes to my families & friends for their understanding &
supports on me in completing this Assignment. If here is any mistake in this
Assignment, in spite of mine utmost care, I would like to request all to forgive
me.

Md. Mominur Rashid

Date: 10th May, 2020.

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Index

Serial Context Page No.

1 Introduction 05

2 Definition of a Leader 05

3 Different types of Leadership 05

4 Charismatic Leadership defined 07

5 History of Charismatic Leadership 07

6 Differences between Charismatic Leadership & others 07

7 10 Charismatic Leadership characteristics 08

8 Charismatic Leadership – “Born Leader Concept” 09

9 Charismatic Leadership – “Made Leader Concept” 11

10 Advantages of Charismatic Leadership 12

11 Disadvantages of Charismatic Leadership 12

12 Examples of Charismatic Leadership 13

13 Decision 15

14 References 16

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Introduction

There has been a long-time debate as people try to understand if leaders are actually born or
they are made. This debate has resulted in different lines of thoughts as some people are of the
opinion that leaders are born while others are of the contrary opinion. My position as far as this
debate is concerned is that leaders are born and not made. Leaders are born with basic
leadership skills and these skills are improved through experience and learning from other
leaders. This discussion draws from relevant leadership theories that prove that indeed leaders
are born and not made.
Definition of a Leader

Various definitions have been advanced about who a leader is. A leader is an individual whose
work is to guide others into achieving a common goal. A leader shows other the way by
examples and creates an environment that makes other team members feel involved in the
whole process. Leaders must also have the drive to push others in situations that are not
favorable. He or she motivates all resources at his or her disposal to ensure that a favorable
outcome is obtained from unfavorable circumstances.
Different types of Leadership

At first glance, we may think that some leadership styles are better than others. The truth is that
each leadership style has its place in a leader's toolkit. The wise leader knows to flex from one
style to another as the situation demands.

Leadership styles are on a continuum, ranging from autocratic at one end, to laissez-faire at the
other, with a variety of styles in between. The seven primary leadership styles are:

 Autocratic Style
The phrase most illustrative of an autocratic leadership style is "Do as I say." Generally, an
autocratic leader believes that he or she is the smartest person at the table and knows more than
others. They make all the decisions with little input from team members. This command-and-
control approach is typical of leadership styles of the past, but it doesn't hold much water
with today's talent. That's not to say that the style may not be appropriate in certain situations.
For example, you can dip into an autocratic leadership style when crucial decisions need to be
made on the spot, and you have the most knowledge about the situation, or when you're dealing
with inexperienced and new team members and there's no time to wait for team members to
gain familiarity with their role.

 Authoritative Style
The phrase most indicative of this style of leadership (also known as "visionary") is "Follow
me." The authoritative leadership style is the mark of confident leaders who map the way and
set expectations, while engaging and energizing followers along the way. In a climate of
uncertainty, these leaders lift the fog for people. They help them see where the company is
going and what's going to happen when they get there. Unlike autocratic leaders, authoritative

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leaders take the time to explain their thinking: They don't just issue orders. Most of all, they
allow people choice and latitude on how to achieve common goals.

 Pacesetting Style
"Do as I do!" is the phrase most indicative of leaders who utilize the pacesetting style. This
style describes a very driven leader who sets the pace as in racing. Pacesetters set the bar high
and push their team members to run hard and fast to the finish line. While the pacesetter style
of leadership is effective in getting things done and driving for results, it's a style that can hurt
team members. For one thing, even the most driven employees may become stressed working
under this style of leadership in the long run. Should you avoid the pacesetting style altogether?
Not so fast. If you're an energetic entrepreneur working with a like-minded team on developing
and announcing a new product or service, this style may serve you well. However, this is not a
style that can be kept up for the long term. A pacesetting leader needs to let the air out of the
tires once in a while to avoid causing team burnout.

 Democratic Style
Democratic leaders are more likely to ask "What do you think?" They share information with
employees about anything that affects their work responsibilities. They also seek employees'
opinions before approving a final decision. There are numerous benefits to this participative
leadership style. It can engender trust and promote team spirit and cooperation from employees.
It allows for creativity and helps employees grow and develop. A democratic leadership style
gets people to do what you want to be done but in a way that they want to do it.

