The National Society of Leadership and Success discusses characteristics of great leadership, and how they can be developed in almost any individual through schooling and direct experience.

1. MADE
ARE
N O T B O R N
LEADERS

2. For centuries, we’ve debated
one timeless question:
“Are leaders born or made?”

3. Since Thomas Carlyle and the
Great Man Theory, the question
has divided people into three
categories:

4. 1.
those who think that leaders are
inherently different, better
people

5. 2.
those who believe that leaders
are tested and forged in the fires
of adversity

6. 3.
those who feel that both nature
and nurture are essential
ingredients in the recipe for
leadership.

7. Of these three schools of thought,
the most accurate may well be those
who believe that leadership can be
acquired.

8. LEADERSHIP
IS A SKILL
Some people are born with
innate leadership ability
and the necessary “talents”
like confidence, creativity,
and effective
communication. But, you
don’t have to be born with
these skills to be a leader.
All of these traits can be
grown and developed
through schooling and
general life experience.
1

9. 2DIVERSITY IN
APPROACH
If all leaders were really born
with that ability, then we’d
have one type of leader,
wouldn’t we? Some leaders
are introverts, while others
are extroverts. Some are
administrative, while others
are strategic. Yet in the end,
they are all great men and
women, and they all achieve
success--in their various
fields.

10. 3EMOTIONAL
INTELLIGENCE
The greatest leaders have a
combination of skills such
as self-awareness and
regulation, self-motivation,
social skills, and empathy,
otherwise known as
emotional intelligence or EI.
As discussed before, EI is a
learned skill set and the
cornerstone of great
leadership.

11. 4SHAPED BY
EXPERIENCE
Rarely do people become
leaders without first
experiencing intense,
transformative
experiences that act as
catalysts for their change
in perception and
behavior. Without people
around that one can work
with, a leader cannot be
effective in their role.

12. 5NURTURE VS.
NATURE
A study from the American
Psychological Association
found that effective leaders
are those who can adapt to
their complex social
environments. In other words,
leadership traits must be
nurtured and developed
through schooling and human
interaction. The best
leaders continue to cultivate
these skills throughout their
lives.

13. FOR MORE
INFO
visit NSLSFacts.org
SocietyLeadership.org
Follow @TheNSLS