I have been debating myself over this question again and again and can't seem to come to any conclusion. What's your take on the topic?

Great leaders are made, often through adversity. These are the people that stand out and are revered. This doesn't mean that certain things about one's birth don't influence whether someone steps up to the plate or not. It does. When it comes down to it a person's heritage and genealogy predisposes someone to be put into a leadership role such as being a prince, the daughter of a president, or a Kennedy. However, they have to take what is given and use it to their advantage, learn from the people and not be afraid to stand up for what they believe in.

I agree that leaders are made. Leadership comes in many guises and I assume for this topic we're considering not just major leaders, but those in leadership roles either within business or public services.

I think leaders are made, but also have some sort of spark within them. The making comes from the channelling of the spark - and perhaps the spark comes from deep beliefs and passion for something. What is leadership if it's not about a set of principles and beliefs and the ability to put those ideas out there?

For myself, I'm the headteacher of a school ... I'm in a leadership role. Leaving aside the management side, leadership is about vision, passion and ethics. All of these things can be learned except for the passion - that's where the spark is and that comes from that indefinable thing within a person linked to external factors.

I've been meaning ot create a few topics on this subject but seeing as I came across this thread now, I will say that while some people are born leaders, others can be shaped into one.

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I would say both. There are some people who are born just "knowing" that they are meant to do something big. I'm one of them

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I think leaders are really born.They have this characteristics that cannot be learn from experience or in any academy.They always has this characteristics that is hard to find.

I think that the qualities of leadership can be defined and learned sso that most people can be a good leader. A really great leader is born because the qualities of leadership come as second nature to him and he doesn't have to stop and think about it.