 Coaching Style
When you having a coaching leadership style, you tend to have a "Consider this" approach. A
leader who coaches views people as a reservoir of talent to be developed. The leader who uses
a coach approach seeks to unlock people's potential. Leaders who use a coaching style open
their hearts and doors for people. They believe that everyone has power within themselves. A
coaching leader gives people a little direction to help them tap into their ability to achieve all
that they're capable of.

 Affiliative Style
A phrase often used to describe this type of leadership is "People come first." Of all the
leadership styles, the affiliative leadership approach is one where the leader gets up close and
personal with people. A leader practicing this style pays attention to and supports the emotional
needs of team members. The leader strives to open up a pipeline that connects him or her to
the team. Ultimately, this style is all about encouraging harmony and forming collaborative
relationships within teams. It's particularly useful, for example, in smoothing conflicts among
team members or reassuring people during times of stress.

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 Laissez-Faire Style
The laissez-faire leadership style is at the opposite end of the autocratic style. Of all the
leadership styles, this one involves the least amount of oversight. You could say that the
autocratic style leader stands as firm as a rock on issues, while the laissez-faire leader lets
people swim with the current. On the surface, a laissez-faire leader may appear to trust people
to know what to do, but taken to the extreme, an uninvolved leader may end up appearing aloof.
While it's beneficial to give people opportunities to spread their wings, with a total lack of
direction, people may unwittingly drift in the wrong direction—away from the critical goals of
the organization. This style can work if you're leading highly skilled, experienced employees
who are self-starters and motivated. To be most effective with this style, monitor team
performance and provide regular feedback.

Charismatic Leadership defined

What sets charismatic leaders apart is that they are “essentially very skilled communicators,
individuals who are both verbally eloquent, but also able to communicate to followers on a
deep, emotional level,” said Ronald E. Riggio, Ph.D., professor of leadership and
organizational psychology at Claremont McKenna College, in his Psychology Today article
“What is Charisma and Charismatic Leadership?”

Charismatic leaders are often identified in times of crisis and exhibit exceptional devotion to
and expertise in their fields. They are often people with a clear vision in business or politics
and the ability to engage with a large audience.

A charismatic leadership definition is incomplete if it does not focus on the leader personally.
More than other popular leadership styles, charismatic leadership depends on the personality
and actions of the leader — not the process or structure.

History of Charismatic Leadership

German sociologist Max Weber first published his book “The Three Types of Legitimate Rule”
in 1958. In it, he sets forth a tripartite classification of authority for organizations and
governments:

 Traditional
 Legal/rational
 Charismatic

Differences between Charismatic Leadership and other styles

“Charismatic leadership is a leadership style that is recognizable but may be perceived with
less tangibility than other leadership styles,” writes Mar Bell in “Charismatic Leadership Case
Study with Ronald Reagan as Exemplar.”

Charismatic leadership is similar to other styles. Both it and transformational leadership rely
on the ability of the leader to influence and inspire followers. Transformational and charismatic

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leaders motivate the individual or those around them to be better and to work for the greater
good of an organization or society. Other similarities include:

 Leaders rally those around them in service of a common goal

 Initiative and boldness are encouraged

The differences between charismatic and transformational leadership styles lie primarily in
how the individual is viewed.

 The personal vision of a charismatic leader has a great deal of influence over his or her
audience
 Charismatic leaders speak about their moral compass or passion rather than an existing
method of doing business

10 Charismatic Leadership characteristics

These charismatic leaders have a quality which is hard to pin down, but which attracts followers
and inspires people to action. Transformational leaders are often highly charismatic because
they are capable of initiating and maintaining a significant level of change in the organization.

The following are some of the most prominent characteristics of charismatic leadership.

 Communication
Charismatic leaders have extraordinary skills in communication. This helps to motivate
employees through tough times and also help them stay grounded when things are good. The
leaders are equally comfortable communicating one-to-one or in a group setting.

 Maturity
Though they have a very powerful personality, a charismatic leader also has maturity and
character. They don’t believe in empty showmanship, but they draw on their wisdom and
knowledge which they have accumulated over the years of life and business experiences. They
behave in a mature and responsible manner on all occasions.

 Humility
Charismatic leaders also have a sense of humility. They place a lot of value on each employee,
and have the ability to truly listen to their concerns. The charismatic leader is able to convince
the employee of the value that they bring to the organization, and show them how their
contributions impact the strategic interests of the company. They inspire great loyalty from
their employees.

