“I am not a natural leader”.

There is a misunderstanding about what a natural leader is, and it depends on who you ask. Typically, we think of someone who people naturally gravitate towards due to their outgoing, dynamic, and charismatic personality, and someone who has the gift of the gab.

But when I ask people about the best leader they’ve ever worked with, 9 times out of 10 the person they describe is not the outgoing, charismatic stereotype. They weren’t the star of the show, they put others in the spotlight over themselves, and selflessly put the success of others before their own.

Is being a natural leader even important?

One of the most important aspects of great leadership is authenticity. This means you’re not trying to emulate the leadership stereotype or be who you think you SHOULD be. Discover who YOU are as a leader and OWN who you are.

Being a great leader starts with the desire to lead.

I know plenty of people in leadership positions who don’t really want to be a leader. They are in a leadership role because they thought they “should” be at this point in their career, they were asked to step up when another leader left the practice, or as the most experienced vet in the team they’ve fallen into the role by default. They go through the motions of leadership and do a good job, but they don’t have an absolute passion and need to lead. When you have that passion and desire to lead, you are driven to be in service of others, and make sacrifices to achieve your mission.

Is anyone really a natural leader?

I don’t think so.

Recent scientific studies suggest that leadership is 30% genetic and 70% learned.

Some people will have some skills that come to them more easily. Some people have had early life and work experiences that have allowed them to develop key leadership skills like communication, problem solving, decision making, and organisation. But it does not mean their success as a leader is guaranteed. 

Being an effective leader is not about innate ability, character, or skills. It requires commitments of time, energy, and money.

Becoming a great leader starts with asking yourself - Do I really WANT to be a leader, and am I willing to put in the work to become really good at it?