Leaders: Born or Trained?

A common topic of debate within leadership circles involves the ability to lead - can leadership skills be learned or is one just born a leader?

There are those you meet that just seem to ooze leadership qualities - when they speak, people want to listen; when they enter the room, people take notice; they appear almost bigger than life and their presence has this magnetic draw on others. These type of charismatic individuals seem to "naturally" possess certain leadership qualities, or traits, that equip them to influence others.

But then, there are others that don't appear, on first meeting, to be much different than the rest of us. There is no commanding smile or deep voice that turns your head to listen. There is no air of confidence or physical appearance that catches your attention. But, once you are around them a while, you begin to respect their deep insights and their wisdom in decision making. They reflect a wealth of discernment; others begin to look their way when difficult questions are raised without easy solutions; they have great skills in analysis and synthesis.

Charisma is a great attribute to possess. Often the charismatic leader finds him/herself with followers without much effort. But without depth, or well-designed strategies, or a clear map defining his/her goal, his/her leadership can be a flash that can result in the disappointment and the disillusionment of even the loyal follower. Those who possess these special charismatic attributes need to take care to use these gifts with great responsibility. Enthusiasm with a well crafted plan can lead to incredible results; inspiration with excellent strategic blueprints can produce a magnificent cathedral; motivation caused by dynamic words can move an entire organization.

So are all leaders born to be leaders? My answer is a qualified, YES! Some leaders possess these innate qualities that draw others to themselves, while others have worked hard to hone their skills and learn the best techniques for working with others. But, I firmly believe that every leader is a leader because God has ordained their opportunities. Every king has come to reign within God's sovereign plan. God used an uneducated fisherman, who often talked before he thought, to become the rock on which the early church was established. God knocked a highly trained Pharisee off his horse, blinded him for several days, and then raised him up to become one of the greatest global leaders of all time. In this sense, all leaders have been born to lead in God's sovereign plan.

From the slow of speech (Moses) to the mighty warrior (David), God's calling upon one's life has made all the difference. It seems as if some leaders have be groomed for their positions since childhood (Josiah), while, in contrast, others appear to be thrust into leadership roles (Joseph). It would be a fascinating study to research the world-leaders during World War 2 to see how many possessed those natural, innate skills of leadership and how many found themselves somewhat forced into leadership roles because of the circumstances of war.

I believe that some leaders are prepared by God to step into leadership roles at particular times and under special circumstances. As Esther was prepared and positioned at just the right time and just the right place to fulfill an critical leadership role in God' s plan, so some people are prepared for significant influence for "such a time as this" (Esther 4:14).


Portrait of Queen Ester found at http://blogoftheemissary.blogspot.com/2008/10/queen-esther.html