Are Authentic Leaders Born, Made, Or Both?

Hello, Sparkling Minds,

As the winds change and weather patterns shift, I hope you find a cozy spot to dive into this post. Today, I want to take you on a journey into a topic that resonates deeply with me: the essence of authentic leadership. It’s more than just a buzzword; it’s a vital pillar that shapes our communities and drives personal growth. As we navigate our paths toward self-improvement and collective success, understanding what authentic leadership means becomes not just essential but a fascinating and engaging exploration. So, grab a warm or cold drink, and let’s delve into why this topic is crucial and genuinely transformative for all of us invested in growth and connection.

There are many people out there who hold leadership positions, be it in corporate society, religious sectors, political space, or even marriages. However, leadership is not a simple one; it’s a complex and intriguing subject that we should all delve into. The questions we should ask ourselves are what authentic leadership is and who is fit to be a true leader. Are leaders born, made, or both? These are essential questions to consider when viewing leadership through the lens of true leadership attributes.
As I have shared in one of my previous posts, ‘What Is Your Why? AKA Purpose’ (you can read it for a deeper understanding), explains how discovering our purpose is a powerful catalyst. It ignites a passion within us, propelling us to seek ways to fulfill it. This is why people are willing to make significant sacrifices for a purpose they deeply believe in. And when it comes to authentic leadership, it’s not just about the title. It’s about how that title can positively inspire and influence others to become the best versions of themselves.

A true leader has to be passionate about people because they are the ones that will be led. It means having the knowledge of treating human beings fairly and valued will make them want to be led by you. What does Sparkles mean by this? As I shared in my previous post on ‘Essential Needs for This Moment, ‘we are humans first, and we will not forget how people treat us (i.e., make us feel). Think about corporate society; one of the ways you will know if someone loves their job except for being great at what they do is if they enjoy their work environment. It also means that the individual has a manager who treats them with kindness and empathy, not being a micromanager but giving them the autonomy to perform their duties as long as such privileges are not abused. Another way to look at authentic leadership in a corporate setting is when someone of a higher rank treats their team members with respect, showing emotional and cultural intelligence. It means that a true leader finds time to understand each member of their team, especially if they are coming from a different culture, which gives them the strategy on how to relate and communicate easily with each of them. Employees notice these efforts (no matter how little they are), and it makes them feel they are worth the attention. Who doesn’t want to feel that? Also, true leaders will always have the act of listening, as shared in my previous post. It just makes their employees feel they are genuinely heard, and once they experience such value, it will be hard for them to leave that company or change their teams, i.e., they become loyal.

We can look at the religious and political space or in any sector at all. If the leaders have love for their subordinates and serve the people, they are appointed over by showing kindness, empathy, compassion, even sacrifice, etc., the people will want to remain under their leadership and will not revolt because you make them feel valued and heard. However, think for a second about the keyword I mentioned earlier, “serve the people.” I have mentioned multiple times on this platform that authentic leadership is servanthood. Show me one true leader, and I will tell you someone who has served sacrificially. It means everyone can decide they want to be a leader, but not everyone who is in leadership positions thinks about it, again, except true leaders. Showing empathy and compassion is the cornerstone of authentic leadership. It’s what connects us and makes us human.

Think about this for a second: we have CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CTOs, etc.; these are individuals who have shown impressive track records of experiences in their field and valuable contributions they have made for their companies; however, have we ever wondered or asked ourselves if they are authentic leadership material? I remember a time when I watched a short video by Simon Sinek, and it was so profound that it truly made sense. Doctors, engineers, lawyers, nurses, etc., all go to school to be trained to prepare them to be skilled in their various professions; however, do people really go to school to be trained for authentic leadership? Hence my question: are leaders born, made, or both?

Authentic leadership is a calling because, as I stated, the different executive titles of those who are genuinely called to be leaders will be propelled against all odds to answer the call. Reasons why, with all the executive titles, most of them cannot even relate with other individuals or reach out to mentor them even to do better than they did, which is the primary essence of authentic leadership. Some people are born to be leaders as they demonstrate natural attributes of being a leader, i.e., love for others, sacrificial, selfless, kind, understanding, mentoring others to do better, directing or guiding them, etc. While others see this inner calling to lead but do not know how, what do they do? There are opportunities to learn about being made as an authentic leader. There are lots of resources out there as information is now relatively available on the internet. Late Dr. Myles Monroe (of blessed memory), for instance, shared a lot about authentic leadership, some through his books and other free resources online. It demonstrates that there is no justification for failing to be an effective leader. Take training courses on leadership, practice the outcomes in the real world, and see how it works out. The essential thing is that authentic leadership should be seen as a calling to serve and not an opportunity to exercise power and abuse the privileges that come with the position of leadership.

We also see authentic leaders who are born and want to develop themselves more to become more effective leaders. It means they are both born and made by taking the time to invest in themselves by reading, watching videos, going to seminars, or seeking mentoring on developing their leadership skills. This self-investment is crucial, empowering individuals to take control of their growth. As the world evolves, the style of leadership today is very different from the ones experienced by the older generations, especially with the younger generations.

So, my dear Sparkling Mind community, I have always believed that true leaders know their purpose and the reason why they see it as a calling to serve. For me, it was a journey of self-discovery and continuous learning. Some are born to do it, some are made through self-development, and others are both. The most important thing is that we understand our why, i.e., our purpose. Only then can we find ways to fulfill our purpose.

Let’s share our thoughts on the questions: Are leaders born, made, or both? It will be good to learn from your comments below as we share knowledge and are empowered by it.

Until the next post…xoxo,
Stay Thoughtful!