Economics

Is leadership learned or innate? Leadership involves influencing, or inspiring people to want to follow. Effective leaders use influence to encourage change in individuals, groups, teams, and organizations. However, the resulting influence first begins by nurturing our innate ability to lead. The values learned from parents, our culture, close friends, and lessons of experience usually nurture people into leaders. The innate ability to lead is in each of us. It is God given, though some may lack the courage or wisdom necessary to use this gift. Nurturing of our innate abilities gives rise to a natural desire to use the leadership skills possessed. It appears that the answer to whether leadership is learned or innate is a combination of both (innate and learned) factors.

There is an academic component involved in leadership. This component follows us as we grow from childhood through adulthood. Parents instill us with tools necessary to drive and lead by setting challenging goals, living by high moral standards, and using discipline to assist in the appreciation of diverse views. This development helps our interaction with others. In the Holy Bible, the Apostle Paul praised Timothy for holding fast to the teachings nurtured by his mother, and grandmother. Though Timothy was apprehensive about the call to preach the gospel on his life, Paul reminded him to “Preach the Word,” for Timothy had been prepared for this leadership position from childhood.

Ironically, the Apostle Paul himself is recognized as being one of the most influential leaders of New Testament scripture. Paul, educated by the Sanhedrin, was a great persecutor of the Gospel until meeting Jesus on the road to Damascus. While a young man, Paul’s conviction grew against the church because his innate ability to lead was exploited for corruption. After meeting Jesus, Paul’s life was changed. Paul found himself confused because he didn’t know how he was to teach the gospel to the same people that he previously persecuted. His learned discipline from the Sanhedrin, combined with his new convictions, and innate ability to lead earned him great honor as an Apostle.

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