...Can Leadership Be Learned? The principles of leadership remain constant; it's how leadership is put into practice that keeps getting smarter. BY Mark Sarner | 12-19-2007 Can leadership be taught? The answer is simple. Yes, leadership, like all skills, can be taught. The literature is clear on the essential components, styles, and dynamics. Educational materials and programs abound. But can leadership be learned? The answer to that question isn't obvious. It seems that leadership, one of the scarcest and least enduring components of human capital, is not learned easily or well. First things first. What is leadership anyway? According to Al Gini, a lecturer at Loyola University in Chicago, leadership is a "power- and value-laden relationship between leaders and followers who intend real changes that reflect their mutual purposes and goals." In plainer language, leadership is the dynamic that galvanizes individuals into groups to make things different or to make things better -- for themselves, for their enterprise, for the world around them. The "Great Man Theory" of human history focused our attention solely on the ideas espoused, the actions taken, and the outcomes generated by people in positions of power. Today, ideas and assessments of leadership are more democratic. Leadership itself is a collaborative function; the leader and the led are seen as in a potentially symbiotic and synergistic relationship. And power and impact are a function of that relationship rather than of...
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...Are Leaders Born or Made? Leadership-Mgmt Abstract Being a leader is something that at times can be very difficult to identify simply by definition. Not only does the term carry with it a great deal of meaning but it also has powerful implications that immediately come to mind. Among these are the positive traits required to be a leader. The Academy of Management Executive stated that Key leader traits include: drive (a broad term which includes achievement, motivation, ambition, energy, tenacity, and initiative); leadership motivation (the desire to lead but not to seek power as an end in itself); honesty and integrity; self-confidence (which is associated with emotional stability); cognitive ability; and knowledge of the business. (Lock, 1991) The point here is that being a leader can not be simply assigned, as to effectively function as a leader one must possess many or all of these required traits. What interests me is the question of whether or not people are actually born leaders, or is it simply a book that people read and learn on their own. The purpose of my research paper is to better understand this question. Are the best leaders born or taught? It’s quite possible that all of the skills of a leader are naturally ingrained into an individual thought process. An example that could relate to this might be a child that learns to play an instrument by ear rather than being taught. From my earliest memories as a child in pre-school and into kindergarten...
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...sports can develop a lot of great qualities that can make children excellent individuals in the long run. Youth sports allow many children to form into great leaders by teaching them great leadership qualities. They also help children learn sportsmanship, problem solving skills and even something as a simple as time management. Being involved in sports teams comes with, many times, being part of a diverse group of people. Due to that, there will be members of the team that will play the role of the leader and others just as the members of the team. Forming part of a team also comes with having disagreements, which is okay. This is just another way for children to learn how to settle disagreements. Everyone sometime in their life faces situations where these skills are very important to have. The best time to instill these qualities is when children are young and this is why youth sports come to an advantage at an early age. Leadership comes in many different forms and is something definitely taught throughout youth sports. When I was younger, for example, I was very quiet and shy. I believed that I was a leader but was too afraid to express that vocally. My dad later explained to me that not all leaders are vocal and some simply just lead by example. Throughout youth sports, I always lead by example and was often considered a leader of my sports teams even though I was not vocal. Today, I remain the same and continue to lead by example, showing others that they can reach their...
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...Can Management be taught "The assumption that we can take people who have never managed, bring them into a classroom and teach them management is utterly wrong." Argument: The question of whether management education should be limited to candidates with prior experience in a work place cannot be answered without first answering the more fundamental question, what is the objective (or in MBA-speak, deliverable) of management education? At first glance, it seems irrational to restrict any particular field of education on the basis of something as unconnected from academic merit as age. The proponents of having students without work-ex in management schools argue on a number of planks, the prime one being the freshness of high quality talent just out of premier undergraduate schools, a claim which rests on the premise that being scholastically inclined inherently makes one a good manager. The latter view is particularly in vogue in Indian management education, especially when one considers the top rung schools like the IIMs, which pride themselves on selecting the best and brightest from the country's best undergraduate institutions like the IITs through a rigorous entrance process and subjects them to an exhaustive programme that teaches concepts in economics, business mathematics, organisation theory and even communication, convinced that after two years, they have produced thought leaders who are ready to contribute significantly to the firms they join and society as a...