 Compassion
Successful charismatic leaders are also compassionate. Charisma alone may not be enough,
because there’s a very real possibility that it can disintegrate into mere hero worship.
Compassion, integrity, honesty, and fortitude are also qualities that successful charismatic
leaders exhibit.

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 Substance
Charisma can exist without substance, but only for a very short time. Flashy and glitzy behavior
may capture the attention of people, but eventually they will want something substantial
beneath the facade. A charismatic leader must not only talk the talk, but also walk the walk.
Charm gets him the face time, and substance closes the deal.

 Confidence
It goes without saying that charismatic leaders are truly confident. They are the glass half full
kind of people, and are comfortable with who they are. They understand themselves well and
do not try to be anyone else. Charismatic leaders are secure and confident enough to be
comfortable in their own skin.

 Positive body language

One of the first things that you’d notice about a charismatic leader is their warm, open, and
positive body language. They make eye contact with were that they are talking to, smile, and
introduce themselves to strangers with the genuine joy of making a new contact. They have an
endearing swagger, and they are authentic.

 Listening skills
Charismatic leaders are extremely good listeners. When they listen to you, they don’t fidget or
look distracted. A charismatic leader pays attention to what is being said, and listens with
interest. They are engaged in the conversation and act with empathy.

 Self-monitoring
One of the attributes of charismatic leaders is that they often tend to watch themselves. They
are aware of their powerful personality, and the fact that their followers are watching them
constantly. For this reason, they consider it important to portray a good image of themselves to
their followers. This can be achieved only with self-monitoring.

 Self-improvement
A charismatic leader understands that he has certain qualities that make him different from
others, and that these are the qualities that get him attention and make him charismatic. So he
also knows how important it is to continually improve himself.

Charismatic Leadership – “Born Leader Concept”

There are a number of scenarios which confirms the assertion that leaders are actually born and
not made. One of the evidences is that leaders are noticed when they are still very young. They
are first recognized during childhood in schoolyards. There are kids who are always ready to
assume command while still in school and leadership skills to them appears to be so effortless.
These child-leaders are characterized by a great desire for adventure and thinks very quickly
whenever they are on the field. They are always ready to take positions of responsibility such
as becoming class monitors. This is clear evidence that leaders are born with leadership traits
in them.

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This belief is also supported by the Great Man’s theory which asserts that great leaders are born
with all the required internal features such as intelligence, confidence, social skills and
charisma and these features make them leaders who are naturally born. Apart from the
leadership traits exhibited by children while they are still young, we have leaders whose
leadership skills were not learnt but they were born with these skills. Two examples of these
leaders are Margaret Thatcher and Sir Winston Churchill. Margaret Thatcher and Sir Winston
Churchill are credited for being the most outstanding British Prime ministers since World War
II. These two leaders who did not attend any school to learn leadership skills confirm the
assertion that leaders are actually born and not made.

However, learnt leadership is also important as a supplement to inherited leadership traits. This
is because before a person learns leadership, he or she should have the drive and courage to
take up leadership positions. Courage is an attribute that is born in leaders and therefore leaders
can only be noticed if they have the drive and courage to step out and lead others. This is
another aspect than makes leaders to be considered born and not made. The argument by Colin
Powel that leaders are made is valid. He advocates for learnt leadership. According to him good
leadership is only achievable through trial and error. This argument is correct, but before
engaging in trial and error techniques a leader must possess the zeal to face followers, which I
believe is an attribute born with leaders. The concept is that the attributes born with leaders
forms the foundation of good leadership. Without these traits, then a leader cannot have the
opportunity for learnt leadership.

Additionally, people are endowed differently in various fields. Therefore, suggesting that
leaders have no extraordinary endowment is to imply that all people are created having equal
talents and abilities. This is not true because some people are known to perform better in some
areas than others. For instance, not all people can be athletes and this is regardless of the amount
of training these people are exposed to. The same case applies to leaders. Not all people can be
leaders, regardless of the training they are exposed to.

Born leadership can also be evidenced from people who went down the history books as great
leaders. Their leadership skills were not instilled through learning. One example of these
leaders is Benito Mussolini between the year 1883 and 1945. Benito was a politician who was
credited for leading the National Fascist Party in Italy. Additionally, he one of the main figures
who greatly contributed to the formation of Fascism. Mussolini launched fascism in a highly
organized manner and later turned it into a political movement. Mussolini was defeated during
the 1919 election, but regained his parliamentary seat in the year 1921. Mussolini was a well
known and his leadership which was characterized by courage was inborn. He did not attend
any leadership training school to nurture his leadership skills. The leadership skills portrayed
by Mussolini are a clear indication that Leaders are born with leadership skills.

