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Organizational Behavior

Leaders are Born or Made

Submitted By:
Asia Samreen Rabia Atique

Organizational Behavior

Table of Contents
SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................. 3 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 4 LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................................ 5 What is Leadership? ................................................................................................................. 5 What is a leader? ...................................................................................................................... 5 What is a supervisor? ............................................................................................................... 6 What is a manager? .................................................................................................................. 6 Behavioral Theories ................................................................................................................. 7 Trait Theories ........................................................................................................................... 7 RELEVANT RESEARCHES ...................................................................................................... 8 Leaders are Sort of Born .......................................................................................................... 8 Leaders are Always Made ........................................................................................................ 8 A Leader's Growth is Never Done ........................................................................................... 9 Being A Born Leader Means Nothing Unless You Are ........................................................ 10 A Growing Leader ................................................................................................................. 10 Duties of Leaders ................................................................................................................... 11 Are Leaders Born or Made? ................................................................................................... 12 By David Garic ...................................................................................................................... 12 Leadership: do traits matter? .................................................................................................. 13 Shelley A. Kirkpatrick & Edwin A. Locke, University of Maryland ............................... 13 Great Leaders are Made, Not Born ........................................................................................ 14 Bryant Nielson made a research in 2008 ............................................................................... 15 Howard Edward Haller, Ph.D. Chief Enlightenment Officer The Leadership Success Institute .................................................................................................................................. 16 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................. 17 References .................................................................................................................................. 18

Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior

SUMMARY
Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal. The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to your organization. Leadership differs in that it makes the followers want to achieve high goals, rather than simply bossing people around.

For centuries people have debated whether leaders are born or made. Several decades ago researchers started trying to answer the question. The debate goes on, even though we know the answer. The born leaders have inbuilt leadership qualities, where as, the made leaders acquire the leadership skills after having been put through the situation in which they have to lead the masses and the skills of leadership can only be learned through experience. In today's industry, we have many managers and supervisors, but few of them are leaders. A leader is someone others are willing to follow, almost without question. Leaders are recognized not chosen. Leaders have something within that the others just don't have. It is an intangible characteristic that can't be explained, but when you see it, you will recognize it. Not every leader is born and not every person can be groomed to be a leader

Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior

INTRODUCTION
Leadership is the art of motivating a group of people to act towards achieving a common goal. Leadership is a process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective and directs the organization in a way that makes it more cohesive and coherent.

Leaders carry out this process by applying their leadership attributes, such as beliefs, values, ethics, character, knowledge, and skills. Although your position as a manager, supervisor, lead, etc. gives you the authority to accomplish certain tasks and objectives in the organization, this power does not make you a leader, it simply makes you the boss. Leadership differs in that it makes the followers want to achieve high goals, rather than simply bossing people around. The basis of good leadership is honorable character and selfless service to your organization. For centuries people have debated whether leaders are born or made. Several decades ago researchers started trying to answer the question. The debate goes on, even though we know the answer. The born leaders have inbuilt leadership qualities, where as, the made leaders acquire the leadership skills after having been put through the situation in which they have to lead the masses and the skills of leadership can only be learned through experience. The objective of the study is whether the Leaders are Born or Made.

Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior

LITERATURE REVIEW
In today's industry, we have many managers and supervisors, but few of them are leaders. In addition, it is also true that not every leader is a good manager, or supervisor, but every leader can be taught to be a good one.

What is Leadership?
According to John Maxwell Leadership is influence, nothing more and nothing else then we are all leaders. After all, everyone has some level of influence along the line. Couple that with the fact that being a leader means we have at least one follower then again yes we are all leaders even if its self leadership. To a degree we are all leaders

What is a leader?
By definition, a leader is a person who rules or guides or inspires others. A leader is someone others are willing to follow, almost without question. They may not always make the right decision, but they are confident in the decisions that they make. They are not afraid to admit when they are wrong, and they know when to change direction when an inappropriate choice has been made. For, even after a few mistakes, a true leader will not lose the confidence of his/her followers. Leaders are recognized, not chosen In short, leaders have something within that the others just don't have. It is an intangible characteristic that can't be explained, but when you see it, you will recognize it.

Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior

What is a supervisor?
By definition, a supervisor is 'a person who exercises major administrative functions over another employee, or employees. These functions are hiring, evaluating, assigning work, disciplining, and dismissing. In most cases, one step below a manager, a supervisor is just that, a person who supervises. Creativity is welcomed, but in most cases, the direction is provided by the manager, and the immediate overseeing is done by the supervisor.

What is a manager?
By definition, a manager is 'an individual charged with the responsibility for overseeing resources and processes.' Managers are more creative than supervisors. Their sole duty is to manage budgets, people, major tasks and projects, and time. Managers administer, leaders innovate Managers ask how and when, leaders ask what and why Managers do things right, leaders do the right things Managers maintain, leaders develop Managers copy, leaders show originality Managers have a short-term perspective, leaders have a longer-term perspective Warren Bennis

Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior

Behavioral Theories
According to this theory there are specific behaviors that identify leaders so we could teach leadership by designing programs that implant these behavioral patterns in individuals who desire to be effective leaders. If training work we could have an infinite supply of effective leaders. We could train people to be leaders.