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...leadership ARE LEADERS BORN OR MADE? OR BOTH? Which came first - the chicken or the egg? Do great leaders learn to be superb inspirational figures? Or is it all in the genes and do people with exemplary leadership skills have a natural aptitude for the job? The old ‘nature’ versus ‘nurture’ question! Can we finally put this age-old argument to rest and come to a conclusion? Let’s go to basics first. Encyclopaedia Britannica states: “Leadership - exercising of influence over others on behalf of the leader’s purposes, aims or goals.” Leaders are born not made: The 19th century Great Man theory believes that people inherit certain qualities and traits that make them better suited to leadership, claiming there are specific inborn characteristics which predispose people to be and become leaders. There is a significant difference between ‘learning a skill’ and ‘mastering one’, in the same way that some are born with outstanding musical or athletic talents. They will excel naturally in these areas but in others they would be like a fish out of water. This theory is supported by a 2013 research from UCL (University College London). The study is the first to identify a specific DNA sequence associated with the tendency for individuals to occupy a leadership position. Using a large twin sample, the international research team, which included academics from Harvard, New York University, and the University of California, estimate that a quarter of the observed ...
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...Leadership cannot really be taught. It can only be learned. Harold S. Geneen Learning and leadership are indispensable from each other. ~John F. Kennedy "Dov Frohman and Robert Howard say that leadership cannot be taught—at least not in classes and slides—but it can be learned, especially in turbulent times, with brilliance and open-spiritedness. The story goes that sometime, close to a battlefield over 200 years ago, a man in civilian clothes rode past a small group of exhausted battle-weary soldiers digging an obviously important defensive position. The section leader, making no effort to help, was shouting orders, threatening punishment if the work was not completed within the hour. "Why are you are not helping?" asked the stranger on horseback. "I am in charge. The men do as I tell them," said the section leader, adding, "Help them yourself if you feel strongly about it." To the section leader's surprise the stranger dismounted and helped the men until the job was finished. Before leaving the stranger congratulated the men for their work, and approached the puzzled section leader. "You should notify top command next time your rank prevents you from supporting your men - and I will provide a more permanent solution," said the stranger. Up close, the section leader now recognized the great leader and also the lesson he'd just been taught. All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally...
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...Eastern Thoughts On Leadership The lessons taught to us by the great philosophical masters of the last few centuries are still applicable today. It's amazing that the thoughts of both Eastern and Western leadership have transcended the generations still maintaining validity in our everyday lives. When one looks to the East, we find the ideas of Confucianism and Taoism present in so many aspects of our daily and business lives. Though the current government of China (PRC) would like to consider itself not Confucian, its people still practice many of the ways taught by the great masters. The question arises, "can the ideas and ideals taught by Confucius and Tao, be relevant to the business practices of the West?" I believe this not to be a black or white answer but somewhere in between. It is essential for today’s business leader to understand this gray area where East meets West, especially in regards to leadership. While Western influences in leadership such as Plato, Shakespeare, Machiavelli, and others, have depicted the leader as having certain qualities, only some of these hold true in the Eastern concepts of leadership. What are the core leadership values as put forth by Confucius and Taoism? Foremost is morality. Confucius tells us: “He who rules by moral force (te) is like the pole-star, which remains in its place while all the lesser stars do homage to it.” (Waley, Confucius 88) Likewise, his feelings on governance were clear, "…govern them by moral...
