Introduction
Leadership is the process through which one person encourages others to achieve a common goal or set of goals by providing them with direction and leadership. “Leaders are born, not made” is an unbalanced and prejudiced remark. Both statements are possible; however, it is clear that only 30% of leadership qualities are innate, and the remaining 70% are learned. However, leaders are developed rather than created. This requires effort and commitment. A person’s natural aptitude for leadership is irrelevant unless they put in significant effort to hone and perfect their leadership skills. The processes of leadership, as outlined by Benmira & Agboola (2021), need to be learned to develop into a functional leader.
Three unique communities have emerged due to the statement’s far-reaching effects. Some believe leaders are born, and those who believe they are made (Abbas, Ramzan & Hussain, 2022). Because of this assertion, some people were promoted to leadership roles before they were ready, and the results were usually negative. It prompted the launch of periodicals that provide content from both perspectives. In addition, some people have gone out of their way to find others who already possess these leadership traits so that they might develop their leadership abilities.
Learning styles and experimental learning cycles have also been the subject of David Kolb’s research. Kolb’s theory of learning is practical on two levels: the four-stage learning cycle and the four learning types. Kolb’s approach emphasizes the importance of the learner’s mental processes. Learning the many dimensions of leadership may be done systematically with the help of Kolb’s theory. According to Kolb and the theory he developed, learning is acquiring generalizable concepts that may be used in various contexts. Therefore, according to the notion, having novel experiences is beneficial to forming a novel idea.
In order to acquire these leadership abilities, the theory recommends engaging in an experiential learning cycle (Goodwin, 2021). As a result, a four-stage learning cycle is linked with the theory, during which the student must cover all their bases. They have a wealth of experience to offer. Learning leaders are constantly exposed to novel circumstances and experiments and novel ways of looking at familiar ones. The second component is a thoughtful analysis of the novel situation. That is why discrepancies between knowledge and experience are crucial: they show where more work needs to be done.
Moreover, the third cycle is abstract conceptualization, when the leader learns new ideas or discovers the modification regions following conceptualization that the individual has learned from their experience. The last stage entails doing stuff and seeing what happens. The leader then tested their ability to lead by applying the concepts to real-world scenarios.
The Leadership Learning Styles
Kolb’s learning theory describes a four-stage learning cycle that underpins four unique learning styles. He goes on to say that everyone has their unique preference regarding how they study best. This suggests that every leader has a “preferred learning style” (Morris, 2020). The way a person learns best is altered by their time in the theatre. What makes each person uniquely capable of leading others, whether through their upbringing, social circle, or innate mental makeup? Furthermore, the preference concerning the selection of a learning style is a product of two pairs of variables or the selections made by leaders, which, according to theoretician Kolb, are shown as lines of an axis and every line of an axis with clashing modes at each end.
According to Thomas, Barbas, & Schnapp (2022), two more continuums—an east-west axis and a north-south axis—complement the Kolb presentation. The processing continuum may be thought of as an east-west axis. The understanding continuum, which runs from north to south, shows how different leaders handle problems. It shows the leaders’ thoughts and feelings and the readers’ emotional reactions. Therefore, creating both variables on a single axis simultaneously is impossible if a leader is on a learning binge. Consequently, the outcome of these two options determines the leadership learning style.
Leadership Learning Descriptions
Leadership development should be geared towards the individual’s chosen approach, regardless of the type of leadership desired or the means through which that skill is to be acquired. This indicates that everyone who may benefit from developing leadership abilities would welcome exposure to various learning stimuli. Consequently, it entails placing an emphasis that is most appropriate for the scenario at hand and the learner in question.
Personality Traits and Types
Characteristics that combine to form a unique person are called traits. Extroversion is a comprehensive feature of personality that describes a person’s level of interest in and engagement with the external world. Some people tend to be gregarious and social, while others are naturally quieter and more reserved. As far as we can tell from studies (Sun & Shang, 2019), personality shifts over a lifetime. Nevertheless, other studies show that people’s personalities may slowly shift throughout their lives.