It is not only the great man’s theory that supports the belief that, leaders are actually born. Trait
theory is closely related to the great man theory. The assertion of this theory is that certain

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qualities of great leaders must be inherited. Examples of these qualities include self-confidence,
courage and extraversion. All these traits are associated with great leaders. These traits are
known to be inherited and not nurtured.

The last two theories in support of born leadership are the relationship theory and contingency
theories. Relationship theory focuses on the relationship between followers and leaders. Since
it is the responsibility of leaders to inspire and motivate their followers, they need to have the
right traits in them and social traits are in-borne and they are hard to be instilled through
training. Being social is a trait which is critical in forming good working relationships between
the leaders and their followers.

Lastly, contingency theory has a relationship with trait theory in supporting the assertion that
great leaders are born. According to the theory, the quality of leadership is dependent on the
environment where leadership is practiced. It is the inborn traits which make leaders respond
to different types of environments. For instance, a leader who is adaptable will express good
leadership skills regardless of whether the followers are responsive or not. Therefore, in order
for a leader not to be greatly influenced by the environment of operation, he should be adaptive
to different environments a trait which a leader is normally born with.

Charismatic Leadership – “Made Leader Concept”

There is a belief that leaders are made because it is not possible to have a leader born with all
the required leadership qualities. I believe that effective leadership is a product of being born
with the right leadership attributes. This is due to the fact that leadership is a complex
undertaking due to processes and groups involved. Therefore, leading a military unit, an
organization or a nation is a very complex task. Leaders can therefore be developed, but there
should inborn characteristics that make people to be more suited for leadership positions.
Extraversion, assertiveness, boldness and risk taking are all characteristics which increase the
effectiveness of a leader and which cannot be learnt. Additionally, intelligence is another factor
that makes confirms the assertion that leaders are actually born when compared to learnt
leadership. In the absence of intelligence, it is not possible to train effective leaders. Therefore,
it is only possible to train somebody to become an effective leader if he or she is intelligent.
Intelligence is a characteristic that is not attained through learning, but born in a person. This
intelligence is what makes a person to know what the followers want and want they don’t want.

Therefore, from this discussion, it is evident that the most crucial aspects of leadership originate
from inborn traits as compared to learnt leadership strategies. Despite the fact that both inborn
and learnt aspects of leadership are important, inborn traits are more important because they
form a foundation for learning advanced leadership strategies. This is the reason why I strongly
believe that leaders are born and not made.

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Advantages of Charismatic Leadership

1. It is a leadership style which creates an emotional appeal: People are inspired by

charismatic leaders because they see a chance to reach their own dreams. These leaders
give them a chance to do something that feels bigger than themselves. They want to follow
these people because they feel like there is an emotional connection between themselves
and the leader. With this connection, strong loyalties are often formed by those who choose
to follow a charismatic leader.

2. It gives people a chance to think differently: When a charismatic leader shares their
vision, it gives people a chance to think differently about a specific subject. In some
instances, they can even begin to think of bigger plans or dreams that are achievable. Even
though it sometimes requires a leap of faith to follow a charismatic leader, when the
message is strong enough, there will always be people who are willing to take the risk.

3. It decreases turnover rates within an organization: Employers often seek out

charismatic leaders when they are struggling with high attrition rates. People feel connected
to the charismatic leader more than they do the company, which creates a workplace that
feels more welcoming. People come to work feeling happier. They are encouraged by the
open communication and the rewards which happen because their leader is willing to take
the occasional risk.

4. It can be used to create a positive impact on society: One of the best examples of a
positive charismatic leader is Martin Luther King Jr. His goal was to help create change in
society by shifting how people thought about specific people, laws, and circumstances. Not
only did he inspire people with his speeches and work, he was also willing to stand side-
by-side with those who shared his vision of a better country and worked just as hard to
create the results he wanted.

5. It prioritizes the learning process: Charismatic leaders understand that humans are
imperfect. They are not seeking out perfectionism in every project. These leaders do want
their followers to learn from their mistakes. They also learn from their own mistakes.
Although this may create tunnel vision, or even a certain level of arrogance, it can also be
the catalyst a company needs to make the final move toward a final outcome.