(Robbins.et.al.,2008)

Trait Theories
Trait theories of leadership differentiate leaders from non -leaders by focusing on personal qualities and characteristics. It considers personality, social, physical or intellectual attributes that would describe leaders and differentiate them from non- leaders. Leaders are born rather than made.

(Robbins.et.al.,2008)

Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior

RELEVANT RESEARCHES

Leaders are Sort of Born


It seems like there's only one thing that a person needs to actually be born with in order to be a leader later in life. That's intelligence. A leader needs to be smart enough. Effective leaders aren't necessarily the smartest people in the room or the company or even on the team. But they have to be smart enough to do the job they're assigned. What's more important is what kind of person the potential leader is when he or she becomes an adult. The person who emerges from adolescence into young adulthood has the psychological and character traits they'll demonstrate for the rest of their life. Some of those matter for leadership. Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas

Leaders are Always Made


According to Geeks and Geezers Leadership can be learned by anyone with the basics. Leaders learn about 80 percent of their craft on the job. They learn from watching other leaders and emulating their behavior. They choose role models and seek out mentors. They ask other leaders about how to handle situations. Everybody has to learn the job, thats why leaders are always made Effective leaders look for training programs that will help them develop specific skills that they can use on the job. Leaders improve by getting feedback and using it. The best leaders seek feedback from their boss, their peers and their subordinates. Then they modify their behavior so that they get better results.

Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior Marshall Goldsmith and Howard Morgan studied the progress of 88,000 managers who had been to leadership development training. The people who returned from the training, talked about it, and did deliberate work to apply their learning were judged as becoming more effective leaders. The ones who didn't showed no improvement.

A Leader's Growth is Never Done


Leadership learning is a lifetime activity. You're never done because there's always more to learn. There are always skills you need to improve. Effective leaders seek out development opportunities that will help them learn new skills. Those might be project assignments or job changes. What they have in common is that the leader develops knowledge and skills that can be used elsewhere. There's no magic formula for developing quality leaders in your company. But if you select potential leaders with the essential traits, then support them with training, feedback, on-the-job learning and development experiences and hold them accountable for results, you'll have the leaders you need to shape your company's future. Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas

Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior

Being A Born Leader Means Nothing Unless You Are A Growing Leader
A growing leader inspires so much more. I would rather follow a growing leader than a born leader. For me leadership is organic; it is a continual process of development and change. Its not an exact science its a response to people and purpose. It demands consistent input, shaping. Being a born leader is not the same as being a growing leader In my experience, people who describe themselves as born leaders tend to assume a right to lead, either because of job title or past success. As we know, leadership is not a right to assume, but an honor to earn. http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Holloway

Leadership involves power by influence & Management involves power by position Abraham Zaleznik

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Organizational Behavior

Duties of Leaders
Individuals are born with specific traits. These traits include physical characteristics, intellectual ability and personality. It has been shown via research that some of these traits are associated with research. These traits include: Intelligence Energy Self-confidence Dominance Motivation to lead Emotional stability Honesty and integrity Need for achievement

Abraham Zaleznik

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Organizational Behavior

Are Leaders Born or Made?


By David Garic The age-old question continues to raise its ugly head: Are leaders born to lead, or are they made? Does Leadership DNA exist? Fear not, there is hope for the rest of us because here is some very good news: Leadership DNA is a myth. There is no such thing as a natural ability to lead that exists within some of us while remaining absent in others. A closer examination of those leaders we often hold in high regard, those we refer to as role models, will reveal one common characteristic among all of them. They all have a burning desire to lead, to be influential, motivational, and take responsibility for themselves and others. What makes these leaders effective is not a natural ability; it is their desire to lead people, combined with a set of learned skills that they apply as leaders. The only real ingredient in the leadership recipe that they possessed when they began leading was desire. They learned the rest of it. The desire to lead was the motivational ingredient that drove them to lead; the skills they learned along the way are what allowed them to lead people. Leaders are developed. Leadership is nothing more than a collection of skills, that when employed, produce results.

Leaders create the motivational environment for their followers that cause them to want to achieve.

They are able to easily identify the needs of their followers and direct them on the pathway to success.

Leaders can skillfully strike the balance between attending to the needs of their followers while accomplishing the tasks required of them.

Leaders can learn leadership skills in a variety of ways (training, self-study, observing other leaders) but unless these skills are practiced in realistic and meaningful experiences they are forgotten.

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Organizational Behavior Some day soon, the argument will end. Until then, for those of us who may be wondering, Do I have it or dont I, not to fear. It can be done. Start with desire. We can learn the rest. http://www.myarticlearchive.com/articles/6/211.htm

Leadership: do traits matter?


