LeadershipHQ Magazine June 2015 2nd Edition | Page 19

LEADERS ARE MADE NOT BORN
In the words of General Norman Schwarzkopf,
“To get ordinary people to produce extraordinary results”

Good leaders are made not born. If you have the desire
and willpower, you can become an effective leader. Good
leaders develop through a never-ending process of
self-study, education, training, and experience. This guide
may help you through that process.
To inspire your people into higher levels of teamwork,
there are certain things you must be, know, and, do.
These do not come naturally, but are acquired through
continual work and study.
The best leaders are continually working and studying to
improve their leadership skills.
Before we get started, let’s define leadership.
Leadership is a complex process by which a person
influences others to accomplish a mission, task, or
objective and directs the organisation in a way that makes
it more cohesive and consistent.

19 | © LeadershipHQ 2015

In the words of General Norman Schwarzkopf, “To get
ordinary people to produce extraordinary results.”
A person carries out this process by applying his/her
leadership attributes (belief, values, ethics, character,
knowledge, and skills). Although your position as an
owner, manager, supervisor, etc. gives you the authority
to accomplish certain tasks and objectives in the
organisation, this power does not make you a leader...
it simply makes you the boss. Leadership makes people
want to achieve high goals and objectives, while, on
the other hand, bosses tell people to accomplish a task
or objective.
The basis of good leadership is honorable character and
selfless service to your organisation. In your employees’
eyes, your leadership is everything you do that affects the
organisation’s objectives and their well-being. A respected
leader concentrates on what they are [be] (beliefs and
character), what they know (job, tasks, human nature), and
what they do (implement, motivate, provide direction).