Nature vs nurture: can you learn to be a successful leader?

Great leaders are not made, they're born. At least, that's what some people think.

Claims that the best leaders simply have brains that are "wired differently to most" are common, dismissing the notion that the skills can be taught.

The idea is not as baloney as you might think: an academic report this year by University College London (UCL) said that "leadership is partly hereditary".

But is it really that simple? Does your DNA determine your leadership skills? And if you're not a "natural born leader", can you learn to lead?

Experts say the reality is much more complicated than newspaper headlines make out. UCL's report itself acknowledges: "What determines whether an individual occupies a leadership position is the complex product of genetic and environmental influences." And while papers claim that the study proves leaders such as Churchill or Thatcher were born great, the report's lead author actually said: "The conventional wisdom – that leadership is a skill – remains largely true".

So althougth there is some evidence natural traits might help leaders, it's only a small part of the picture.

"It's like riding a bike," says Petra Wilton, of the Chartered Management Instiutute. "Most people can ride a bicycle, but not everyone can be Olympic winners. It's the same with management and leadership."

"We 100% believe that you can teach and develop the skills for leadership, at whatever level you are. It's not about teaching knowledge, it's a practical skill."

But Steve Nicholls, who coaches senior directors, says that leaders tend to have similar characteristics. "There is something built into leaders about the kind of personality traits which enable them to be effective," he says. "A strong self belief is very important."

"Natural qualities are fundamental to leadership. You can learn the techniques of leadership, but in terms of personality I don't think you can."

But do all leaders even need the similar personality traits? Effective leadership does not always have to mean being loud and authoritative.

"There is a stereotype of great charismatic leaders, but there are actually lots of types leadership styles that work in different situations," says Wilton. "Sometimes what you actually need is more of an anti-hero. For instance, entrepreneurs often have innovative ideas and charismatic personalities, but don't necessarily always combine that with the management skills to grow successful businesses."

To be a good leader, you don't always need to be a great orator like Churchill or Martin Luther King. Neither do you have to be as ruthless as Alan Sugar. In fact, being fairly ordinary could be to your advantage.

"There are lots of effective leaders who aren't necessarily the noisiest person in the room," says Wilton.

Nicholls agrees: "There are different types of leadership out there – sometimes it can be more inclusive, or a more sharing style of leadership." But he adds: "When all comes to push and shove, these guys are usually pretty direct: they're often dealing with big numbers, profit and loss, and redundancies."

For leaders themselves, the misconception that they are in their position because of their natural genetic code could be disastrous. Arrogant and over-confident managers may think they do not need training or experience to become a good leader. It seems to be a common problem: only one in five managers have management qualifications.

Dr Amanda Goodall, senior lecturer in management at Cass Business School, says that the idea of a natural leader is not realistic. An expert understanding of an organisation or sector is key to strong management, she says along with good training, support and experience.

"It's not that some people's personalities don't lend themselves better, but the idea of a natural leader is certainly not something the academic world would talk about," she says. "That's an old-fashioned notion of leadership."

"There is loads and loads of anecdotal information about leaders. My research tries to get away from the individualistic approach to leadership – to go beyond the single person's story. I look at performance outcomes and the characteristics of leaders.

"The research shows that leaders tend to do best when they have a deep understanding of the core business of the organisation. But being an expert alone is not sufficient, experience of leadership and management is also very important."

For future leaders, the message is clear: your natural personality might help, but it's not enough to either make or break you. From books and management courses, to mentoring or justing building up experience; boosting your skills is often crucial to success.

Petra Wilton says: "Often one of the greatest benefits of doing a formal qualification is that it gives people the confidence that they have got the skills that are needed. And it gives them the framework, knowledge and support behind what they are doing.

"Nobody can afford to stop learning – there isn't ever a standing still point."

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