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...Introduction Mahatma Gandhi has been a distinctive leader throughout his lifetime. His leadership characteristics have been recognized, analyzed and praised all around the world. He has become a prime example of a successful leader. In this research paper, I will pick certain theories to analyze Gandhi’s leadership. Then I will choose a “leader” from my circle of family, my mother, and examine her leadership using the same criteria. The purpose of the comparison is to recognize key leadership attributes and behaviors and establish an understanding of the importance of certain fundamentals of leadership. As I was beginning to research information on the topics of leadership and the basic ideas of it, I realized that I agreed with a lot of theories and opinions. However, I decided to take some key ideas and formulate my own definition of leadership that fits my perceptions of life, my cultural beliefs, my background and my personality. In my view, in order to be a leader one must have an open mind. One must have the ability to view situations from different perspectives. One must be able to think logical and free of clichés and acknowledge all advantages and disadvantages for all parties involved. In order to practice those characteristics one must get to know the players of the situation, one must get to know their mindset and their reasoning for action. What inspired me most about Gandhi, and which is also considered his most distinguishable and memorable trait, is that he...
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...A Review of Maxwell’s Leadership Development “Leadership can be taught.” (Maxwell, 1993, p. viii) This is the continual theme expressed by John C. Maxwell throughout his books Developing the Leader Within You (1993) and Developing the Leaders Around You (1995). In his first book, Maxwell identifies leadership as a teachable and practicable skill, and outlines the various components of leadership to improve one’s own character and ability to lead others. His second book, focuses on reproducing the skills in others, not simply for others to possess them, but so they can be reproduced in successive generations. This reproduction allows a vision to be carried on, it creates a legacy. Maxwell’s evolution of leadership begins with a definition. Maxwell states that “leadership is influence.” (Maxwell 1993, p.1) In looking at leadership as influence we must consider who we influence. On May 30, 2000 Charles Barkley is noted for claiming that “I’m no role model.” Whether that claim was made out of humility, or to eschew responsibility for the behavior of young people, simply making the claim resulted in influencing many people for years. Maxwell suggests that the question “is not whether we will influence someone”, but rather “what kind of influencer you will be.” (Maxwell, 1993, p.4) We influence practically everyone we come in contact with because our actions are subject to interpretation and response. Maxwell tells us that “We never know who or how much we influence.”...
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...D03454209 | LSI Style Interpretation | Leadership and Organizational Behavior | GM5910N_HProfessor Kenneth Goldsmith | Robert Neal White | 8/31/2011 | | After finishing the LSI Style Interpretation for this class I was identified as have the humanistic- encouraging style as my top style with a score of 38 which placed me in the top 93 percent of persons who took the interpretation. My second top style was the affiliative style in which I scored 37 and placed in the top 90 percent of persons who took the interpretation. After contemplating my work / leadership style(s) and comparing how I interact with co- workers and subordinates, I agree with the results and will further discuss my reasoning in this paper. First, I will discuss the humanistic- encouraging style. As depicted on the description of the humanistic- encouraging style, scoring high on the humanistic – encouraging scale is “positive, healthy and effective”. (International, 2011) The high score shows that I am “sensitive to people’s needs, and will devote energy to counseling and coaching others”. (International, 2011) The scale itself measures the takers interest in people and the tendency to care about others. It also measures the takers ability to encourage others to improve. As stated on the description, since I scored as high as I did I should “ have an unconditional positive regard for others”. (International, 2011). I completely agree with the results of the survey and am confident...
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...Leadership Approach Paper Sharon Boahn LDR/531 May 13, 2013 Drew Stevens Ph.D Leadership Approach Paper Leaders aid a group in achieving a common goal. Leaders have new ideas and goals they introduce to the group and motivates the group to work on the new ideas and achieve the goal. Leaders also inspire the group to perform at their best and assist them in their performance. Leaders have leadership skills and approaches that help them to be successful. The trait leadership approach is based on the theory that leaders are born with the leadership characteristics that enable them to be great leaders, instead of being developed or taught into the leadership role. There are strengths and weaknesses in the trait approach concerning leadership. Strengths There were several characteristics founded to be very strong in the trait leadership approach. “This approach emphasizes attributes of leaders such as personality, motives, values, and skills” (Yukl, 2010). The personality of a leader has a large role in his or her success. The personality of a leader can be very valuable when interacting with individuals, the personality of a leader can set the mode within the workplace. A leader with a positive personality will create an encouraging atmosphere where goal accomplishment and motivation will be successful. There are strong abilities identified in the trait approach of leadership, such as continuous force to get the job complete, sharp perception, and influential power. The...
