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Is leadership something that you learn, or is leadership something that is just an instinct. I firmly believe that leadership can be an either or thing. I don't really believe that people are born to be leaders, and nothing can change that. I think that being a leader is a relative thing, and the leader is just the strongest member of a group. The president of the Ukraine is a leader, but among the leaders of the world, how much influence does he really have?

I think that some leaders are born that way, but it doesn't mean that someone cannot learn how to be a leader. Just like being a good basketball player is a natural skill for some people, or that being a good student is just a natural ability for some, it doesn't mean that you can't learn to be good, or at least above average. With a little bit of work anyone can become a leader in my mind.

I'll use myself as an example of being a learned leader. When I asked to be a manager at work, my boss just looked at me funny, and told me I was too quiet to be a good leader. Sure, I wasn't the most vocal, but there are lots of types of leadership, and I was going to lead with my actions.

I spent the next few months refining my approach, and eventually I learned what it took to be a leader. Really what being a leader is all about is trusting yourself, and knowing that you are making the right decisions, if if it isn't an obvious call, or the most popular one. It took me awhile to figure that out, but eventually I was able to get people to follow me, and do what I needed them to do for me to get the job done.

If you couldn't learn leadership, why would the Army claim that it will make you one? If you were only able to be a born leader, you wouldn't qualify, since there would be nothing to teach. I think that sometimes you learn leadership from being around leaders, and being able to see what it takes to get others to follow you.

I won't say that some people aren't born to be leaders, but some people can learn to lead as well. It all depends on the circumstances that you find yourself in. For example, the American soldiers who fought the British in the Revolutionary War weren't really born leaders, but a few had to step up to fight for the cause. It took a long time, but eventually the army had enough good people who could lead them into battle.

Sometimes you just lead by instinct because you know what to do, and you won't tolerate dissent. Sometimes you lead because you have to step up when no one else will for the good of the group. Leadership can be a born trait in some, but for some it can be learned if the effort is put into learning how to get people to rally around them. So is leadership learned, or an instinct? I think it depends on the situation.

Learn more about this author, Cody Hodge.
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