6. It creates a shared identity: When people share an identity as a group, it can turn the
impossible into something that is possible to achieve. This can create a push toward large
changes being made in a short time period.

Disadvantages of Charismatic Leadership

1. It is dependent upon the energy levels of the leader: Charismatic leadership is centered
on the energy levels of the individual involved. Encouraging people to follow a specific
vision or dream can be an exhausting experience. If energy levels begin to sink, there will

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be fewer followers willing to come along. If that energy is depressed for a prolonged time,
then some people may abandon the vision altogether. That is why many charismatic leaders
eventually experience burnout. They’re stuck carrying the emotional load for everyone.

2. It prevents new learning opportunities from occurring: Charismatic leaders convince

others to follow their own vision. That means people tend to abandon their own dreams,
creativity, or plans because they see something “better” through the perspective of the
leader they choose to follow. Instead of following their own opportunities for growth, they
push the leader to become better, stronger, and more influential. They stop living for
themselves because they focus all their energy toward the goals described by the leader.

3. It can change the value systems of the followers: People might initially begin to follow
a leader because they share the same overall goals that are being described. Over time, that
affiliation can change the personality, value systems, and spiritual definitions of the person
following the charismatic leader. They might find themselves agreeing to do things that
they normally would find to be appalling. The charisma offered by the leader creates a
situation where many believe that the ends will justify the means to get there.

4. It can be used for selfish ambition: One of the best examples of how charismatic
leadership can be used to create harm comes from Adolf Hitler. He was imprisoned in 1923
because he attempted to seize power through a coup in Munich. He attacked the Treaty of
Versailles, denounced international capitalism, and used his charismatic charm to influence
the electorate. By 1933, the Nazi Party was the largest elected party in the Reichstag. Once
that happened, the journey toward the second world war had begun.

5. It is not a leadership style which fits into a rigid structure: Charismatic leaders tend to
pursue their own vision at the expense of any rules or regulations that may be in place.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, like the diner sit-ins that took place during the Civil
Rights Movement. From an organizational standpoint, however, a charismatic leader can
be difficult to handle. There may be rigid regulations or processes that must be followed
and these leaders may choose on their own to go in a different direction.

Examples of Charismatic Leadership

Charismatic leaders are from all walks of life. In addition to business, this leadership style can
be found in religious institutions and political and social movements.

 Martin Luther King, Jr.

Born in 1929, Dr. King followed in the footsteps of his father as a Baptist minister. He started
his civil rights career as the leader of the bus boycott the night that Rosa Parks was arrested in
Montgomery, Alabama. Dr. King’s powerful speeches and belief in peaceful protest put energy
into the civil rights movement. In January 1957, he and several others founded the Southern
Christian Leadership Conference. In 1960, Dr. King gained national notoriety for his arrest at

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a lunch counter sit-in, which came to the attention of presidential candidate John F. Kennedy.
He was soon released and went on to have even greater influence in the fight for civil rights.

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s speeches ignited smaller movements for equal rights through the
American South and beyond. Dr. King is best known for the August 28, 1963, march on
Washington that drew more than 200,000 people. At that march, he delivered his famous “I
Have a Dream” speech. The following year, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed.

 Mother Teresa
Born in Macedonia (now Yugoslavia) as Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu in 1910, Mother Teresa was
a Roman Catholic nun best known for her work with the poor. Mother Teresa joined the Sisters
of Loreto when she was 18 and moved to India in 1929. As a novitiate, she was sent to Calcutta
and taught at St. Mary’s School for Girls.

In 1946, Mother Teresa abandoned teaching to follow what she considered her calling,
founding the Missionaries of Charity to live and serve in the slums of Calcutta. Over the course
of the 1950s and ’60s, she established a leper colony, an orphanage, a nursing home, a family
clinic and a string of mobile clinics.

In 1971, she traveled to New York to open her first U.S.-based house of charity. In 1985, she
spoke at the 40th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly. By the time of her
death, the Missionaries of Charity numbered over 4,000 sisters with 610 foundations in 123
countries. Her inspiring, devout persona and devotion to a singular idea make her a good
example of a charismatic leader.

 Pope John Paul II

In 1920, Pope John Paul ll was born in Poland as Karol Józef Wojtyla. Under Nazi occupation,
he began his theological studies in a secret seminary in 1938 and was ordained as a Catholic
priest in 1946. John Paul became the bishop of Ombi in 1958.