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...Furthermore, by examining the actions and reactions of the characters in The Odyssey, a clear connection can be made between the epic and the innate behavior that certain people have and others don’t. Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard, who are both well-known authors, created a theory called the “Theory of Situational Leadership”. The theory proposes that a manager's leadership style should be flexible and be adaptable to the situation, the task at hand and the capabilities of the individuals involved. Accordingly, a leader may adopt one of four different styles: Directing Style, Coaching Style, Supporting Style, and Delegating Style. Their research shows that a leader of a Directing Style tends to have the leader in command and only focused on completing the task, rather than the relationship between his or her crew members. The author explains,”The leader provides clear...
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...LEADERSHIP AND MOTIVATION 1 " " " Leadership and Motivation: Motivating People The Marine Corps Way Carlos Arias University of Miami " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " LEADERSHIP AND MOTIVATION 2 Abstract Historically, The Marine Corps has always been the smallest service branch, accounting for less than 1% of the US population, including past and present Marines. Yet out of the 10 CEOs in Fortune 500 Companies, 30% have served in the United States Marine Corps. Most, if not all, former Marines attribute their success to the 14 leadership traits in tandem with the 11 leadership principles taught in Marine Recruit Training and beyond. This leadership training has enabled the Marines to become the most feared and respected fighting force on earth and continues to influence the community once Marines become civilians. Although this work has been researched and disseminated by the Marine Corps Institute, all lessons learned have come from real life and death situations and passed down to younger generations of Marines. These ‘soldiers of the sea’ continue to fight on active duty and contribute to their communities as civilians. Keywords: Leadership, Motivation. " " " " " " " " " LEADERSHIP AND MOTIVATION 3 " “Serious sport is war minus the shooting.” -George Orwell Robert Stevens, from Lockheed Martin, joined the Marines when he was only 18 years old. During a 2010...
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...Leadership Point of View Activity 6.6 Dan Sweeny Indiana Wesleyan MBA Throughout the “Applied Management Concepts” coursework, teachings from Blanchard and Robbins, DeCenzo, and Coulter have been numerous in an effort to explain and portray a leadership point of view, defined by the Blanchard as their “thoughts about leading and motivating people” (Blanchard, 2010). Naturally, this book has examined Blanchard’s leadership point of view, and while it may seem like a model for creating one’s own point of view, everyone will have a different style, even if only slightly. I will examine and determine my leadership point of view in hopes to become more conscious and purposeful in my leadership as I attempt to direct my career through the ranks of hospital management. The text has provided readers with a set of questions to help develop their own leadership point of view. I will examine and respond to each of these inquiries to become more familiar with how I lead. The first question asks what I have learned about leadership from the influencers in my life who have contributed a positive or negative impact, from teachers to family members to bosses. The first person I can think of is my grandfather. He is one of my biggest influencers in any aspect, but certainly in leadership. He has owned a successful pharmacy business for over 55 years, becoming a staple in Dayton, Ohio. His and my grandmother’s work in the...
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...Leader who Embodies Servant Leadership A servant leader is someone who puts others first. This is a leader who serves their follower but leads at the same time. This sounds contradictory, however, it can be a very effective way. Especially in certain situations that call specifically for a servant leader. A famous leader who embodies servant leadership was Martin Luther King, Jr. He put the needs of other citizens before his own. He did not always want to be a leader of the Civil Rights Movement, but knew he had to stand up for equality (Perry, 2010). King displayed servant leadership behaviors such as putting followers first, helping followers grow and succeed, behaving ethically and was empowering. Putting Followers First King put followers needs before his own, which is a behavior by servant leaders. He did not plan on being a leader of the Civil Rights Movement as mentioned previously. It all started when boycotters approached him to endorse the boycott against Montgomery buses. Instead, he decided to offer the basement of his church to the boycotters while he went out to speak at a meeting about the equality problem. He put followers first by going against his own comfort to be the leader people needed. He became their...
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