There is a wide variety of character qualities. They range from aggressively kind to bashful, extroverted, and ambitious. However, researchers rely on the “big five” theories, which propose that there are five overarching components of personality. Therefore, people have either a solid or low personality. Affection, compassion, trust, altruism, and other practical behaviors are the five components that make up pleasant personalities. A person’s level of extroversion may be inferred from their level of sociability, level of assertiveness, and level of excitement. Depression, irritability, and anxiety are all symptoms of neuroticism (Abbas, Ramzan, & Hussain, 2022). Finally, an open mind is willing to think abstractly, try new things, and express ideas freely.
Both heredity and upbringing have a role in shaping one’s personality. Therefore, this suggests that while a person is born with specific attributes and a confident personality, other personalities may be developed over time. Therefore, the counterargument to the notion is that leaders may be nurtured rather than merely innate. However, certain people’s personalities may be challenging to alter. Given that nobody is naturally predisposed to assume a leadership role, this suggests that not everyone can develop the characteristics necessary to become an effective leader. Consider two students: one is inherently creative, while the other can develop their creativity via education but lacks the aptitude to do so (Gerlach et al., 2018). This suggests that while specific leadership abilities may be innate, there is still opportunity for development if one wants to become a successful leader.
Triarchic Theory of Intelligence
According to the Triarchic idea, there is a connection between intellect and originality. Bits of Intelligence like analysis, experience, and common sense is emphasized heavily. This idea characterizes practical intelligence as one’s responses to and flexibility in the face of environmental change. Success in the real world is possible for everybody. The capacity to handle any situation calls for what Sabbah & Abd (n.d) calls “practical intelligence,” which is similar to “common sense” or “street smarts.” Creativity is about how a person deals with novel situations or data. Creativity is a form of intellect. The ability to think critically and rationally about problems is known as analytical intelligence. You may thank your book smarts for this.
The triarchic hypothesis of intelligence posits that people have varying natural abilities for responding to their surroundings. So, some individuals are more analytical, others more practical, and some more creative. Therefore, some characteristics directly impact a person’s ability to assume a leadership role. This means that some people have an innate capacity for leadership and critical thinking, while others have an innate capacity for creativity or an innate capacity for pragmatism (Sternberg, 2020). According to this notion, it is easy to become an effective leader by capitalizing on one’s strengths and working to strengthen one’s weaknesses. This leads to the conclusion that leaders may both be born and developed.
Conclusion
Some leaders are indeed born, and others are raised to be leaders. Only some have what it takes to become an influential leaders. However, others can learn the ropes of leadership and grow into influential community figures. A leader may have innate leadership abilities but can only become effective with experience. When we talk about leadership experience, we are talking about the capacity to learn new things and pick up practical abilities that can be used immediately. Because of the ever-changing nature of leadership, a variety of skills must be developed to be a successful leader. Several theories offer a framework for teaching leadership skills and maturing into a successful manager. Moreover, while some leaders may be born rather than made, this accounts for just a tiny fraction of the world’s leaders; the vast majority are developed via training and education to acquire the skills and traits most suited to taking charge of a group.
References
Abbas, M., Ramzan, A., & Hussain, S. (2022). Are Leaders Born or Made? Perceptions of Subordinates regarding the Level of their Leadership Success at the University Level in Pakistan. Research Journal of Social Sciences and Economics Review, 3(4), 133-140.
Benmira, S., & Agboola, M. (2021). Evolution of leadership theory. BMJ Leader, leader-2020.
Gerlach, M., Farb, B., Revelle, W., & Amaral, L. A. N. (2018). A robust data-driven approach identifies four personality types across four large data sets. Nature human behavior, 2(10), 735-742.
Goodwin, D. K. (2019). Leadership: In turbulent times. Simon & Schuster.
Morris, T. H. (2020). Experiential learning–a systematic review and revision of Kolb’s model. Interactive Learning Environments, 28(8), 1064–1077.
Sabbah, S. S., & Abd Aldin, A. M. Distinctive behavioral characteristics of outstanding students in the light of Triarchic theory of intelligence from the point of view of students and their teachers. International Journal of Health Sciences, (II), 8624–8639.
Sternberg, R. J. (2020). Creativity from start to finish: A “straight‐A” model of the creative process and its relation to intelligence. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 54(2), 229-241.
Sun, P., & Shang, S. (2019). Personality traits and personal values of servant leaders. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 40(2), 177-192.
Thomas, A., Barbas, B., & Schnapp, B. (2022). Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory. Education Theory Made Practical, Volume 4.
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