Well regarded for his work in the church, John Paul was made a cardinal in 1967. In 1978, he
was elected pope, a role he occupied until his death in 2005. Pope John Paul II was instrumental
in examining the Roman Catholic Church’s role in the modern world. He traveled to more than
100 countries and was a vocal advocate for human rights.

 Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was born in 1911. He gained fame as an actor after signing a seven-
year movie contract with Warner Brothers in 1937. During World War ll, he made training
films for the military. Although he served as president of the Screen Actors Guild, a labor
union, Reagan’s political views shifted from liberal to conservative in the 1950s.

He began giving motivational talks to businesses and moved to the national stage in 1964, when
he gave a well-received televised speech for Barry Goldwater. He ran for president beginning
in 1968 and won in 1980. President Reagan was able to articulate his political vision in ways
that appealed to his followers. Along with Teddy Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, Reagan is
recognized as one of the most charismatic American presidents of the 20th century.

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 Sir Winston Churchill

Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill was born in 1874. Although he is best known for being
the prime minister of England during World War ll, he honed his communication skills as a
war correspondent in World War l and crafted legislation for Parliament as a member. He was
a powerful orator who used radio speeches to buoy the British people’s resilience during
Germany’s World War II bombing of England.

 Sheikh Mujibur Rahman

History has always been shaped by the forces of extraordinary leadership, and in this sense
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the father of the nation Bangladesh, was a leader who
had made the history of our country. The most important quality of leadership, the one quality
for which you want to be known, is extraordinary performance with the goal of achieving
extraordinary results—results that then serve as an inspiration to others to perform at equally
exceptional levels. His great strength and success lay in an elemental ability to fathom the full
measure of his people emotions. He was also a talented organizer. Through hard work,
organizing skill and winsome manners, he built up an excellent political image as a leader. For
example, Mujib had an excellent memory to remember names. He boasted that in spite of his
enormous political activities he could remember the name of every party worker or person he
met. He was a shrewd observer of human nature.
However, Sheikh Mujib’s leadership traits made him fully capable of fulfilling his essential
objectives of acquiring national independence from the clutches of Pakistani internal
colonialism, establishment of democracy and socio-economic progress of his much
pronounced “Sonar Bangla” (Golden Bengal).
Decision

Leaders are born with leadership traits and training is only meant to improve these leadership
skills. This means that in order to make a good leader, a person needs to be born with basic
leadership traits. These basic traits are then improved through experience or learning. It is
therefore not possible to nurture a great leader from scratch. From the theories discussed above,
it doesn’t mean that training is not important in leadership. It means that training should only
be used as a tool for improving traits born in would-be leaders. Firstly, the leaders are born
with these traits and then these traits are improved further through raining and experiences.
This is the reasoning behind “Leaders are born and not made”.

It is possible for anyone with inborn leadership traits to learn and lead effectively. However,
only a very small percentage of leadership can be taught. This is mostly because leadership is
compared to apprentice trade. People with inborn leadership qualities use a number of ways to
improve on their leadership qualities because these skills are obtained throughout the entire life
of a person. They improve their basic leadership skills by observing other leaders and trying to
emulate their leadership styles. Other ways leaders enhance their inborn traits is by looking for
role models and mentors. Additionally, these leaders might enhance their skills further by
enquiring from experienced leaders about how they handle different situations. In short,
improving basic inborn leadership traits is a lifetime task. There are more to learn and good

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leaders always struggle to ensure that they improve the leadership skills that they have.
Therefore, good leaders have inborn leadership traits which can be improved further through
experience.

References

1. https://barbradozier.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/leaders-are-born-not-made/
2. http://www.theindependentbd.com/printversion/details/146356
3. https://online.stu.edu/articles/education/what-is-charismatic-leadership.aspx
4. https://www.leadershipahoy.com/charismatic-leadership-what-is-it-pros-cons-
examples/#Examples_of_Charismatic_Leadership
5. https://futureofworking.com/charismatic-leadership-style-advantages-disadvantages-
and-characteristics/
6. https://www.americanexpress.com/en-us/business/trends-and-insights/articles/the-7-
most-common-leadership-styles-and-how-to-find-your-own/
7. https://yscouts.com/10-charismatic-leadership-characteristics/

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