No Natural Born Leaders: A Study in the Art of Leadership

INTRODUCTION Leadership, the word alone inspires thoughts of Caesar, Richard the Lion Hearted, Washington, Churchill, Eisenhower, Kennedy and Regan. Where and how did they learn leadership? Think about this, they all had military backgrounds. Of the world's great learning institutions I question how many have even attempted to teach leadership. The military teaches leadership at almost every level to those who will lead their soldiers, sailors and airmen; how many corporations do the same? More over, when have you seen a university class schedule that offered a course called Leadership 101, or Senior Leadership? A course entitled Introduction to Management is not about leadership. The words leader and manager have two very different meanings. Some people like to think that leaders are born, that the craft comes naturally, that they need no training. While it is true that some personalities are more suited to the leadership role, without training so called natural born leaders sometimes make the worst leaders. Diamonds have to be polished in order to shine! How about the world's great corporate institutions, surely they are teaching leadership. If so are they doing it at the lowest level? Where does the mechanic who gets promoted to shop foreman and suddenly put in charge get leadership training? Also, I believe with the number of people serving in the military decreasing, there is a dangerous shortage of good leaders and a growing number of bad ones. If you do not believe this, talk to your friends and family members about their immediate boss, or their company. Ask how they are being treated as workers and more importantly human beings? The answers you will hear are the primary reasons I have written "No Natural Born Leaders".