Shelley A. Kirkpatrick & Edwin A. Locke, University of Maryland The study of leader traits has a long and controversial history. While research shows that the possession of certain traits alone does not guarantee leadership success, there is evidence that effective leaders are different from other people in certain key respects.

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.

There is less clear evidence for traits such as charisma, creativity and flexibility. We believe that the key leader traits help the leader acquire necessary skills; formulate an organizational vision and an effective plan for pursuing it; and take the necessary steps to implement the vision in reality.

http://www.jstor.org/pss/4165007

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Organizational Behavior

Great Leaders are Made, Not Born


1998 by William A. Cohen This research appeared first in Network World, December 21, 1998 and an abbreviated version in The Journal of Accountancy June, 1999 There are many well-educated and motivated people who lack the knowledge of how to lead others. So they dont assume leadership positions, or if they do, they dont do very well in them. They and others too, assume that these individuals just werent born to be leaders. This research shows conclusively that effectiveness as a leader depends less on some innate trait you are born with, and much more on specific principles that anyone can follow. Conclusion

You may not be able to control or change your boss, or other leaders in your company. So, do what is right, anyway. Others will soon recognize another "born" leader. If you keep at it, they may even say you are a great leader. You. However, will know the truth. You may or may not be a great leader, but you were most definitely made, and not born as one.

http://www.stuffofheroes.com/Great%20Leaders%20are%20Made,%20Not%20Born.htm

Organizational Behavior

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Organizational Behavior

Bryant Nielson made a research in 2008


All of us are born with one trait in common: potential. Of course there are many potentials, but the key in dealing with potential is the stimulus and environment that brings it out. We're all born with potential - and we can all develop the traits of leadership. That's where you come in.

Leaders can be made through training and provide proper environment. There are many ways to encourage a leader-based and entrepreneurial environment. First, you must constantly encourage people to take action. Remember that speaking out is a leadership characteristic your encouragement will allow people to challenge the status quo, innovate old ways of doing things, and to persuade you and others to follow them. In the same vein, you must persist with ideas that come to you. Finally, you can provide an environment that promotes informality, both physically and emotionally.

Conclusion Leaders are definitely made - not born. But the environment will determine whether potential leaders can develop their talents - and it's your responsibility to provide it. http://ezinearticles.com/?Leaders-Are-Made,-Not-Born&id=1054257

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Organizational Behavior

Research By: Howard Edward Haller, Ph.D. Chief Enlightenment Officer The Leadership Success Institute
The great debate for the last century has been over whether "leaders are born, or leaders are made." There have been are biographies, books and articles, and more recently movies and television coverage about good and bad leadership. A combination of externice senior leadership experience and strong business background all led Howard Edward Haller to write this article on the topic, are Leaders Made or Born? The leadership research specifically focused defining leadership and on the way certain events, obstacles, or adversity affected and shaped prominent leaders. The research interview questions were designed to draw out the participants' experiences on a range of interests. I encouraged the sixteen prominent leaders that I personally interviewed to identify the most important events in their lives. I asked them specifically to share the effects of the events, obstacle, or adversity in their youth and adult lives that shaped them. They were called upon reveal the resources within themselves that they drew upon to overcome obstacles. Finally, I questioned them as to whether their experiences with overcoming adversity in any way impacted their development, specifically their development as a leader. The information from major leadership scholars and best selling author for the interested reader that seems to back my position and conclusion: Leader are made, not born. Conclusion: Leaders are Made, not born! http://ezinearticles.com/?Leadership-and-Adversity---Are-Leaders-Made-Or-Are-LeadersBorn?-A-Definitive-Answer-to-the-Question&id=2815934

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Organizational Behavior

Conclusion
According to most of the researches mentioned above it is proved that leaders seem to be not always born, but also made through training. The made leaders acquire the leadership skills after having been put through the situation in which they have to lead the masses and the skills of leadership can only be learned through training and experience.

It is also concluded that not always a born leader seem to be more successful as compared to the developed leader under circumstances. Everybody has to learn the job, thats why leaders are always made

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Organizational Behavior

References

Are Leaders Born or Made, http://www.myarticlearchive.com/articles/6/211.htm, (Accessed January 21, 2011) Being A Born Leader Means Nothing Unless You Are, http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Holloway , (Accessed January 23, 2011)
Bryant Nielson , http://ezinearticles.com/?Leaders-Are-Made,-Not-Born&id=1054257,

(Accessed January 22, 2011)


Great Leaders are Made, Not Born, http://www.stuffofheroes.com/Great%20Leaders%20are%20Made,%20Not%20Born.html , (Accessed January 22, 2011) Howard Edward Haller, Ph.D., http://ezinearticles.com/?Leadership-and-Adversity---AreLeaders-Made-Or-Are-Leaders-Born?-A-Definitive-Answer-to-the-Question&id=2815934,

(Accessed January 23, 2011) Judge,Timthy& Robbins,Stephen & Sanghi,Seema. (2008) Organizational Behavior, pp. 420-423. Leadership: do traits matter, http://www.jstor.org/pss/4165007, (Accessed January 21, 2011)

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