LEADERS ARE BORN NOT MADE There have been an age long debate, and humans since beginning of time, have tried to come up with an answer to this question – Are Leaders born or are they made?. This question has generated an age long debate, which in turn has resulted in various school of thoughts, some believe that leaders are born, while others think otherwise. My contribution to this lifelong debate will serve as a pointer to my position on this issue. I strongly believe that leaders are born and not made. Who is a Leader? - “A leader is a person who guides others toward a common goal, showing the way by example, and creating an environment in which other team members feel actively involved in the entire process. A leader is not the boss of …show more content…

This is an attribute that great leaders are born with, “Highly effective leaders have a transforming effect on their constituents: they have the gift of being able to convince others that they have the ability to achieve levels of performance beyond those they thought possible. They move others from being stuck with "how things are done around here" and help them see "how things could be done better"” (Martinuzzi 2006) One of the most compelling qualities of a born leader is Tenacity. Tenacity is defined by Cambridge Dictionary Online, is the determination to continue what you are doing (Press 2011). Most born leaders are born with the ability to hold on to their beliefs and policies in the face of uncertainty. There are leaders born with these exceptional qualities that over centuries have influenced the human race, either positively or negative. The impact of their leadership style will not be discussed, but emphasis will be laid on those outstanding in-born traits that propel them into the position of leadership. One of such naturally endowed leaders is Nelson Mandela. “Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918. His father was Chief Henry Mandela of the Tembu Tribe. Mandela himself was educated at University College of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand and qualified in law in 1942. He joined the African National Congress in 1944 and was engaged in resistance against the