Leader's Born or Made?

Q: Explain in detail your reaction to this quote. Do you believe it to be accurate? What examples or evidence would you cite to support your position? How has anything we have done  or discussed

in class to date influenced your opinion? 

Leadership is an observable, learnable set of practices.  Leadership is not  something mystical and ethereal that cannot be understood by ordinary people.  Given the opportunity for feedback and practice, those with the desire and persistence to lead – to make a difference – can substantially improve their abilities to do so.    - Kouzes and Posner, The Leadership Challenge      This question as to whether leaders are born or made was very difficult for me to decide. I came to a  conclusion that everyone is born with the same potential to be a leader but those who express  leadership characteristics first are the ones who we typically label to be the  "natural born leaders." However,  for those who do not blossom into being a  leader right away, I believe, still have the opportunity to become one. Like the quote above says, "leadership is... a learnable set of practices." Therefore, good leaders  can arise by watching and observing the leaders before them. As I mentioned in my previous blog, I learned  by example what it meant to be a good color wars captain.       The quote, "leadership...cannot be understood by ordinary people," I find, to be extremely true. Although I said everyone is born with the same potential, those who never practice, or develop  the desire and persistence to become a leader, fail to become extraordinary people, and therefore cannot truly understand what it truly means to be a leader. If one doesn't put forth the effort to be a leader their potential never reaches the action point. Leadership doesn't  just develop at birth, its a process  that requires immense effort, devotion and observance.