Are leaders born or made? Useless question or valuable tool?

"Are leaders born or made." Rather attempt to answer, reviewing where we can use the question is what should be focused on.

The "born or made" question has it's place. In a solving forum, it is near USELESS, far too many unmeasurable factors. But in a pre-meeting / pre-brainstorming session setting, the question can be an effective tool.

It is a very easy question to give an opinion on, thus can be used to get people speaking, thus can warm up the "talking muscles", thus can help everyone involved be ready to contribute. So next time you are leading a meeting (or teaching a class) with a quiet group, starting a discussion beforehand with the "born or made" (or a similar kind of question), CAN BE effective. To optimize the effectiveness you have to have a good facilitator, but that is a whole other topic.

If you ask the question in an attempt to find the answer, you will not get far. Obviously environments and experiences "make" you, and we are "born" with personality traits. Just a quick example of each: 

• A "make" example: Kids growing up playing basketball will be more comfortable playing and watching basketball then someone growing up who played football. Our environment and experiences obviously shape what we are able and comfortable doing
• A "born" example: We all have seen siblings (our own kids, our siblings, our friends kids, etc) who grow up in a near exact environment (same parents, house, living situation, etc) and end up very different. Whether it's one kid being shy and the other a social butterfly, it is hard to argue that there is not some degree of natural personality difference not effected by the environment.

We will NEVER actually solve the question (and frankly we DO NOT NEED TO), so asking for real opinions is a waste of time. But is we ask in the right setting, we can use the question as an effective tool.

Follow me on Twitter @jacobjrouse
Connect on LinkedIn

"Because we have always done it that way"

One of the most overused, progress stopping, dangerous phrases that someone can say: "we have always done it that way."

If you have ever been involved in a company or process where that phrase is used, it is most likely because leadership has never analyzed why a task or process is accomplished the way it is and never considered alternatives. 

The phrase usually comes up when someone is questioning why a task or process is accomplished in the way it is, seeing from the outside that it can be done more efficiently.

What we have to do as leaders is break down why "we have always done it that way." If you and the team can speak to why "we always do it that way," there is a good possibility that the way it is being done is correct. I say this only because ALWAYS trying to change a task or process will not ALWAYS result in an improvement.

So, knowing WHY you and your team do something a certain way is critical to being efficient. Here are a few tips:

-Always be open to new ideas

-Always compare and contrast new ways of doing something to the current method to keep things as efficient as possible

-Always know WHY a task or process should be done using the current method and be able to speak to WHY it is better than other methods

The WHY is key. Know WHY beyond "because it has always been don't that way," and be on your way to creating a successful culture.

Follow me on Twitter: 

@jacobjrouse

Connect on LinkedIn:

wwwlinkedin.com/in/rousejacob